New Buick Chief Says Goal Is To Attract Younger Buyers

Buick's average age has been that age for the past 25 years.....old people have a lot of money and when people get older their tastes tend to change..(mine sure have). It is a good thing that Buick is trying to change but there will always be a market for a smooth, quiet, conservatively styled automobile.....maybe that is their niche. There are plenty of sporty sedans out there with wings and spoilers etc, why compete in that market? I am not saying build boring cars, I think they are on the right track (especially with quality...now only if Cadillac could do the same).

I'm a 25 yr old upper professional male (read: YUPPIE), and I am very interested in the LaCrosse as my next vehicle. I entered the GM family through my 2007 SAAB 9-3, and was attracted to the Epsilon II-based 2010 SAAB 9-5 (really, an edgier styled LaCrosse), until SAAB was left to insolvency. I will consider the LaCrosse as the next best thing. Buick may decrease it's buyers' median age by capturing former SAAB owners.

One of the quicket ways for GM to become relevant again to 25-45 yr old buyers is to resume competitive leasing across their line-up. Lexus/Audi/BMW/MB, whom Buick/Cadillac have in their sights, all heavily advertise leasing, and it attracts professionals with stable incomes, but not necessarily 70 years of saving to purchase a luxury car outright.

"Of course, we've been hearing this talk from Buick for years now, and last time we checked, Buicks were still quite popular with older drivers."

How about you do some research and find out the average age instead of speculating? I guarantee you its not 70 for 2009/10 model year. Average Lucerne buyers may have been 70 but thats not the same as the average Buick owner. Enclave is like 1/3 of their sales and its been attracting younger buyers in their 50s. BTW, I read that the average new car buyer is 54.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20060418/free/60417007

According to that article written before Enclave launched the average ags was 65. I would imagine its younger now with the success of the Enclave.

"So what are his chances? Is the LaCrosse enough? What about the upcoming Regal? Will "younger buyers" (e.g. 40s and 50s) buy either of the new Buick sedans? Does anyone younger than 70 even care? "

If you read the linked article you would see that the guy says 1/3 of Lacrosse owners are under 55. I think that answers your question about the possibility of people under 70 buying a Lacrosse.

I wonder if the Pep Boys hood vents on the LaCrosse are working? All the kids love Pep Boys!

The Lacrosse looks elderly.
The Regal and the Astra will be good for younger peeps. No problem. 100% European... well except the front fascias get messed up by the American team, but that's probably okay.

I think the Regal front end is better than Insignia.

How can Buick say this when their new Buick Regal looks like my grandpa on wheels? The Regal is heavily based on the Opel Insignia, basically all Buick changed was the grille and wheels. But when you park the Regal next to the Insignia you find the differences are striking. The “waterfall” grill on the Buick looks like a failed attempt at Detroit art deco and the rims on the Buick look like something you’d find on a 1990’s Oldsmobile. How did Buick so easily spoil the Insignias sporty looks?

The Buick LaCrosse is beautiful but it’s also large, affordable, and American when you add those three attributes together you creates a better elderly attractant then Werther's Original butterscotch. I saw a commercial that showcased the LaCrosse and the 20 something year old behind the wheel looking more out of place then if they had placed a baby behind the wheel. That is to say Buicks aren’t for kids with trendy five o'clock shadow their still for older buyers and if Buick thinks their doing anything to change that reputation their simply out of touch. They spent the last few decades creating their image; if their “serious” about changing their image then I’m “serious” about buying one.

"Vent-a-Ports' and "Sweepspear:"

As with the "Waterfall Grille," these are long-time Buick brand identifiers, and as such, I like them. That said I've never liked "fake" vent-a-ports. They should be real functioning air vents, and top-of-the-line models should have four of them, while lesser Buicks should have three of them.

I'm also a fan of the sweepspear, however, the one on this new LaCrosse looks forced and unnatural.

"I saw a commercial that showcased the LaCrosse and the 20 something year old behind the wheel looking more out of place then if they had placed a baby behind the wheel. That is to say Buicks aren’t for kids with trendy five o'clock shadow their still for older buyers and if Buick thinks their doing anything to change that reputation their simply out of touch. "

Except for the fact that the Enclave and Lacrosse have already proven they can attract younger buyers everything you said made sense. By "younger" Buick means people in their 40s and 50s- same age range as average Toyota owner. They aren't looking for 25 year olds- most cant even afford a Buick.

Well, at least Buicks look nice now. I actually prefer Buick's style to Cadillac's.

I figured Buick was just trying to steal Lexus buyers, which are often almost as old anyways. I think Cadillac should get the young ones.

