2009 Buick Enclave

GM's family of beefy crossovers thirsty haulers

In the midst of snuffing its once-popular minivans, General Motors brought to market a line of crossover sport utilities that were cleverly designed to help people forget it ever made minivans like the Chevy Uplander and Pontiac Montana.

CONFIGURATION

Built on the super-rigid Lambda unibody platform, GM's new full-size crossovers debuted with the GMC Acadia in late 2006, followed closely by the similar Saturn Outlook in early 2007, then the premium Buick Enclave for 2008 and, finally, the more affordable Chevrolet Traverse for the 2009 model year.

All models were front-wheel driven, with all-wheel drive a commonly chosen option.

While crossovers are supposed to embrace lighter, car-like qualities, there was nothing dainty about GM's newest brutes. The Acadia's dimensions were within an inch of the Yukon's full-size SUV profile, and weighed 2.3 tonnes when fully outfitted.

No kidding, these meaty crossovers could smooth freshly laid asphalt for a living.

True to their mission, the Acadia and friends could each take seven or eight occupants depending on the seating configuration, with vast amounts of legroom in the first and second rows. Even the third row was reasonably hospitable – and there was still room behind the bench for cargo.

Owners praised the cabin for its handsome layout, decent materials and good assembly. When the Enclave arrived, consumers were suitably impressed with its upscale interior furnishings.

“We narrowed our choice down to the Audi Q7, Acura MDX and finally bought a 2009 Enclave CXL,” one owner posted, proving Buick was getting cross-shopped with some heady competition.

Propulsion was provided by a DOHC 3.6 L V6, good for 275 hp and 251 lb.-ft. of torque, working through a standard-issue six-speed automatic transmission.

The all-wheel-drive system proportioned 90 per cent of the power to the front wheels most of the time. When wheelspin was detected, a clutch pack directed up to 40 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels seamlessly.

Traction control was standard on front-drive models, while antilock braking and an antiskid system with rollover sensors were standard across the line.

For 2009, the 3.6 L V6 received direct fuel injection to generate 13 additional horses, for a total of 288. The renovated engine also benefited from a broader torque curve and slightly better fuel economy.

2009 Buick Enclave

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2009 Buick Enclave: From Concept to Reality

Word Count:
431

Summary:
The Buick Enclave concept SUV is a real hit at U.S. auto shows. If built, the Enclave could restore Buick to its former luster.

Keywords:
Buick Enclave, Buick Lucerne, Buick Lacrosse, General Motors, Cadillac, concept cars, auto shows, GM

Article Body:
General Motors has been taking a beating for over a year now due to sales dips, make/model image problems, and labor and legacy issues. Truly, if there was a better time to jumpstart the company, I don't know what it would be. Fortunately, someone in GM's walnut-trimmed boardroom is getting the message: build what we want and we will buy it. The Buick Enclave, a luxury SUV making the rounds of the U.S. auto shows, appears to be one such winner.

I realize that I am in the minority of car critics, but I think that Buick is on the right track. The Lucerne, a full sized car based on the Cadillac DTS, is a beauty and Buick's next newest model, the mid sized Lacrosse, is another attractive looking car. Still, Buick's remaining fleet has been scaled back with only two SUVs and one crossover vehicle, the Terraza, left. At times it isn't clear what plans GM has for its "near luxury" division, but if the Enclave is one example, then Buick has a promising future.

Without having pictures available to show you, it can be difficult to describe the Enclave. When I viewed pictures on various web sites, I couldn't help but think that the Enclave was similar to the Subaru B9 Tribeca. Before you get your knickers twisted in a wad, the Enclave is a swan in comparison to the ugly Subaru.

Sporting a front end akin to the Lucerne, the back end looks a lot like the Tribeca. Overall lines are somewhat car like but the Enclave certainly does sport an SUV look with calmer lines.

What we know about the Enclave at this point is fairly limited.

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