IndyStar.com's view

‘Tis the season to be merry, and at Buick Motor Division, they are hoisting a glass or two at the debut of their 1997 Buick LeSabre.

There is nothing wrong with being first out of the gate, but I would say that bringing out a 1997 model before 1996 arrives is overdoing it a bit.

However, that’s Buick’s decision. The public will get its first look at the LeSabre during the 1996 North American International Auto Show (Jan. 6-15) at Cobo Center in Detroit and at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show (Jan. 4-14) at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the car will make it to the Indianapolis Auto Show (Dec. 26-Jan. 1).

“At first we thought we we’re going to get one,” said Rick Lamping, sales manager for Ogle-Tucker Buick. “But then they told us they needed them for the other shows and not expect it.”

The division says the LeSabre will begin arriving shortly after the first of the year, and will be the industry’s first ’97 to go on sale.

The changes in Buick’s best-selling model mostly are centered around styling and improvements in comfort and safety.

Under the hood, the car retains its 3800 Series II V-6 engine and four-speed automatic transmission.

Sort of taking an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, exterior changes lean toward the conservative side.

In the front, the grille surround has been integrated into the hood. The halogen headlamp assemblies represent a first for Buick. It’s the division’s first use of halogen lamps with crystal, fixed lenses and an adjustable reflector. This provides a number of advantages.

The principal ones are the elimination of the need for clearance between the lamps and the surrounding sheet metal, and the use of a sparkling-bright reflector that provides optimal lighting.

The grille design has been upgraded by integrating a mounting ring into the hood stamping. It makes for a more complicated stamping but eliminates the need for several fasteners.

Stylists have made major changes along the sides of the car in an effort to protect paneling from damage. The side mouldings – called “terraces” — run four or more inches higher on the doors than the present design.

These terraces are made of especially durable material to ward off door dings and scratches.

Rear styling touches incorporate the tail lamps and rear fascia, which have a diagonal line that provides easier access to the trunk. A handy trunk pull-down surface has been incorporated into the license-plate area.

The LeSabre in Custom and Limited model form is categorized as a full-sized, four-door sedan that seats six. No two-door is offered.

Rather than a bench, the front seat consists of 60/40 wide individual seats joined by a center cushioned divider. The gear shift lever is on the steering post, something that is a rarity in this age of five-seat sedans with a shift quadrant on the floor.

The Custom model’s front seats have been reconfigured to enhance comfort with a slight contour and s ide bolsters on the seat portion. On the Limited, this part of the seat basically is flat.

Wood-grain trim on the state-of-the-art instrument panel and side doors has a new Cheyenne walnut appearance. Front-door trim has been redesigned to better accommodate the speakers for the optional Concert Sound II stereo system.

Buick had the good sense not to tinker with its 3800 Series V-6. The 231-cubic inch engine provides 205-horsepower and 230 foot-pounds of torque to move 3,430 pounds of automobile.

This V-6 is as smooth as they come, and unless you looked under the hood you would swear that there was a V-8 living there. It also get high marks on the fuel consumption front, at 19 miles per gallon city, 30 highway.

The ’97 LeSabre is the same size as the 1995 model. Specifications call for a wheelbase of 110.8 inches and an overall length of 200 inches. Base price for the Custom is$22,545, an increase of $575. For the Limited, it is $26,095, an increase of $120.