Green Giant: Buick LaCrosse Hybrid Has Smoggy China in Its Sights

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

The Beijing Motor Show begins next week, but Buick couldn’t wait a minute longer.

At yesterday’s 2016 Buick Day event in Shanghai (was there a parade?), the automaker rolled out its LaCrosse Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), a model tailor-made for the Chinese market.

China loves Buicks, and Buick loves them right back, so much so that the U.S. will get a Chinese-made model this fall. The LaCrosse HEV is part of General Motors’ plan to foist as many vehicles on China as possible.

“…over the next five years, we will roll out more than 10 new energy vehicles in China, including several models for Buick,” said Larry Nitz, GM executive director of Global Propulsion Systems, at the event. “That includes full hybrids, plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles.”

Large American sedans are a big deal with China’s middle class and executive set, but the country’s ungodly air pollution means that driving a gas-guzzler could be seen as uncouth. While the 2017 LaCrosse will come with a standard 3.6-liter V6 in the U.S., the HEV version makes do with a 1.8-liter four cylinder mated to a 1.5 kilowatt-hour battery and electric variable transmission.

Thankfully for engineers, the new LaCrosse is 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor, meaning there’s less mass to motivate. Buick says the LaCrosse HEV achieves a combined fuel consumption figure of 50 miles per gallon.

Pushing the “we’re greener than you” branding even further, the automaker chose yesterday to introduce a “Buick Blue” logo for use on its Chinese market hybrid vehicles.

[Cropped image: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Conslaw Conslaw on Apr 19, 2016

    The outgoing Buick LaCrosse hybrid had three problems (1) Its 4-cylinder engine was marginal for a car that size; (2) the fuel economy was just okay; and (3) the trunk was too small for a Buick. What gets me is that GM knew it was going to make the hybrid the standard engine in the LaCrosse. They should have at least made it longer to improve the trunk room. The hybrid version of the Buick has 10.6 cu.ft. of trunk space. In comparison, the Toyota Avalon hybrid, with a larger battery and more powerful motor has 14.0 cu.ft.

    • NormSV650 NormSV650 on Apr 19, 2016

      C&D recently got only 30 mpg mostly freeway on a Avalon Hybrid. I see 26 mpg with no highway with speeds 25-45 mph and stoplights in my Mom's 2011 LaCrosse 2.4 non-hybrid. Large hybrids suck if your not hitting stoplights/stop signs.

  • Bricoler1946 Bricoler1946 on Apr 19, 2016

    Trump's grandfather was a brothel keeper in the Yukon, he apparently made his money from the hard rock miners

    • See 3 previous
    • 06V66speed 06V66speed on Apr 19, 2016

      @28-Cars-Later "#whorelivesmatter" Best sh*t I've seen all day.

  • APaGttH APaGttH on Apr 19, 2016

    How in the Hell did this thread from the B&B devolve into a political free-for-all. Jesus tap dancing Christ in a birch bark canoe. * Chrysler was bailed out by the government * GM was bailed out by the government * The Italians bought Chrysler, created FCA, broke our RAM as it's own brand, are starving Chrysler and Dodge of new products, can't sell Fiats, and have way over invested in Alfa * FCA is in a worse position from a product mix stand point then they were 10 years ago. No hybrid, no electric beyond the limited market Fiat e500, and giving up on cars * GM bet big on China, which became the largest car economy in the world * Despite scandal, ignition switches, killing 4 brands, and general public hatred, a decade later GM is stronger than they were in probably 20 years * George W. Bush bailed out the auto industry. It was part of the overall bailout package given. The Obama Administration executed the Bush plan * GM has taken better advantage of the opportunity given * FCA is darn close to a dead brand walking with Jeep as a life raft * Chrysler was bailed out TWICE by the government - look it up

  • RHD RHD on Apr 19, 2016

    GM claims the new Buick Lacrosse HEV will get 50 miles per gallon. Seriously?

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