Rendezvous off and running

The Buick Rendezvous cross/utility vehicle (CUV) is exceeding projections during its first few weeks in the marketplace, Buick Marketing General Manager Roger Adams tells WAW.

Buick was expecting the average sale price to be around $30,000, but customers have pushed the average transaction price to $32,000.

Year-to-date sales total of the Rendezvous are 6,380 units, with July deliveries — hitting 2,740 — also exceeding forecasts.

Despite the production ramp up and less than a year of sales, Mr. Adams says Rendezvous deliveries still could hit 40,000 units in 2001 and meet the goal of filling the pipeline by September. With good sales and solid press reviews, there's talk at General Motors Corp. of increasing annual sales targets from 60,000 units. Part of the increase could come from entering certain commercial retail fleets, which is being considered.