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Buick Rendezvous Ultra amounts to a luxurious wagon with AWD
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SNOQUALMIE, Wash. -- On a parking lot rimmed by tall fir trees in foothills for the Cascade Range of Washington state, we encounter the prototype for a new deluxe edition of Rendezvous, Buick's minivan-based sport-utility wagon.
It looks downright elegant in a monochromatic treatment with multifaceted headlamp clusters set like jewelry on the prow and a strip of chrome scoring side cladding to accent big aluminum wheels.
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And it feels elegant inside a cabin lined in premium appointments with leather-wrapped chairs and trim accents of chrome and wood.
A simple label in chrome letters on the tailgate identifies this new version of Rendezvous as the Ultra.
Consider it as a deluxe upgrade for Buick's popular wagon packing premium features and a new V6 powertrain that elevate Rendezvous to an ultra level (thus explaining the name) beyond limits of existing grades CX and CXL.
Rendezvous Ultra arrives late in the 2004 class cast strictly with all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction.
The on-demand AWD system -- called Versatrak -- is designed to help the wagon maintain traction on wet or slippery pavement.
Automatic Versatrak detects tire rotational differences between front and rear wheels during dicey traction conditions, then sends the engine's power to drive either or both rear wheels momentarily before actual tire slippage occurs at the front wheels.
This keeps Rendezvous moving forward steadily and safely during low-traction incidents.
Ultra's engine is a new aluminum-based V6 from General Motors that displaces 3.6 liters and features dual overhead cams (DOHC), electronic throttle control (ETC) and variable valve timing (VVT).
It's robust, generating up to 245 hp at 6000 rpm with 235 lb-ft of torque at 3200 rpm. That power rating represents a boost of some 60 hp over the standard 3.4-liter V6 Rendezvous plant.
The engine mates to a four-speed automatic transaxle with electronic controls, the smooth-to-shift Hydra-Matic 4T65E from GM.
Add an optional towing package and this Rendezvous can tow a trailer rig weighing up to 3500 pounds.
Platform for Rendezvous and some of the mechanical elements were borrowed from GM minivans like Chevrolet's front-wheel-drive (FWD) Venture and Pontiac's Montana, so Rendezvous drives and rides with the easy-to-maneuver agility of a minivan, yet its stance and boxy packaging enable it to work like a sport-utility wagon.
In effect, Rendezvous combines the ideal attributes of both a wagon and minivan, then adds plush seats and an array of comfortable appointments so it comes off feeling like a car to drive.
Think of it as a crossover concept, one vehicle that fits into more than one category in terms of function and style and format.
Rendezvous turns in a brief circle and maneuvers well through traffic or parks easily in a tight space.
The ride quality feels firm but smooth, thanks to a rigid ladder-type chassis that supports a suspension system with independent components including front struts and a short-and-long arm arrangement in back with coil springs and monotube shocks.
Rack and pinion steering with power assistance responds quickly, and brakes, with a disc at each wheel linked to an anti-lock brake system (ABS), deliver precise control.
And Rendezvous as a wagon is effortless to operate, easy to enter and entirely pleasant for passengers.
Further, the cabin contains flexible chairs that flip and fold or pop out quickly to vary the balance between seats and cargo space.
But the Ultra edition also looks sleek like a sedan, due to the disguise of a wagon's boxy rear bay with blacked-out center roof pillars and a forward tilt of back pillars plus a wrap of black glass at the rear.
The wide stance, with wheels pushed to corners of the platform and curt overhangs front and back, creates a solid form that appears rooted to the pavement.
Up front, the forceful design of the prow merges Buick's signature of a broad oval grille cut from thin vertical bars with corner headlamp clusters that curve up into the hood.
Below, a thick fascia thrusts forward and cradles round foglamps before wrapping around to side wheelwells and extending in a band at the bottom of doors.
The cabin is that of a luxury vehicle stocking as many as three tiers of seats for six or seven passengers plus room in the rear for cargo.
Optional captain's chairs on the second row may be installed in place of a bench.
A new design for the seats employs soft leathers combining with suede fabric inserts.
Touches of wood are used as accents on the instrument panel's central stack and the steering wheel, while bright chrome flashes from door handles.
A head-up display of the vehicle's speed projected on the windshield is an aide to help the driver keep eyes trained on the road ahead.
Also there's an electronic release mechanism for the rear liftgate and an optional Rear Park Assist (RPA) guidance system.
The RPA system sets four ultrasonic sensors in the wagon's rear fascia to locate an object behind the vehicle and determine its proximity to the bumper. Chimes sound and light-emitting diodes (LED) flash as warnings when an object is detected, and these signals increase in frequency as Rendezvous approaches it in reverse.
Other options for Rendezvous Ultra concern OnStar telecommunications with 24-hour availability for in-vehicle safety, security and information services, a DVD-based video entertainment system for viewing by riders in rear seats and the subscription-based XM satellite radio service.
The video entertainment system installs a flip-down video screen in the ceiling centered above front seatbacks for viewing of DVD movies by rear-seat riders using wireless headsets and a wireless remote control unit.
Ultra's MSRP tallies to $39,010 plus $685 for freight.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 BUICK RENDEZVOUS ULTRA Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size 5-door luxury SUV
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size 5-door luxury SUV
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| Wheelbase: |
112.2 inches
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| Overall Length: |
186.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 3.6-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 Hydra-Matic 4T65E
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| Drive: |
AWD Versatrak
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
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| Towing Capacity: |
3500 pounds
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| Gas Mileage: |
17/24 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 39,010 |
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