SO far, Opel will be the basis for future Buick design concepts, in the same way Saturn used to use The O for their models. Speaking of Saturn, Buick has mentioned their plans for the first crossover-small SUV hybrid car in the form of the Vue. Other future vehicles by the brand known best for huge cars you grandparents drive might include a Chevy Cruze type mid size sedan along with an Aveo type economy class. Buick would grab attention by doing a 180 – turning to small vehicle production.

Source: Car and Driver

General Motors is keeping Buick on and promoting them as one of Four Core Brands – and adding to this is the announcement that 2010′s Buick LaCrosse will feature a Hybrid Variant. Your average LaCrosse sedan, according to GM, will come with either 3.0L or 3.6L V6 engine. Well now a rumored Ecotec 2.4L direct-injection four-cyl has been confirmed.

This announcement comes weeks after Chevrolet, another one of GM’s remaining Core Brands, spoke of a Chevy Malibu Hybrid – it is safe to assume LaCrosse will contain the very same gas/electric drive train. General Motors has stated it plans to have 14 hybrid for sale by 2012, looks like Buick will have one of the first mass-produced vehicles.

That may not seem impressive at first – but look at a Buick – it’s HUGE and usually not that fast. Traveling 30 miles to the gallon is quite the feet in a LaCrosse. You can go from Cleveland to Philadelphia on about one tank of gasoline.

Look for the 2.4-liter Buick LaCrosse Ecotec with a base price of $27,085. Full details in the GM Press Release below:

A fuel-efficient, direct injected Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder engine will be the third engine offered in the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan. Backed by a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission, the new powertrain combination is expected to deliver fuel economy of 30 mpg highway and 20 mpg city*– making LaCrosse one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment.

“Buick LaCrosse customers will have the fuel-efficient option of the Ecotec 2.4L direct injection engine, a four-cylinder that is not available by key competitors, such as the Lincoln MKZ and Acura TL,” said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. “Features such as a rear-seat entertainment system and remote starting are other technologies that are segment exclusives, contributing to LaCrosse’s balanced package of design, performance and intelligent technology.”

The Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder joins the lineup later this year as the standard engine in the LaCrosse CX. Direct injection technology helps it deliver 182 horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft. of torque (233 Nm). Buick expects about 25 percent of customers will opt for 2.4L-equipped models.

The 2.4L’s injection of fuel directly into the combustion chamber enables a higher compression ratio to increase efficiency and horsepower. That means more power is made with less fuel and lower emissions. In fact, cold-start emissions are reduced by up to 25 percent with direct injection. Engineers tuned the Ecotec 2.4L engine to deliver greater torque at lower rpm and build it smoothly toward its peak at 4,900 rpm, giving the Buick LaCrosse excellent performance in all driving conditions.

“Direct injection is a key component of GM’s ongoing strategy to use advanced propulsion technology to help us deliver more fuel-efficient cars today and in the future,” said Tom Stephens, vice chairman, Global Product Development. “GM is using multiple technology pathways to achieve increased efficiency and to diversify energy sources – and we’re applying them where they make the most sense for customers when it comes to efficiency, performance and cost.”

Every engine in the LaCrosse lineup is direct injected and matched with a fuel-saving six speed automatic transmission. Along with the Ecotec 2.4L, a new, direct injected 3.0L V-6 is offered and a larger-displacement, more powerful 3.6L V-6 is standard on the LaCrosse CXS model.

Quiet, low-maintenance performance

As with the 3.0L and 3.6L V-6 engines, the Ecotec 2.4L is designed to deliver exceptional quietness with low maintenance requirements and minimal environmental impact – including 100,000-mile service life ratings for the spark plugs and accessory drive belt. It is also equipped with GM’s Oil Life system, which uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine when it’s time for an oil change. The system calculates the oil life based on a variety of closely monitored variables, such as engine speed, temperature, load and others, allowing fewer oil changes over the life of the vehicle for a significantly reduced amount of used oil that must be recycled.

LaCrosse and Buick’s renaissance

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan is the newest example of the globally influenced product renaissance at Buick. It offers all-wheel drive, a suite of advanced intelligent personal technologies and safety features, and great styling that blends heritage cues with modern design.

