1997 BUICK LESABRE
DESIGN
FLINT, Mich. -- Changing the appearance of the Buick LeSabre was a bit risky -- considering that this sedan has been the best-selling full-size car in America for four straight years.
Nevertheless, designers seldom pass up the opportunity to refine and update their artwork. William L. Porter, who was chief designer of Buick Exterior Design Studio No. 1 and the lead designer for LeSabre, said he believed there was some room to improve on the car's obvious success.
Here is Porter's "walking tour" of the '97 LeSabre:
"Our basic game plan was to reinforce some of the LeSabre's existing design characteristics -- and to improve the execution wherever possible with late-breaking technology. An excellent example of what I'm talking about is Buick's first use of a halogen headlamp with a fixed outer lens and an adjustable reflector.
"This provides several advantages. The first is a superior appearance because there's no longer any need for clearance between the headlamp and the surrounding sheet metal. Also, the lamps themselves are richer and more interesting-looking. You're actually looking through a protective crystal outer lens to see a sparkling-bright reflector, which is carefully designed for optimum visual appeal and excellent lighting performance.
"One important area we were particularly anxious to improve was the LeSabre's grille design. While there's no drastic departure from the traditional Buick wide aperture adorned with vertical bars, we did greatly simplify the construction. In the current LeSabre, vertical body-colored pieces are positioned adjacent to each side of the grille assembly. Between the grille and the hood there's a mounting ring.
"To improve the design, we integrated those three pieces into the hood stamping, eliminating several fasteners (and simultaneously improving build quality). While the stamping is more complicated, the end result is a cleaner, neater grille installation. It's far easier for manufacturing personnel to achieve a perfect fit.
"Along the side of the car, we've made major changes in the protective moldings. This is a particularly important design element because LeSabre owners prize practicality -- and well-designed moldings can do an excellent job of warding off door dings and scratches caused by grocery carts.
"We've adopted what we call a body-colored 'terrace,' which runs four or more inches higher on the door than the present design. That terrace, as well as the bright trim just below it and the lower portion of the molding, are all made of an especially durable plastic material which offers lots of protection.
"The lower portion is dark gray on the LeSabre Custom and body-color on LeSabre Limited. We've also raised the upper surface of the bumper fascia as it wraps around the front corner of the car to match the height of the terrace. With this arrangement, the park and turn signals are separated from the headlamp assemblies and relocated to a new position beneath the bumper.
"A new feature at the rear of the LeSabre is a diagonal cutline between the decklid and the surrounding bodywork. This achieves a better fit with narrower gaps. The new taillamp assembly also looks better.
"Integrated with the new license-plate surround is a natural pull-down handle that I'm sure our customers will appreciate. The shape we've provided falls readily to hand.
"Even though the scope of our changes to the LeSabre is purposely limited, the design team believes strongly that the results speak for themselves. We were seeking a cleaner, more contemporary appearance. Everything we did was consistent with Buick's intention of providing a very luxurious automobile that represents tremendous value. I'm sure LeSabre customers will appreciate the ways we've enhanced their car."
