The Buick Lucerne full size sedan was first introduced for the 2006 model year to replace the Park Avenue and Le Sabre sedans. For 2008 the Lucerne gets new exterior colors and new standard equipment.
The Lucerne has styling cues that are both new and old. The crisp headlight design blends with the 3 small vents at the bottom of the A-pillar, a design element of classic Buicks of the 50's and 60's.
There are 4 models of the Lucerne for 2008: the CX, CXL, the CXL Special Edition, and Lucerne Super like the one drove. The Super came fitted with 18" silver aluminum wheels, chrome-tipped dual exhaust, and halogen fog lamps.
The CX and CXL models come equipped with a 197 horsepower 3.8-liter V6. The CXL Special Edition gets the V6 or an available 4.6-liter Northstar V8 that puts out 275 horsepower and 295 pound feet of torque. The Lucerne Super comes standard with that engine, but tuned to produce 292 horsepower and 288 pound feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission.
The Lucerne's mileage with the V6 engine is 16 miles per gallon city, 25 miles per gallon highway. Mileage with the V8's range from 15 miles per gallon city up to 23 miles per gallon highway.
The Lucerne's cabin is well appointed. Our Lucerne Super came standard with heated wood grain power tilt telescoping multifunction steering wheel, 8-way power driver's seat, a Harmon-Kardon stereo system with 6-disc in-dash CD changer and speed-compensated volume feature that increases the volume during highway driving.
All models of the Lucerne come standard with 4-wheel antilock brakes, tire pressure monitoring system, a theft deterrent system, and a full array of front and side impact airbags.
Base MSRP for the 2008 Buick Lucerne is $27,275. A fully loaded Lucerne Super will top out at around $43,000. All 2008 Buicks are backed by a generous 5-year, 100,000-mile power train warranty.
With a contemporary, yet classic design and available V8 power, the 2008 Buick Lucerne is an attractive option for those seeking a refined, luxurious driving experience at a competitive price.