2008 Buick Enclave Preview

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Introduction

Buick Enclave – 2008 Preview: The 2008 Buick Enclave is a crossover SUV built off the brand new Lambda platform from GM. Targeted at the luxury end of the market against the likes of the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 350, it boasts up to eight-passenger seating, a 275-horsepower V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and classy exterior and interior styling. Buick says that it also is the first in what will be the “new Buick,� which the company translates as elegant design, confident ride, more luxury features, and a quiet, finely crafted and comfortable interior. The Enclave replaces the Buick Rendezvous and Rainer SUVs, and the Buick Terraza minivan in Buick’s lineup, and will be offered in CX and CXL trim levels.

Why it Matters

The 2008 Buick Enclave is critically important to General Motors. GM’s financial problems are well known, and the best way out of it is to deliver products that surpass, or at least equal, the competition. The Enclave is the last of the Lambda-based crossovers to debut, and by far the most elegant and sophisticated, befitting its luxury status. Crossovers combine carlike ride and handing with the cargo and people hauling attributes of traditional truck-based SUVs. The segment was created ten years ago with the Lexus RX 300, and has since surpassed truck-based SUVs in popularity. GM is one of the last manufacturers to introduce a luxury crossover, and the Enclave’s mission is nothing less than competing against the excellent second-generation Acura MDX, the segment-leading Lexus RX 350 and others from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, etc.

What’s Under the Hood

Powering the 2008 Buick Enclave is GM’s new 3.6-liter 275-hp V-6 with variable valve timing, a competitive engine, but not a class leader. The engine is mated to a new clutch-to-clutch 6-speed automatic transmission and either front or all-wheel drive. The new transmission promises both good acceleration and good fuel economy, the latter addressing a common complaint about SUVs, although GM did not estimate fuel economy.

What it Looks Like

The 2008 Buick Enclave takes its styling cues from the 2003 Centieme Concept and, more directly, the Buick Enclave Concept unveiled at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. It features a tasteful blend of classic Buick styling cues—portholes on the hood and a waterfall grille—with clean, contemporary styling that wouldn’t look out of place on any first-tier luxury brand. The headlight clusters are bejeweled with a blue rings around the low beam. The portholes are integrated into the sides of the hood bulge. The fenders swell over the standard 18- or optional 19-inch wheels, and the profile emphasizes the Enclave’s long wheelbase while avoiding a too-stretched look. Designers paid special attention to the back of the Enclave, blending elements of the Lucerne and Volkswagen’s Toureg. From any angle, the Enclave looks good.

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