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Is The 2007 Chinese Park Avenue a Breath of Fresh Air for Buick?

Agent009 submitted on 04/11/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 1:42 PM
from: www.autospies.com

[32] user comments | category: Spy Shots

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Is The 2007 Chinese Park Avenue a Breath of Fresh Air for Buick?

Shanghai General Motors (Shanghai GM) has introduced the newest member of its Buick lineup, the Park Avenue luxury sedan.

Like the affluent New York City boulevard of the same name, Buick's Park Avenue is trendy and luxurious. With its range of advanced technologies and high-grade amenities, not to mention a stylish design that conveys a sense of power and passion, it is representative of traditional American luxury sedans.

"The Park Avenue is the perfect blend of tranquility and power," said Shanghai GM President Ding Lei. "It shows Buick's ability to move with the times while continuing to leverage GM's global resources and our local knowledge. Designed especially for business leaders and other elites, it is a component of our effort to maintain our leadership position in China by addressing the needs of all of our customers."

The Park Avenue is based on GM's new global rear-wheel-drive architecture to ensure a premium driving experience. At 5,175 mm in length, 1,899 mm in width and 1,480 mm in height, and with an impressive 3,009-mm wheelbase, the Park Avenue also offers a highly spacious ride.

The Park Avenue 's genuine leather seats are designed to accommodate people of varying sizes with 8-way power adjustment for the front seats. All seats incorporate a massage function. A high-quality entertainment system with LCD panels and an advanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning system offer the relaxation and comfort that one would expect of a luxury sedan. The Park Avenue 's GPS navigation system contains road information for more than 300 cities in China . The Bluetooth mobile phone system is also available.

Like all Buick products, the Park Avenue offers a high level of safety and peace of mind. It is equipped with the GM Local Area Network (GM-LAN) high-speed communication system, which is based on the top-of-the-line 32-bit 500 kb/second engine control system. W ith a signal transmission speed approaching real-time, information flow from various sensors is instantaneous, enhancing efficiency and safety. Further enhancing safety are six intelligent air bags for the driver and passengers.

The Park Avenue is powered by GM's smooth yet powerful AlloyTec V-6 engine, which accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. The engine control unit features the latest Bosch E77 32-bit ECM processor. With the Remote Engine Start (RES) function, the driver can start the engine up to 20 minutes in advance within 60 meters distance. The RES function also can adjust the temperature inside the car.

Customers have a choice of two engine displacements. The Park Avenue 's 3.6-liter engine generates maximum output of 187kW (250 hp) @ 6,500 rpm and maximum torque of 340 Nm @ 3,200 rpm. Its 2.8-liter engine offers maximum output of 150 kW (201 hp) @ 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 265 Nm @ 3,000 rpm.

Shanghai GM is offering five Park Avenue variants: the 3.6-liter Flagship, which is priced at RMB 498,800; the 3.6-liter Elite, which is priced at RMB 388,800; the 2.8-liter Luxury, which is priced at RMB 458,800; the 2.8-liter Elite, which is priced at RMB 368,800; and the 2.8-liter Comfort, which is priced at RMB 328,800.

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jon21 - 4/11/2007 1:57:55 PM

-1 Boost

uh no.

reply to this comment

neutral - 4/11/2007 1:58:35 PM

+4 Boost

Looks nice...notive how the doors (on the interior of the car) actually have handles!! One of the things that pisses me off about a lot of GM vehicles is that sometimes, the interior of the doors are so cheap. They're just some flat handle, unlike the angled handle we see in the picture.

reply to this comment

Matthew1 - 4/11/2007 5:10:37 PM

-3 Boost

I've always noticed this on American and Japanese cars, where the 'handle' is just a cut-out in a flat horizontal beam running the length of the door.

This, remember, is an Australian-designed car (Which was heavily European-inspired)

MBKing - 4/11/2007 2:00:30 PM

+2 Boost

wow, I'm actually impressed...weird.

reply to this comment

BMW995 - 4/11/2007 2:04:09 PM

+2 Boost

Is this car RWD based on one of the Australian models?

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Will_ - 4/11/2007 2:18:34 PM

+3 Boost

That center console came straight out of an LS430. (I would know.)

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johannas - 4/11/2007 3:45:16 PM

-4 Boost

maybe even better than lexus?

golfer38 - 4/12/2007 10:43:42 AMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

I heard that you can order some of the interior components directly from Lexus.

answer - 4/11/2007 2:40:57 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I'm no Buick fan, but good lord that looks nice!

Finally a Buick Tiger doesn't have to be embarresed about promoting.

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mblover - 4/11/2007 2:45:05 PM

+7 Boost

why not in USA - GM makes better looking cars to sell outside of USA than the crap we get here. Maybe if they sell those cars here they can compete with the competition. This car is HOT, reminds me of the new LEXUS models

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Agent009 - 4/11/2007 3:03:53 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

China is a BIG market for Buick, far bigger than the US.

thegriffon - 4/12/2007 9:02:45 PM

+1 Boost

Notice the prices listed at the end of this release: the cheapest 3.6 L model is over $US50,000—that's a big reason why this Buick is a lot more expensive-looking than the fwd Lucerne, which is almost exactly the same size. The $20,000 increase in price pays for a lot of added refinement.

