2012 LaCrosse With eAssist Ready for Holiday Hauling

DETROIT – Whether hauling gifts for the family or the family itself, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist fuel-saving technology comes standard with the space and versatility required to successfully navigate the holiday season.

Now at dealers, Buick’s newest large luxury sedan delivers segment-leading highway fuel economy and more rear-seat leg room and cargo-carrying flexibility than most of its competitors – all while accommodating an electric assist power pack.

The new LaCrosse offers a 60/40 fold-down rear seat that allows pass-through between the trunk and passenger compartment on the wider side to accommodate items like a snowboard or even a small Christmas tree. Comparable hybrid sedans made by Lexus, Infiniti, and Lincoln do not have fold-down rear seats.

Vehicle - Rear Leg Room

2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist - 40.5 inches

2011 Lexus GS450h - 36.4 inches

2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid - 36.7 inches

2012 Infiniti M45h - 36.2 inches

In addition, LaCrosse with eAssist offers 40.5 inches of rear-seat leg room, as much as six inches more than its luxury hybrid and conventional powertrain competitors, and the same rear-seat roominess as the 2011 LaCrosse.

As far as Buick’s experts know, competitive gift-hauling vehicles from the North Pole don’t offer a rear seat at all.

“LaCrosse with eAssist is a no-compromise, high-mileage luxury sedan in more ways than one,” said Doug Osterhoff, LaCrosse product marketing manager. “Not only does the eAssist system enable outstanding fuel economy, the compact size of its battery helps maintain a spacious interior and enables owners to carry luggage and wrapped boxes in style.”

LaCrosse’s usefulness doesn’t end once the holidays are over. Though trunk space was slightly reduced to accommodate the eAssist power pack, it offers 10.9 cubic feet (307 liters) of storage – more than enough for two large golf bags or two sets of skis with the seat folded down. Buick market research shows that more than one in four LaCrosse owners participates in gear-intensive activities such as golfing and skiing.

The eAssist system is the standard powertrain for the new LaCrosse. It uses a 115V lithium-ion battery pack to store energy captured during regenerative braking. This energy is used to power a 15-kW electric motor-generator and to provide electricity to all of LaCrosse’s electrical systems when fuel is cut off during auto stop mode, or to provide added torque during acceleration. LaCrosse delivers an EPA-rated and segment-leading 36 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in city driving – up to 25 percent better than the previous model.

The eAssist’s battery pack, which has a warranty of eight years, was subjected to extensive environmental and mechanical validation testing equivalent to 225,000 miles of four-season driving. Battery cell temperature is constantly monitored and managed by an onboard computer to extend cell life and optimize performance. Its cooling fan is calibrated to vehicle speed to help maintain LaCrosse’s library-quiet interior.

“The eAssist power pack was carefully designed and integrated into LaCrosse to be as unobtrusive and unnoticeable in operation as possible,” said Sheri Hickok, LaCrosse chief engineer. The only thing LaCrosse with eAssist drivers are likely to notice is how much gas they’re saving while enjoying the driving performance, quiet interior, or ride and handling they’ve come to expect from Buick.”

Buick is a modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors with thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning models, including the Enclave crossover , LaCrosse sedan , Regal sport sedan and highly anticipated all-new 2012 Buick Verano compact luxury sedan . Buick is one of the fastest growing majors in the U.S. and remains a best-selling brand in China, with continuing record growth. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com , on Twitter @buick or at www.facebook.com/buick.