Buick has launched a cruise missile into the hot and highly competitive crossover SUV wars.
Arriving half a year behind its well-reviewed Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia cousins, this most upscale of GM's new large crossover trio is quieter, more refined, and more attractive, than most anything else in its segment. And, thanks to its tightly tuned suspension, communicative steering, 275-hp 3.6-liter DOHC 24-valve VVT V-6, and six-speed automatic transaxle, it loses none of their (for their size) crisp handling and respectable performance.
Arriving half a year behind its well-reviewed Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia cousins, this most upscale of GM's new large crossover trio is quieter, more refined, and more attractive, than most anything else in its segment. And, thanks to its tightly tuned suspension, communicative steering, 275-hp 3.6-liter DOHC 24-valve VVT V-6, and six-speed automatic transaxle, it loses none of their (for their size) crisp handling and respectable performance.
Most would expect the more expensive Buick to be softened up for its anticipated (read: "older") buyers. That was the original intent, says Vehicle Performance Manager Larry Milhalko. Each division wanted its own chassis tuning, but all agreed that the structure and suspension were so good that a single optimized calibration could satisfy all three.
Full disclosureIn the interest of full disclosure, I worked for GM not once but twice, starting as a Chevrolet engineer and departing eight years later to pursue an auto writing career. No one knew then that GM was poised on the precipice of a decades-long descent from industry design, engineering, and sales leadership to a sadly mismanaged shadow of its former self.
I returned 14 years later for a stint at Buick Public Relations, arriving just in time to launch the surprisingly decent 1988 Reatta roadster and the reasonably awful Regal coupe.
Buick was struggling with mediocre product and a geriatric image, but some good quality ratings and relatively nice new Park Avenue and LeSabre full-size sedans brightened its horizon a bit…even as the parent company was foundering and nearly bankrupt.
I reverted back to engineering with GM's (ill-fated but technically brilliant) electric vehicle program, then five years ago took early retirement to resume auto writing. Quite unlike the first time, however, this second exit came just as GM was undertaking a painfully slow but fully comprehensive renaissance. Scoff if you will (as some colleagues do), but even the toughest industry analysts and critics have grudgingly begun to recognize this transformation.Shockingly handsome
Which brings us back to this handsome new Enclave, easily the best Buick - and one of the best new GM vehicles of any kind - in modern memory. When design VP Ed Welburn unveiled the Enclave concept at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, most agreed that its exterior was stunning and its interior beautifully crafted with first-class fits and premium materials throughout - quite out of character for GM until very recently.
Welburn said it was inspired by the gorgeous Buick Velite convertible concept of a couple years back and set the "form vocabulary" for production Buicks to come. "I believe Buick can go after Lexus in a very strong way," he asserted. "When I think of Buick design, I don't think of long parallel lines but very fluid, romantic shapes. The tire-to-body relationships are spectacular, with wide tracks and their bodies fairly close. The grilles are a contemporary execution of the Buick waterfall. The chrome accents around the taillamps, and similar accents around everything, show great attention to detail. Even the chrome moldings on the Enclave's side lamps taper like brush strokes. The body shape flows, like there's wind blowing over it."
He pointed to the Enclave concept interior as "right at the core of the work we've been doing, a renaissance in interior design for GM. We've put many of our absolute best designers on this mission, and there is a real spirit around it…not just the styling but the grains, the textures, the gloss levels, the colors that are chosen, placing chrome accents in just the right places and sectioning the chrome so that it gets that sparkle."
Production model true to the concept
So here comes this production Enclave, which (unlike too often in the past) is amazingly true to the concept. The exterior is dominated by a bold waterfall grille that wraps over the hood's leading edge, projector-beam headlamps under clear wrap-around covers, and large wheels and tires protruding outboard past the gracefully arched, muscular fenders. The effect is at once distinctive, elegant and aggressive.
The cabin boasts a rich mix of real mahogany wood (on the steering wheel), authentic-looking faux burl woodgrain and aluminum accents and chrome rings around the recessed and blue-lighted speedometer, tachometer, fuel, voltage, and temperature gauges. There's a round analog clock atop the center stack, the instrument and door panels are trimmed in soft-touch composites in contrasting colors, and the seats are upholstered in supple perforated leather with French-seam stitching.
