Wanna spur demand for your product? Lower its price! This age-old economic tactic has been quietly deployed by Buick to drive interest in the 2015 LaCrosse, Regal, and Verano sedans, which all get a new “1SV” entry-level trim that significantly reduces the cars’ base prices. First reported by Carsdirect.com and confirmed by Buick to Car and Driver, the 1SV models aren’t expected to make up more than a minor percentage of LaCrosse, Regal, or Verano sales, but they may entice buyers looking for a deal.
What kind of prices are we talking about? In the case of the compact Verano, the 1SV will start at $21,990, a full $2315 less than the previously base-model Verano 1SD. Opting for the Verano 1SV does involve sacrifice: You’ll forgo the 7-inch Intellilink touch-screen infotainment display, Bluetooth, Sirius XM radio, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, remote engine starting, and a backup camera. Oh, and there aren’t any options. Still, the Verano isn’t exactly a stripper, retaining GM’s built-in 4G LTE data connection and hot spot, dual-zone automatic climate control, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and a six-speed automatic transmission.
The $27,990 Regal 1SV sacrifices a bit more relative to its next-level-up sibling, the $2925-dearer Regal Turbo. What does it give up? A turbo, for starters. In place of the previous base-model Regal Turbo’s 259-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four, the 1SV gets a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 182 horsepower. The naturally aspirated four is actually a no-cost option on the up-level Regals, but there it’s bolstered by Buick’s eAssist brake-energy recovery and engine stop-start system. The engine appears to be the only major downgrade for the 1SV, which still comes with Intellilink, Bluetooth, leather seats, and 18-inch wheels.
Most intriguing among Buick’s 1SV models is the LaCrosse, which comes standard with a 304-hp V-6 engine and nearly all of the $2570-more-expensive LaCrosse base model’s standard equipment. The only difference? The base LaCrosse comes standard with Buick’s eAssisted 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and offers buyers a few options, whereas the 1SV only lets buyers pick the color. Bizarrely, the 1SV’s V-6 engine is offered as a no-cost option on the pricier base LaCrosse; given the utter lack of equipment differences between these models aside from the latter’s standard cargo net, that means it’s technically possible to either spend $31,990 on a V-6-powered LaCrosse with GM’s 4G LTE data connection, Intellilink touch-screen infotainment, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a backup camera, remote engine starting, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and dual-zone climate control, or $34,560 for the same exact car . . . with a cargo net and a few additional wheel options. We’ll say it now: If you’re shopping for an entry-level LaCrosse and you want the V-6, grab the 1SV and save a few thousand bucks.
Is Buick worried that the 1SVs will detract from higher-profit trim levels’ sales? Not at all. A Buick representative told us that the LaCrosse 1SV, which has been available since January, has only accounted for about 1 percent of that model’s sales so far this year. Although something between a ploy to generate showroom traffic and a clever move to open Buick ownership to a wider base, the 1SV is nonetheless a compelling option. That it slides the base prices of the Verano and Regal even farther below those of, say, Acura’s ILX and TLX is merely a bonus.
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