“The new LaCrosse builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick’s renaissance,” said Docherty. “It will attract a whole new type of buyer to our dealerships, as Buick strengthens its position as one of GM’s core brands.”

Redesigned from the ground up, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan makes its world debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 12. The LaCrosse offers all wheel drive, a suite of advanced intelligent personal technologies and safety features, and a choice of two fuel-saving V-6 engines.

“The new LaCrosse was created with great attention to detail, craftsmanship and advanced technology,” said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. “It builds on the success of Enclave as the next step in Buick’s revitalization. And, as with Enclave, our goal is to attract a whole new buyer to our dealerships for LaCrosse.”

Sculpted design

Buick’s long heritage of leading designs, such as the Y-Job Concept, the Roadmaster and the Riviera, helped define American automobile design through the years, according to Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design. Today, Buick design is a product of a global team and resources. Creative collaboration between designers in the United States and China, in partnership with the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) as well as chassis and body engineers in Europe, resulted in the first General Motors vehicle to be created on three continents.

“The new LaCrosse is intended to represent modern elegance,” said Welburn. “Throughout the design, you experience a balance of contrasts. Both the interior and exterior have been designed with harmony in mind. The exterior balances taut, sculpted lines with sensuous accents and surfaces. Inside, smoked chrome accents, warm wood, first-class leather and materials combine with cool blue ambient lighting to create an inviting environment.”

The exterior design is faithful to the Buick Invicta show car introduced at the 2008 Beijing Auto Show.

“It is instantly recognizable as a Buick, with its signature ‘sweep spear’ body-side styling, portholes inside the character line on the hood, and waterfall grille,” added Welburn.

Luxurious interior experience

Inside, the two-tone interior is defined by a flowing, uninterrupted design theme that wraps around the instrument and door panels. Attention to detail is evident throughout the interior, including the analog instrument cluster, chrome offset by dark wood accents, and the contrasting thread and French stitching on the instrument panel.

Buick’s signature QuietTuning – an engineering process to reduce, block and absorb interior noise – provides a distraction-free passenger environment.

An unexpected, inviting touch is the cool blue ambient lighting throughout the cabin from the center console, instrument panel and door panels.

Intelligent personal technologies

The contemporary atmosphere of the cabin includes the digital connectivity and personal technology offered in the new LaCrosse. That includes features such as in-dash navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, an auxiliary audio input and a USB port. For rear-seat passengers, a power rear-window sunshade and a DVD entertainment system, with two display screens integrated into the seatbacks, is available.

LaCrosse’s intelligent technologies also work to deliver a 360-degree field of vision behind the steering wheel, for a greater feeling of comfort, security and safety. It starts with the available head-up display in the windshield, allowing the driver to monitor speed while keeping his or her eyes on the road. At night, the available adaptive lighting package can direct the high-intensity discharge headlight beams up to 15 degrees for enhanced illumination of the road and its curves.

LaCrosse offers Side Blind Zone alert that notifies the driver if a vehicle in adjacent lanes is traveling in the driver’s blind spot. The LaCrosse is also available with a rear view camera, with the display integrated into the navigation system screen.

The technology available on LaCrosse enhances a suite of standard safety features that is designed to meet the criteria for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 20 Star Safety Rating. Highlights include front-, side- and roof-mounted head-curtain air bags, StabiliTrak stability- and traction-control system. The safety and security of OnStar is also included for the first year of ownership.

Responsive performance

LaCrosse’s stiff body structure serves as the foundation for precise suspension tuning, safety and a quiet ride. Buyers can choose from a family of efficient, direct-injection six-cylinder engines and a fuel-conserving six-speed automatic transmission with tap-up/tap-down control.

The direct injection engines in the LaCrosse create more power with less fuel and reduce vehicle emissions through greater combustion control – particularly cold-start emissions that are reduced by up to 25 percent.

The 2010 LaCrosse will be offered in three models – CX, CXL and CXS.

Buick’s fullsize sedan, the Lucerne, has seen a 35% drop off in sales this calendar year, though Buick stated they have no plans to redesign. They may be putting all their eggs in one basket, called LaCrosse.