GM just announced pricing for the new Buick Lucerne Super, which they hope will be considered a performance machine. The 292-hp V-8 powered front-wheel drive sedan will command a sticker price of $38,630 before a $765 destination charge when it goes on sale in April. That’s a lot for a Buick Lucerne, but GM does jam-pack it full of standard features to justify the price. A 2008 Buick Lucerne CXS with a 275-hp V-8 starts at $36,180 by comparison.
What do you get for nearly 40 large? Quite a bit. Magnetic ride control, heated and cooled leather seats, heated windshield wipers, parking sensors, remote start, suede trim on the doors and seats and a heated steering wheel are all standard on the Super trim. Typical options like a moonroof, navigation system, 18-inch chrome wheels and lane departure warning system are still extra.
Even with this seeming value, we’re a tad shell-shocked at the sticker. For less money, you can get an all-wheel drive Chrysler 300C with a more powerful Hemi V-8 ($36,670), a Saab 9-5 Aero ($36,320) which has less power but a nicer interior, or even a top-of-the-line Buick Enclave CXL crossover ($37,034) which gets identical mileage. Does the sticker seem reasonable? Tell us. And if so, will buyers line up?