Even so my parents are in the 40’s and still joke about Buicks being built for their parents. That Buick commercial want the only that had a young driver. If there after people in their 40’s and 50’s why put young trendy looking men in their 20’s in the cars. It gives me the impression their after a younger slice of the market. You don’t see Axe body spray commercials staring 50somthing year old men. I still believe Buick is out of touch and really needs to create advertisements that will appeal to the right demographic, the girl from the old Mercury commercials would be better suited. becase i know my parents Personally don’t want to be associated with urban youth.

Since I have already set my sights on a 2 or 2+2 coupe for my next car, Buick is not even on my list and neither is Cadillac with their current "Arts and Science" designs. If I were in the market for a four-door sedan, the overall design of the new Buicks just don't click with me (29) and I would be looking for a smaller sports sedan (akin to an S4, M3 or IS-F). Even though I am chunky in size, large sedans are just not my thing (sorry Eco-boosted Taurus (in name only) SHO).

At the very least, Buick would like to attract some of the former Saturn buyers. They may even go after, dare I say it, some Pontiac buyers with a performance-oriented Regal.

firstclass:

Shockingly, there may be people that don't base a car purchasing decision on the age of the driver in a commercial. I don't think its really a big deal one way or the other. In addition, you act like thats the only Lacrosse commercial ever created. The commercials comparing it to the ES350 don't even show a driver and the features are highlighted. If the "crosswalk" commercial is the one you are focused on then I would say the driver was mid 30s at the youngest. Not sure how his presence in the commercial is going to turn anyone who likes the Lacrosse against the car.

"If I were in the market for a four-door sedan, the overall design of the new Buicks just don't click with me (29) and I would be looking for a smaller sports sedan (akin to an S4, M3 or IS-F)."

I'm pretty sure anyone who is interested in an M3 or S4 is unlikely to buy a Buick or any comparable luxury branded car. Again, I would think they are aiming at 50 year olds, not 29 year olds looking for V8 powered RWD sports sedans. Lexus doesn't appeal to most young people and yet its the #1 luxury brand. The notion that a brand like Buick is doomed because 25 year olds driving lowered civics don't lust after their cars is a little ridiculous.

I’m certainly not saying that Buick is “doomed”. like I said I just think the company out of touch. GM Created the whole move up the line thing. Start with Chevrolet then move to a Pontiac then an Oldsmobile, Buick, cadillac and so on. GM has been promoting an image for Buick for decades it’s going to take a lot to break out of the mold Buick was set in. everything I say comes from my own personal opinion. Just don’t take words out of my mouth. Anyways I love Buicks I just hope people at GM are reading what we’re saying. We’re the real GM think tank because you can hear every view point. as rediculous as some may seem.

If he can get 30-40 somethings to even find a Buick dealer, he should be the next CEO.

Certainly appreciate the perspective 1487 adds to many of the posts.
By the way....
This post make me laugh cause of its nonsense:

"If I were in the market for a four-door sedan, the overall design of the new Buicks just don't click with me (29) and I would be looking for a smaller sports sedan (akin to an S4, M3 or IS-F)."

My wife and I are both in our very early 50s and retired, but a Buick isn't even close to being on our radar screen(and my wife's father bought nothing but Park Avenues and Rivieras). Her next car will be a Clubman and mine will be some ///M car iteration packing at least 400 bhp. Perhaps I'll start to find waterfall grills alluring in another two or three decades...

I'd buy a Buick over a Cadillac and I'm a smidge over 25.

Its not likely that I'll get either one, but that's not knocking Buick's quality or style etc...

"Certainly appreciate the perspective 1487 adds to many of the posts."

This makes me laugh cause of its nonsense.

You mean like Pontiac did? Pontiac had the youngest median buyer age of any GM brand. Now they want the GM brand with the OLDEST median buyer age to attract the same crowd? Good luck!!

kaiser:

Pontiac may have had younger buyers but most Pontiacs sold with big discounts for low prices- their best selling car by far was teh G6 which was always available with incentives. Buick may not match Pontiac in volume but they can charge more and make money on their cars.

GM would have been better off - canning the Buick name - keeping Saturn and bringing the Opel models over with little "Americanization" - it is way - way easier to design a good product than change a brand image.

As for the Buick's the grills and fake vent crap are ugly as hell and simply continue the old person image of the Buick. I'll own a bottom of the reliability pile Mercedes long before I ever buy a Buick. Shoot even my 89yr old grandmother who owned the big black buicks of the past bought a Nissan Altima two years ago. She did it all on her own and shocked all of us. When asked why an Altima? She said it was simple it had a sharp look was updated and she liked how it drove. I asked her about Buick and she laughed - she said I've had enough of those old people cars already I don't need a car to tell people I'm old.