NEW BUICK MIDSIZE SUV MARRIES FINE CAR HERITAGE WITH GM TRUCK TRADITION OF RUGGEDNESS AND POWER

DETROIT -- The aptly named Rainier propels Buick Motor Division further into a new dimension for the vehicle builder best known for its long tradition of building fine automobiles.

"With the introduction of the 2004 Rainier, the Buick tradition of sophistication, quality and refined performance has been extended to include a midsize SUV that will appeal to current Buick owners and a new audience of active, successful professionals looking for a luxury vehicle that fits their family-oriented life style," said William Davis, General Motors director of design, midsize trucks.

Rainier is an important addition to Buick’s portfolio of vehicles offering a romantic style and premium features. With distinctive Buick cues, both inside and out, Rainier has the ruggedness expected in an SUV, but also the elegance and style expected in a Buick.

"The name alone makes a perfect connection between the style of the vehicle and its Buick heritage," said Davis. "Mt. Rainier reflects majesty with ruggedness and independence. The royal Rainier family of Monaco symbolizes quality, sophistication and elegance.

"And the name is alliterative with other great vehicles in Buick’s distinguished portfolio of products," he added.

The grille is the most expressive Buick identifier and recalls the classic "Y-Job," Buick’s first show car designed in the late 30s by Harley Earl, GM’s first design chief who created the design culture guiding GM today, explained Davis.

This traditional Buick design features vertical bars with a chrome surround capped by a header with the name "Buick" embossed across the top. Its lower grille aperture is subordinate to the upper grille. Buick’s familiar tri-shield insignia, framed in a chrome ring, is mounted in the center of the upper grille.

The two-tone front fascia with body color above and textured gray below is another strong cue. This gray is continued in the rocker panels and through the two-tone rear fascia, unifying the entire vehicle with this gray color band.

The headlights are equally as expressive. Very precise and reflecting the painstaking craftsmanship that went into their design, they have a jewel-like appearance with brilliant chrome frames and clear crystal lenses so the parabolas and lamp functionality are prominently displayed.

Standard fog lamps add to the distinctive front-end appearance and enhance the family resemblance with Rendezvous.

Other Buick cues include exclusive eight-spoke 17-inch wheels, a chrome header over the rear license box, matching the front grille with the name Buick embossed in it, and Buick brand and/or model identifiers on the rear hatch.

Overall, Rainier projects a stylish, contemporary look with bold, expressive lines set off by the jewel-like headlamps; sculpted wheel flares and shoulders; crisply defined ruby red taillights that also have a jewel-like appearance; and the two-tone front and rear fascias.

The interior conveys upscale comfort and luxury. It’s spacious, comfortable and among the roomiest in the segment in terms of head, shoulder and hip room so it is able to seat five adults easily. With the rear seats in the down position, the rear compartment has more than 80 cubic feet of storage space.

The Buick brand character is subtle but unmistakable with the understated elegance of the monochromatic interior – available in either pewter or cashmere – set off by chrome accents and dark walnut woodgrain in the instrument panel, door trim and center console.

The driver’s "command center" is cockpit-oriented with readily accessible controls, highly readable gauges, and a user-friendly Driver Information Center. The instruments have a jewel case display sense with silver foundation colors and green needles. The rich, dark walnut woodgrain panels also surround the interior door handles, which are chrome to further accent the interior appointments and for better visibility in dim light.

Front bucket seats and rear seating areas are perforated leather and all door panels are trimmed in soft-touch materials. Front seats are available with both memory and heat functions.

"Rainier is a perfect addition to the Buick portfolio," said Davis. "From the world-class performance of the GM midsize SUV platform it’s based on, to the comfort and refinement reflected in its styling and appointments, Rainier provides a sense of confidence, pleasure and well-being customers have come to expect in a Buick. It will have strong appeal to customers who want the perfect vehicle to support their active, multi-faceted life styles."

# # #

06/20/02