Buick offers some fine cars, but their marketing strategies suggest a combination of frustration and desperation. For most of their models Buick now offers:

1. A 1SV trim level

2. A “Sport Touring” trim level

The 1SV model lacks only a few features than the next level up, but costs far less. To take the most extreme example, in terms of both feature differences and savings, the 1SV LaCrosse lacks only a power tilt / telescoping steering wheel, spare tire, satellite radio, and cargo net, yet lists for $4,000 less. At the other extreme, the 1SV Encore lacks only floor mats and a cargo cover (both available as accessories) and costs $1,375 less. The catch? The 1SV cars are offered in few colors, and with no options aside from an engine block heater. If you want a different color or any options, you’ve got to make the big jump to the regular base model. Chevrolet also employs this strategy, but at least Chevrolet is supposed to be the value brand. Buick is supposed to be a semi-premium brand. Don’t know what that is? The 1SV models suggest that Buick doesn’t know, either.

Back in the 1980s Buick offered performance-oriented “T-Type” variants of many of its cars. I can’t entirely explain why, but I loved the things. They didn’t always have special engines (though some did), but they had sport suspensions and appearance tweaks that really made a difference. Recently Buick decided to take a stab at offering sporty models again, but the new “Sport Touring” models suggest a minimal effort, at best, little if anything more than a spoiler and different wheels.

One strategy attempts to reach buyers at lower price points, but not really. The other attempts to reach buyers seeking sportier cars, but not really. Will either strategy win them any additional sales? If it does, then at what cost to any image they possess as a brand to be taken seriously?