Orders surge for new Buick Enclave

Dealers snatch up 6,000 crossovers; automaker hopes it's sign of things to come when vehicle hits showrooms.

Sharon Terlep / The Detroit News

WARREN -- Orders for the soon-to-be launched Buick Enclave -- the crossover sport utility vehicle at the center of the struggling brand's revival -- are coming in quicker than General Motors Corp. can build them.

Buick General Manager Steve Shannon on Wednesday said GM has received more than 6,000 orders, more than twice what the automaker is able to build by the summer launch date.

While there's no guarantee the Enclave will be a hit with consumers, the dealer interest bodes well for GM, which is counting on it to generate interest in a Buick brand that's seen sales plummet more than 40 percent in four years.

"The Enclave's got to be a winner," Shannon said.

Pricing for the three-row Enclave, the third of GM's new crossover SUVs, will start at $32,790.

The Enclave is designed to be GM's higher-end counterpart to the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook crossovers, which are built on the same architecture.

Production is slated to start next month at the Delta Township plant near Lansing, where the Acadia and Outlook are built. The first Enclaves should arrive in dealerships around June 1.

Shannon said in addition to strong demand, dealers are requesting that their Enclaves come stocked with premium trim options and features such as upgraded stereo systems and DVD players.

GM is looking to the vehicle to steal buyers from other automakers and compete against the Lexus RX350 and Acura MDX.

With U.S. sales of crossovers expected to grow from 2.5 million in 2005 to 3.5 million by 2010, GM is looking to the segment to stem shrinking demand for medium and large SUVs. GM has about 15 percent of the crossover market, but expects its new models to boost its share.

Crossovers have the size and functionality of a SUV but boast better fuel economy and a car-like ride.

GM has been pleased with Acadia sales, but finance chief Fritz Henderson said this month that Outlook sales have fallen short of expectations.

In February, GM sold 4,283 Acadias and 1,900 Outlooks. Keeping with GM's policy against publicly stating sales goals, Shannon wouldn't give the automaker's target for the Enclave.

Dealer Steve Cook, who sells Pontiac, GMC and Buick vehicles in Vassar is cautiously optimistic about the Enclave's future.

The high demand from dealers, Cook said, "doesn't mean customers. It just means dealers are ordering them."

Largely positive reviews of the Enclave bode well, Cook said. But he's concerned the pricing may be high for many customers, especially those who are looking for a replacement to the Buick Rendezvous SUV, which has a $29,500 starting price and typically sells with incentives.

"We're a little leery," said Cook, who has six Enclaves on order. "But Buick dealers are anxious to get them."

You can reach Sharon Terlep at (313)223-4686 or sterlep@detnews.com.