We found the seats comfortable and supportive and were pleasantly impressed by accommodating details, including the standard manual adjustable column, which offers both tilt and telescope fine tuning. There's ample adult room in all three rows, plus nearly 19 cu. ft. behind the third row. The second-row seats adjust fore-aft five inches to trade-off legroom, flip forward for easy third-row access, or fold flat to extend the floor for a cavernous 115-cu. ft. cargo capacity. And - thanks to Buick's comprehensive "quiet-tuning" - this is absolutely one of the quietest vehicles of any kind that we have experienced.
While we're not big fans of wood-trimmed interiors, whether real or simulated, this one seems both tasteful and appropriate for the brand. What else was not to like? The full-up, full-down power windows stubbornly resisted our efforts to crack them just slightly for ventilation.
The many positives of this "full-size" CUV include its styling, commodious people and cargo room and surprisingly satisfying performance, braking, and handling. But it is pricey and, like its Saturn and GMC cousins, larger and heavier than the 2007 Rainier truck-based SUV and Rendezvous and just slightly smaller than the Terraza minivan, all three of which it replaces in Buick showrooms. Its EPA-rated economy (using the new 2008 testing and computation system) is respectable at 16 city/24 highway with front-wheel drive, 16/22 mpg with available all-wheel drive, but time will tell how many buyers choose large three-row crossovers over smaller alternatives.
But however many Enclaves are ultimately sold, few will disagree that this is Buick's most significant new vehicle in many, many years. It foretells the future of Buick styling - witness the striking Riviera coupe concept just introduced at the Shanghai Auto Show - and a coming image turnaround of this once-proud brand.
So here comes this production Enclave, which (unlike too often in the past) is amazingly true to the concept. The exterior is dominated by a bold waterfall grille that wraps over the hood's leading edge, projector-beam headlamps under clear wrap-around covers, and large wheels and tires protruding outboard past the gracefully arched, muscular fenders. The effect is at once distinctive, elegant and aggressive.
The cabin boasts a rich mix of real mahogany wood (on the steering wheel), authentic-looking faux burl woodgrain and aluminum accents and chrome rings around the recessed and blue-lighted speedometer, tachometer, fuel, voltage, and temperature gauges. There's a round analog clock atop the center stack, the instrument and door panels are trimmed in soft-touch composites in contrasting colors, and the seats are upholstered in supple perforated leather with French-seam stitching.
We found the seats comfortable and supportive and were pleasantly impressed by accommodating details, including the standard manual adjustable column, which offers both tilt and telescope fine tuning. There's ample adult room in all three rows, plus nearly 19 cu. ft. behind the third row. The second-row seats adjust fore-aft five inches to trade-off legroom, flip forward for easy third-row access, or fold flat to extend the floor for a cavernous 115-cu. ft. cargo capacity. And - thanks to Buick's comprehensive "quiet-tuning" - this is absolutely one of the quietest vehicles of any kind that we have experienced.
While we're not big fans of wood-trimmed interiors, whether real or simulated, this one seems both tasteful and appropriate for the brand. What else was not to like? The full-up, full-down power windows stubbornly resisted our efforts to crack them just slightly for ventilation.
The many positives of this "full-size" CUV include its styling, commodious people and cargo room and surprisingly satisfying performance, braking, and handling. But it is pricey and, like its Saturn and GMC cousins, larger and heavier than the 2007 Rainier truck-based SUV and Rendezvous and just slightly smaller than the Terraza minivan, all three of which it replaces in Buick showrooms. Its EPA-rated economy (using the new 2008 testing and computation system) is respectable at 16 city/24 highway with front-wheel drive, 16/22 mpg with available all-wheel drive, but time will tell how many buyers choose large three-row crossovers over smaller alternatives.But however many Enclaves are ultimately sold, few will disagree that this is Buick's most significant new vehicle in many, many years. It foretells the future of Buick styling - witness the striking Riviera coupe concept just introduced at the Shanghai Auto Show - and a coming image turnaround of this once-proud brand.