Holden builds two basic sedan models—the swb Commodore, and the lwb Statesman. In addition to the increase in wheelbase, the Statesman has a different, Audi-like body. These models are exported in LHD form as the Chevrolet Lumina and Caprice, and a highly-equipped form of the Statesman will be shipped to Korea to be sold as a luxury Daewoo. A modified version of the Commodore (most changes to the front end) will be exported to the US as the Pontiac G8. The Chinese-built Park Avenue is based on the Statesman, but has a modified body (new nose section, no fender vents), and an almost completely new interior designed in China where customers will often have a chauffeur—hence the massage seats and the only occassional-use center-rear seating.

It will almost certainly be sold, and possibly even built, in Taiwan. Given the high price, and the negligible increase in size over the Lucerne, Buick dealers (who couldn't shift the last Park Avenue) reportedly do not want this vehicle <i>as well</i>. A common replacement was planned for both the Lucerne and this PA, but a hostile US legislature may make North American-production impossible.

theman - 4/11/2007 3:44:11 PM

+2 Boost

this looks like a holden..holden commodore or something..

reply to this comment

Matthew1 - 4/11/2007 5:07:10 PM

+2 Boost

Have you been living under a rock?

This IS a Holden Statesman (long-wheelbase version of the Commodore) re-badged as a Buick with finer interior amenities.

JUGNU - 4/11/2007 4:18:15 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

This car is already avialable in chevy(Caprice) and Holden form.
And now a third one(Buick)too.

Intresting.

JUGNU

reply to this comment

d1sinfo - 4/11/2007 6:00:22 PM

+2 Boost

Interesting looks like they are getting close to on par with there rivals...who might not blink an eye at this ride due to the blend in styling(which looks good), but these days I think we have seen that just looking good doesn't cut it.

Josh

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Agent63 - 4/11/2007 6:00:36 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

I'm surprised! this car actually looks very luxurious and should be a hit with the China market. The execs in China will love this car. Anything big and comfortable they will buy. They probably have other cars like a German luxo sedan or a Lexus but this would be a choice.

After seeing this I hope they offer this in Taiwan. Time to change my grandparents 99 Cadillac. This will do especially with the extended rear.

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Alec - 4/11/2007 6:40:07 PM

+2 Boost

I have to say it looks nothing like buicks of old. It looks pretty good actually. strangely...

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raschitakochangwenya - 4/11/2007 7:09:35 PM

+2 Boost

this is a holden checkout

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=7000

But its impressive still.I really like it .Would buy one .

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aeyjay - 4/11/2007 9:52:49 PM

+2 Boost

I believe we are getting a version of this car soon (Pontiac G8), right?

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Matthew1 - 4/11/2007 10:15:16 PM

+1 Boost

Yes, however the G8 is on a shorter wheelbase and does without the Lexus-esque centre console.

(it is overall more sportier)

ryaajus - 4/11/2007 10:42:29 PM

+1 Boost

Damn, I actually like it. I think the US Buicks now look pretty good too (as long as you don't look too long.) I'm actually impressed. I don't however care too much for the Buick emblem (I had to find something). This should be sold in the US.

reply to this comment

ryaajus - 4/11/2007 10:42:59 PM

+1 Boost

Oh, they stole the Infiniti analog clock

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 4/11/2007 10:53:33 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

This is a massive improvement, but I can still see past the snazzy design and into the massive quantities of fake wood trim. If Buick wants to be a player, a real "luxury" manufacturer (what would be the point of Cadillac, then?), then they have to have real wood trim that doesn't look like plastic!

On the other hand, the front end is vaguely reminescent of the new Mercedes C-Class, and the seats look like they'd be more comfortable than my late grandmother's lap.

reply to this comment

woood - 4/11/2007 11:51:35 PM

+1 Boost

Looks good in everyway but quality will still be a major issue. Buick is popular in China as it was one of the first luxury foreign cars to be manufactured in China in the 80s. It used to be that China manufactures current american models. Now, China is first to get this new Buick model.

reply to this comment

Matthew1 - 4/12/2007 12:32:32 AM

+1 Boost

This may not be true. The car, sold as a Stateman, has already been on sale in Australia and New Zealand for quite some months now, and I know of some design recalls for the car which have since been rectified.

I think most of the bugs have been 'ironed out' as it were. Heres hoping.

golfer38 - 4/12/2007 10:48:54 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I think it looks great. Very nice looking car and it seems to have a huge back seat. I'm not normally a GM fan, but it is nice to see them starting to turn around. If only they could address their reliability issues better.

reply to this comment

supermoto - 4/12/2007 12:33:41 PM

+1 Boost

Funny, my friend moved to Shanghai and Buick is actually considered a cool impressive car over there. So is the Honda Odyssey minivan!

reply to this comment

thegriffon - 4/12/2007 11:33:22 PM

+1 Boost

The Odyssey sold in China is nothing like the American model—low and sleek and much smaller.

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