The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 WHEELS May 06 2010 Continued from pg. 1 "The new LaCrosse is intended to represent modern elegance," Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design, said at the launch of the vehicle. "Throughout the design, you experience a balance of contrasts. Both the interior and exterior have been designed with harmony in mind. The exterior balances taut, sculpted lines with sensuous accents and surfaces." So, step away from the familiar badges and cues from the past, walk around the car and study its very contemporary profile. Buick deAs tested, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse CSX with a full slate of technolo- signers cite shaping influences that range from gies and equipment, set against a Cocoa Cashmere perforated leather traditional Chinese ingot design to the flowing interior with smoked chrome accents and ice blue ambient lighting. lines of ribbon dancing, even though there's an Buick LaCrosse is a revelation evolution of the Buick "sweep spear" line that curves down the concave and athletic sides before breaking up and around the rear wheel. The design is less Buick, more ambiguous somehow. But in a good way! "What is that, a Lexus? An Acura?" were the questions posed by a younger, less brand-savvy generation. Slip inside the car and the revelation continues. This is one of the handsomest interiors I've ever been in. It reflects new levels of quality and elegant design, especially at night. A cool blue light strip, also seen in Cadillac vehicles, divides the width of the dash while ambient pools of light bathe the console, door releases and door handles, complimenting the myriad of illuminated buttons, knobs and controls. On my fully-loaded tester, that included everything from audio, HVAC and NAV buttons to a switch for steering wheel heating, one of those decadent tools of the idle rich that is unnecessary, silly and, oh man, so easy to get used to on frosty mornings. The layout is tastefully done and there are few complaints to be found in the roomy and comfortable cabin with a large luggage-swallowing truck space behind, although the curving dash of the wraparound cockpit will bash the occasional errant knee of an exiting driver. The 2010 LaCrosse is offered in three models-- CX, CXL and CXS. The CX model currently starts at $32,795 with a 255 hp 3.0-litre direct injection V-6, although a new, more economical version harnessing the widely-used 182 hp 2.4-litre Ecotec four-cylinder engine should be available any day now. One step up to the CXL trim level harnesses the same 3.0-litre V6 but adds to an already respectable list of standard equipment with dualzone automatic climate control, fog lamps, outside rearview mirror with LED turn indicators and puddle lamps, and 17-inch alloy wheels. An advanced all-wheel-drive system with electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) is also available at this level. At the very top of the lineup, as tested here, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS starts with a more powerful 3.6-litre direct injection V6 generating 280 hp at 6300 rpm and 259 lb/ft of torque at 4800 rpm. Although the engine note is oddly mechanical in nature, it pulls like a train, with the performance aspect of this very sporty sedan aided by a real-time active-dampening suspension and a full suite of dynamic traction control technologies. Fuel economy is rated at 12.2/7.3/10.0L/100km (city/hwy/comb) although my less scientific but more real-world combined results were 12.9L/100km. I'm pretty sure that anyone test driving the new 2010 LaCrosse, regardless of generation, would probably climb out of the driver's seat with the same comment. "Nice Buick." BUICK LACROSSE CSX 2010 AT A GLANCE BODY STYLE: Mid-size, four-door sedan. DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, front-wheeldrive. ENGINE: 3.6-litre VVT V6 (280 hp, 259 lb/ft) FUEL ECONOMY: CXS FWD as tested, 12.2/7.3/10.0L/100km (city/hwy/comb) PRICE: $47,220 as tested WEBSITE: gm.ca