Nother CarGuy

General Motors shocked the auto industry when it announced plans to close up to five North American plants and slash 15 percent of its salaried workforce earlier today. The initial release was light on specifics, but the company has now added a “North American Capacity Actions” sheet which spells out of the death of a number of different models. Like previous actions by Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, GM’s sedan lineup is seeing major cuts. Things will kick off on March 1st 2019, when the last Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Volt are built at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant in Michigan. At the same time, a couple hundred miles away, the last Chevrolet Cruze will be built at the Lordstown Assembly Plant in Ohio. When summer rolls around, the Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Impala will cease being built at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant on June 1st. The Impala will get a slight reprieve as the model will continue to be built at the Oshawa Assembly Plant in Canada until th...

Buick offers the LaCrosse in four trim levels, but nine out of ten buyers go for one of the top two. The case for making an even more upscale version, then, must have practically made itself. Enter the new LaCrosse Avenir. Like the Enclave Avenir sport-ute, the top-of-the-line version of Buick's flagship sedan elevates it into more luxurious territory. Set to debut at the LA Auto Show just a few weeks from now, the 2018 Buick LaCrosse Avenir is distinguished visually from the outside by 3D mesh grilles, chrome "wings," polished 19- (or available 20-) inch wheels, and unique badging. Inside is where it counts, though, where GM's premium brand has given the LaCrosse Avenir chestnut-brown leather upholstery, Bose audio system, panoramic moonroof, and Avenir logos embroidered into the headrests and inscribed into the door sill plates. Power comes from the LaCrosse's otherwise optional 3.6-liter V6 engine, sending its 310 horsepower through a nin...