2008 Buick Enclave
Base price: $32,790 (front-drive CX) to $36,990 (all-wheel-drive CXL)
Engine: 3.6-liter V-6, 275 hp/251 lb-ft
Transmission: Six-speed automatic, front- or all-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 201.5 x 79.0 x 72.5 inWheelbase: 119 inCurb weight: 4780 lb (fwd); 4985 lb (awd)Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 16/24 mpg (fwd); 16/22 mpg (awd)
Major standard features: Seven-passenger seating, 18-inch alloy wheels, HID headlamps, fog
lamps, automatic climate control, power windows/locks/mirrors, power driver and passenger
seats, power liftgate, heated outside mirrors with turn signals, tilt/telescoping steering
column, steering wheel controls, remote keyless entry, MP3/CD six-speaker audio, XM satellite radio (including free, introductory subscription)
Safety features: Dual front, side, and curtain airbags; StabiliTrak, ABS and electronic
traction control; five-star NHTSA safety ratings
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles (Five years/100,000 miles powertrain)
lamps, automatic climate control, power windows/locks/mirrors, power driver and passenger
seats, power liftgate, heated outside mirrors with turn signals, tilt/telescoping steering
column, steering wheel controls, remote keyless entry, MP3/CD six-speaker audio, XM satellite radio (including free, introductory subscription)
Safety features: Dual front, side, and curtain airbags; StabiliTrak, ABS and electronic
traction control; five-star NHTSA safety ratings
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles (Five years/100,000 miles powertrain)
The supercharged 5.5-liter V8 engine in the 722 Edition, which is hand-built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generates 650 bhp. The particular strengths of this high-performance engine are mediate response to movements of the accelerator, highly emphatic torque build-up and an unmistakable V8 sound. The performance figures are outstanding even for a high-end sports car: the 722 Edition ccelerates from standstill to 62 mph in only 3.6 seconds, and 124 mph is reached in just 10.2 seconds. The top speed (209 mph) is above the 207 mph previously achieved by the SLR.
Exclusive "SLR. Club" for SLR owners
In 1922 the company Zschopauer Motorenwerke started manufacturing its own motorcycles. The sporting successes of the lightweight motorcycles with 2.25 hp two-stroke engine were remarkable. Victories in the Berlin Avus race in 1922 and the triple victory by the DKW team in the ADAC Reichsfahrt the same year made people sit up and take notice. The first DKW motorcycle was consequently called the 'Reichsfahrt'. Over the next six years Zschopauer Motorenwerke/DKW established itself as the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer.
Rasmussen finally had access to a powerful engine for the DKW car (600 cc, 15 hp) in the form of the two-cylinder motorcycle unit (1927). The vehicle, which had a load-bearing body covered in imitation leather, had rear-wheel drive. It was produced in the Spandau district of Berlin from 1928.
In August 1928 J. S. Rasmussen acquired the majority of shares in 
1932 Auto Union AG is established
1967 NSU presents the Ro 80
1968 The Audi 100 is launched
The Audi 80 is launched
1980 Audi quattro - a revolutionary drive concept
1986 Fully galvanised: the third-generation Audi 80
In March 1994, AUDI AG presented its new model in the premium segment, the Audi A8, at the Geneva Motor Show. This was the first production model with all-aluminium body. At the same time a new naming process was introduced for the Audi models. From then on the Audi 80 was known as the A4, the Audi 100 was called the A6. They were followed in 1996 by the Audi A3, the first representative of the compact class. Production of the 
In 2007, the Element added standard stability control and brake assist, standard side curtain airbags, an uprated 2.4-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine with 166 horsepower (a bump of 10 hp over the '06 model), a new five-speed automatic transmission (replacing the four-speed automatic available previously), standard keyless entry, and styling updates for the instrument panel, steering wheel, and radio. The LX and EX trim levels also received new headlight and grille styling, painted fender cladding surfaces (EX) and door handles. As before, the Element is offered in either standard front- or optional all-wheel drive.
The sport-minded Element SC also returns for the 2008 model year, with its sport suspension tuning and lowered ride height, 18-inch alloy wheels, special grille, projector beam headlights and onochromatic color scheme with painted bumpers and trim. The interior carries over its carpeted floor, center console with beverage holders, an auxiliary audio input jack, and copper-hue meter illumination.
Pricing for the Element ranges from $19,575 for a front-drive LX model to $23,875 for an EX 4WD model with an automatic transmission.
