Buick Adds Four-Cylinder Engine, Price for LaCrosse

In addition to its 3.0- and 3.6-liter V-6 engines, Buick will add a third engine option for the 2010 LaCrosse: an Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection. This option will come with a price tag of $26,995. The price puts it a hair below the previous base LaCrosse CX with the smaller V-6, which starts at $27,085.

Four-cylinder Buick Lacrosse coming in first quarter of 2010! Priced at $26,995!

Buick announced today the 2010 Lacrosse sedan will be available with a new fuel-efficient, direct injected Ecotec 2.
4L four-cylinder engine. The new Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder will join the lineup in the first quarter of 2010 and promises to deliver 182 horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft. of torque (233 Nm).

Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the new vehicle is expected to deliver a fuel economy of 30 mpg highway and 20 mpg city, which means that the LaCrosse will become one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its segment.

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Pictures

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Front View

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Black Series

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Wallpaper

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Side View

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Interior

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Rear View

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Display

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Picture

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Sport Car

2010 Buick LaCrosse

I’ve been a big fan of the 2009 Buick LaCrosse, but after seeing the 2010 model, it’s hard to even think about the 2009. The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is a seriously stylish sedan. And you know I mean that because it takes something special for me to employ alliteration.

The 2010 LaCrosse, Buick’s modernized sedan, hit auto show floors and instantly created a major buzz. Car and Driver named the 2010 Buick LaCrosse one of the “10 Biggest Debuts of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show” and the sleek new LaCrosse did not go unnoticed at the Chicago Auto Show either.

Making a point to compare the 2010 LaCrosse to GM’s claim that they ‘wanted to make Buick the Lexus of America,’ Car and Driver issued high praise to the LaCrosse’s profile and noted, “Buick has managed to find the common ground between conservative and contemporary interior design and has done so with precious little of the old-lady idiom that has dominated previous Buicks.”

I would have to agree with the folks at Car and Driver (who am I to disagree?) that Buick found a great balance in the 2010 Buick, updating their typically retired-chic persona and creating a sedan that can deliver luxury in a hip package.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is expected to compete aggressively with cars like the Lexus ES350 and the Lincoln MKS, and the people at Heritage Buick dealers in Peoria could not be happier with Buick’s direction in creating a world-class luxury auto that can compete with any top-of-line sedan out there. It is clear that customers at the Peoria dealership appreciate Buick’s commitment to American-made stylish luxury, as well. The Buick LaCrosse is General Motors’ first North American car based on its second-generation Epsilon platform, shared only with the Opel Insignia, for now. GM’s new global mid-size platform is designed for maximum, family-size interior space with the best possible fuel economy.

2010 Buick LaCrosse adds new Ecotec 2.4L direct-injection four-cylinder engine

The powertrain lineup of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse already includes the 3.0L and 3.6L V6s as previously revealed, now Buick has announced they will be adding the fuel efficient 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec engine to the upcoming 2010 LaCrosse.

To get a balanced mix of fuel efficiency and performance, the direct-injected 2.4-liter Ecotec boasts 182 horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft (233 Nm) of torque. More importantly, the engine is expected to return 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. For comparison, the LaCrosse's 255 hp 3.0-liter V6 and 280 hp 3.6-liter V6 average an estimated 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

All the three engines available in the LaCrosse lineup will feature direct injection technology. “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.”

The LaCrosse main competitors, the Lincoln MKZ and Acura TL are not available with four cylinder engines. So Buick expects it has an advantage even before the street-level comparisons begin.

The 2.4-liter Buick LaCrosse will be offered "later this year" with a base price slightly below the 3.0-liter LaCrosse of $27,085.