2008 Buick Park Avenue: Chinese get the RWD Holden Statesman / Caprice

About a week ago at the Seoul Motor Show, GM introduced the Daewoo LX4 or in other words, a rebadged 2008 Holden Statesman / Caprice. Now its turn for the Chinese to get a taste of Aussie RWD luxury and note it’s not the first time as the previous generation Statesman / Caprice was also offered as the Buick Royaum. And no, there’s still no word for an American version but why should there be since the Chinese bought more Buick's than the Americans last year…

Although there’s no V8 power under the hood, Chinese buyers will get the option of two V6 engines, the 250Hp 3.6-liter which is also offered the Aussie models and a 201Hp strong 2.8-liter. In comparison with its Australian and Korean counterparts the Park Avenue looses the front wing air-vents while it gets a new front grille outside and redesigned center console, larger air-vents and different seats inside. -Press Release and more images along with a teaser video featuring Tiger Woods after the jump (click “Read More”)

PRESS RELEASE: BUICK PARK AVENUE - SCROLL DOWN FOR THE IMAGE GALLERY & THE VIDEO

Shanghai, China – Shanghai General Motors (Shanghai GM) has introduced the newest member of its Buick lineup, the Park Avenue luxury sedan.

Like the affluent New York City boulevard of the same name, Buick’s Park Avenue is trendy and luxurious. With its range of advanced technologies and high-grade amenities, not to mention a stylish design that conveys a sense of power and passion, it is representative of traditional American luxury sedans.

“The Park Avenue is the perfect blend of tranquility and power,” said Shanghai GM President Ding Lei. “It shows Buick’s ability to move with the times while continuing to leverage GM’s global resources and our local knowledge. Designed especially for business leaders and other elites, it is a component of our effort to maintain our leadership position in China by addressing the needs of all of our customers.”

The Park Avenue is based on GM’s new global rear-wheel-drive architecture to ensure a premium driving experience. At 5,175 mm in length, 1,899 mm in width and 1,480 mm in height, and with an impressive 3,009-mm wheelbase, the Park Avenue also offers a highly spacious ride.

The Park Avenue ’s genuine leather seats are designed to accommodate people of varying sizes with 8-way power adjustment for the front seats. All seats incorporate a massage function. A high-quality entertainment system with LCD panels and an advanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning system offer the relaxation and comfort that one would expect of a luxury sedan. The Park Avenue ’s GPS navigation system contains road information for more than 300 cities in China . The Bluetooth mobile phone system is also available.

Like all Buick products, the Park Avenue offers a high level of safety and peace of mind. It is equipped with the GM Local Area Network (GM-LAN) high-speed communication system, which is based on the top-of-the-line 32-bit 500 kb/second engine control system. W ith a signal transmission speed approaching real-time, information flow from various sensors is instantaneous, enhancing efficiency and safety. Further enhancing safety are six intelligent air bags for the driver and passengers.

The Park Avenue is powered by GM’s smooth yet powerful AlloyTec V-6 engine, which accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. The engine control unit features the latest Bosch E77 32-bit ECM processor. With the Remote Engine Start (RES) function, the driver can start the engine up to 20 minutes in advance within 60 meters distance. The RES function also can adjust the temperature inside the car.

Customers have a choice of two engine displacements. The Park Avenue ’s 3.6-liter engine generates maximum output of 187kW (250 hp) @ 6,500 rpm and maximum torque of 340 Nm @ 3,200 rpm. Its 2.8-liter engine offers maximum output of 150 kW (201 hp) @ 6,000 rpm and maximum torque of 265 Nm @ 3,000 rpm.

Shanghai GM is offering five Park Avenue variants: the 3.6-liter Flagship, which is priced at RMB 498,800; the 3.6-liter Elite, which is priced at RMB 388,800; the 2.8-liter Luxury, which is priced at RMB 458,800; the 2.8-liter Elite, which is priced at RMB 368,800; and the 2.8-liter Comfort, which is priced at RMB 328,800.

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