2008 Buick Enclave

The new top obviates the need for a fixed-roof Z4 coupe. M Division chief Ludwig Willisch says he has no plans at this time for a new Z4 M. The 35i's 300-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.0L inline six is deemed perfectly adequate for the third-generation roadster. And it is a great engine, one of the best.

BMW estimates the sDrive 35i with the automatic scoots from zero to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds, 0.1-second more quickly than the 35i with six-speed manual. And the automatic gets slightly better fuel mileage and thus CO2 numbers, BMW says (EPA fuel mileage was not available). Uphill on a mountain road, you'll need to row the gears to pass slower traffic or just to keep your momentum, though. The car is quick, but it's no M.

If performance is your game, the 3.0L direct-injected twin-turbo in the sDrive35i is the engine for you. With 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, it will reportedly hit 60 in 5 sec flat. Both models are electronically limited to a top speed of 150 mph with an optional Sport Package or 130 mph without.

A six-speed manual gearbox serves as standard equipment for both the Z4 sDrive30i and sDrive35i. For sDrive30i customers who don't want to row their own gears, they can opt for a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. If you order the sDrive35i, though, it will be a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox with paddle shifters. Fuel economy has yet to be announced for either model.

Z4 sDrive35i models can also be ordered with the Extended Leather package, which wraps the dash, sunvisors, and doorsills in black leather. All the leather features Sun Reflective Technology to prevent it from getting too hot to touch. Other creature comforts include optional dual-zone climate control, a rear-window defroster, and the ability to roll down all four windows independently. A removable wind deflector between the seats keeps turbulence down in the cockpit with the roof is down. BMW promises that Z4 will still be practical in addition to being sporty. With the roof up, the trunk can reportedly swallow two golf bags. With the roof down and a special partition in place, it can still hold a medium-size hard-shell suitcase.

Visibility in all directions is excellent from the front and middle row seats, though the driver doesn't get much of a look at the hood, which may make it hard to judge when parking in tight quarters. Ride height is also just about right--up far enough to see through or over most traffic, down low enough for most adults to slide easily into the seat.

Exterior designer Ariel Choi says the Enclave is sculpted "to remind one of a beautiful golf course--nothing flat or level, yet conservative.

GM's Lambda platform provides seven or eight seats with a minivan-size third row, a 275-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6, six-speed automatic transmission…

It's too heavy for the 275-horse, 3.6-liter variable-valve timing V-6 under the hood. It moves okay and, as our June issue's comparison test indicates, is only a tenth of a tick slower to 60 mph or through the quarter mile than the lighter CX-9. But all that weight makes the six-speed labor hard to launch you out of tight turns, up hilly roads, or onto busy freeways. Downshifts often can't come quickly enough.

Top-level, sDrive35i roadsters will receive the 300 hp, twin-turbo six used in the 335i. The sDrive30i comes with a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic, while the sDrive35i adds the option of BMW's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. BMW estimates the dual-clutch transmission equipped, turbocharged model will go from 0 to 60 in 5.0 seconds.

Little has changed in the roadster's suspension, which retains the traditional strut front, multi-link rear configuration. Z4s equipped with the optional Sport Package get electronically adjustable dampers. Drivers will also be able to configure throttle and steering response, stability control, and the shift points on the automatic transmission.

The Enclave is one of three crossovers that GM is building off the same so-called Lambda platform--this, the GMC Acadia, and the Saturn Outlook.

The Buick is front- or all-wheel-drive, and power comes from a 270-hp 3.6-liter DOHC V-6, although there will be V-8 option. The GM triplets are larger than most crossovers so they can accommodate a real third-row seat.

The Enclave actually looks smaller than it is--at 202.3 inches long, with a 119-inch wheelbase, it is similar in size to the monstrous Mercedes R-class. We suspect that the V-6 will be hard pressed to motivate it in any kind of hurry.

The Enclave's 275-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 won't make it the quickest crossover around, but variable valve timing helps raise performance and efficiency figures. We've been quite impressed by the engine, which is found in a number of other GM vehicles, including both of Buick's sedans. Those two cars, though, won't tow 4500 pounds like the Enclave can.

...you get standard eighteen-inch wheels, bi-xenon headlights (with articulation costing extra), six air bags, and a number of other fine features. Buick also had a team of thirteen working to make sure the Enclave is the quietest vehicle in its class.

The Enclave is one of the quietest cars I've ever been in, and that list includes heavy-hitting luminaries like the Mercedes-Benz S-class and the Bentley Arnage.

To my mind, this is what a Buick should be: a car for people who don't necessarily like cars, a driving experience for people who want to forget that they're driving. It's a composed, perfectly capable, not-too-expensive living room on wheels.

The cabin feels more like a full-sized SUV's than a crossover, but its superbly responsive 3.6-liter V-6 engine earns an EPA 16 city/24 highway mpg rating, which is quite an improvement from the fuel pains of a big SUV.

Under the hood, a DOHC 3.6-liter V-6 delivers a sturdy 275 horses through a six-speed automatic and, on our top-model CXL test car, optional all-wheel drive. For relaxed motoring, the powertrain feels up to the job, revving with a pleasing note and cruising with refinement. Unfortunately, the six has to move around a whopping 5077 pounds, a curb weight topped in our test only by the Land Cruiser. Climbing steep, wriggling Highway 18 to Lake Arrowhead, the Enclave strained (a V-8 is said to be coming in a year or two).

The spacious, well-insulated interior is dressed in neatly tailored leather, camphor burled wood trim, and copious electronic conveniences. Worthy of special mention are the brilliant SmartSlide second-row captain's chairs that easily flip completely out of the way for access to the rear bench. This is a cabin worth fighting to ride in.

All Enclaves come standard with three rows of seats and seating for seven. Although captain's chairs are standard for the second row, a 60/40 split bench is available for those that need seating for eight. In a strange move for a vehicle being touted as luxury, the base CX trim comes standard with cloth upholstery, with leather being optional. CXL models get perforated leather upholstery standard. Cargo room is a solid 18.9 cubic feet with all three rows in place and goes up to 116.2 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2008 Buick Enclave is an all-new luxury sport utility that seats seven or eight, offers big cargo space, and gets good fuel economy and performance from a modern V6 engine. It's a crossover, offering the space of truck-based SUV yet built using car-like unibody construction.

Enclave is aimed at the upper end of the crossover segment, with competitors like the Acura MDX, Lexus RX 350 and Mercedes-Benz R 350.