January 5, 2003

Buick shows swoopy luxury sport utility

Detroit, Michigan - Buick unveiled the 2003 Buick Centieme concept, a stylish luxury SUV "that combines the best features of a sedan and sport utility vehicle." The four-door Centieme seats six passengers in a three-row, dual seat configuration.

"We started with an inside-out design focus," said Anne Asensio, GM's executive director of design for interiors, quality and brand character. "Centieme is modeled for the Buick customer that seeks a premium American family vehicle without giving up style.

With its low, wide-stance and relatively long wheelbase and tight overhangs, the Centieme projects a nimble and energetic appearance.

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Its 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 engine - good for 400 horsepower and 400 lbs.-ft. of torque - is mated to a Hydra-Matic 4T65-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transaxle.

The Centieme also features General Motors' Versatrak all-wheel-drive system, advanced traction control that transfers torque from front wheels to rear, and from side to side, to maintain control on various road surfaces. The front end uses a strut configuration, while the rear employs an SLA independent suspension with coils for car-like performance and handling.

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Built by famed Italian design house Bertone, the Centieme rides on 22-inch front and rear aluminum wheels with Michelin tires. The front brakes are six-piston calipers with 15-inch rotors backed up by four-piston calipers with 14.75-inch rotors in the rear.

Inside, "captain's chair" seating in the front and middle rows give the spacious cabin a look of comfort and security. The front and middle-row seats power-adjust in six ways for individualized coziness. The middle seats also slide forward for easy access to the power-folding, flat-load third row. Ease of entry and egress for rear passengers is aided by wide-opening rear doors.

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The center consoles for the front and middle seats are service areas that also slide forward on tracks submerged in the flat floor for extra utility. The movable consoles provide more cabin space, linking front and rear occupants.

The steering wheel, consoles and interior trim feature olive ash burl accents. The cluster gauges have aluminum accents that feature a dazzling engine-turned pattern.

"This vehicle rewards both sides of the brain - the side that demands practicality and functionality, and the side that demands style," said Asensio. "It's a family vehicle and an image vehicle.

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