Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Lasalle shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Lasalle offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Lasalle at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Lasalle? Wrong! If the Lasalle is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Lasalle then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Lasalle? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Lasalle and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Lasalle wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Lasalle then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Lasalle site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Lasalle, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Lasalle, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Infobox Automobile| image =| name =La Salle| manufacturer =General Motors| parent_company =| aka =| production =| assembly =| predecessor =| successor =| class =| body_style =| layout =| platform =| engine =| transmission =| wheelbase =| length =| width =| height =| weight =| fuel_capacity =| related =| designer =--> For other uses of the name, see the La Salle disambiguation page. The LaSalle was an automobile product of General Motors Corporation, and sold as a companion marque of Cadillac from 1927 to 1940. The two were linked by similarly-themed names, both being named for explorers—Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac and René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, respectively.

General Motors Companion Make Program The LaSalle had its beginnings when GM’s CEO Alfred P. Sloan noticed that his carefully crafted market segmentation program was beginning to develop price gaps in which General Motors had no product to sell.

As originally developed by Sloan, GM’s market segmentation placed each of the company’s individual automobile makes into specific price points. Sloan designated the Chevrolet as the entry level product. Next (in ascending order) came Oakland Motor Car, Oldsmobile, Buick and ultimately, Cadillac. However during the robust 1920s, certain GM products began to shift out of the plan as the products improved and engine advances were made.

In an era where automotive brands were somewhat restricted to building a specific car per model year, Sloan surmised that the best way to bridge the gaps was to develop “companion” marques that could be sold through the current sales network.

Under the plan, the gap between the Chevrolet and the Oakland would be filled by a new marque named Pontiac, a quality 6cyl. car designed to sell for the price of a 4cyl. The wide gap between Oldsmobile and Buick would be filled by two companion marques; Oldsmobile was assigned the up-market V8 Viking automobile, and Buick was assigned the more compact 6cyl. Marquette automobile. Cadillac, which had seen it base prices soar in the heady 1920s, was assigned LaSalle as a companion car to fill the gap that existed between itself and Buick.

The Art and Colour of Harley Earl What emerged as the LaSalle in 1927 is widely regarded as the beginning of modern American automotive styling, and its designer Harley Earl would launch a thirty year career as GM’s Vice President of the newly created Art & Colour Studios that still guide GM’s designs to this day.

Prior to the LaSalle, automobiles essentially followed a set pattern, with design changes set by engineering needs. Ford’s Model T evolved over its extended run, but ever so slightly making a 1927 Model T almost identical to a 1910 Model T.

Earl, who had been hired by Cadillac General Manager Lawrence P. Fisher, conceived the LaSalle not as a junior Cadillac, but as something more agile and stylish. Influenced by the rakish Hispano-Suiza roadsters of the time, Earl’s LaSalle emerged as a smaller yet elegant counterpoint to Cadillac’s larger cars, and unlike anything else built by an American automotive manufacturer.

1927-1933 Built by Cadillac to Cadillac standards, the LaSalle soon emerged as a trend setting automobile within GM, and Earl was placed in charge of overseeing the design of all GM vehicles.

LaSalles were offered in a full-range of body styles, including Fisher- and Fleetwood-built custom body designs. The roadster could also be ordered in two-tone color combinations at a time when dark colors like black and navy blue were still the most familiar colors produced by manufacturers. Earl’s design even included a nod to the inspirational Hispano-Suiza with the marque’s circled trademark “LaS” cast into the horizontal tie bar between the front lights.

Riding wheelbases ranging between 128” and 134”, LaSalles of this era were equipped with Cadillac’s “Ninety Degree V-8” which made the car fast, while its smaller size made it sportier and more agile.

On June 20, 1927, a LaSalle driven by Willard Rader (along with Gus Bell) on the track at GM’s Milford proving ground achieved 952 miles, averaging 95.2 mph with only seven minutes given over to refueling and tire changes. In comparison, the average speed at that year's Indianapolis 500 was 97.5 mph. The test at Milford would have continued, however a problem in the oil system drew the test to an early close approaching the 9:45 mark.

However the Great depression, combined with LaSalle’s stalling sales numbers, caused Cadillac to rethink its companion make. Both Buick and Oldsmobile had eliminated the Marquette and Viking in their second model year in 1930. Cadillac also saw sales of its cars losing ground as confirmed Cadillac buyers tried to trim pennies by buying the less expensive LaSalle. LaSalle sales also were falling, from a high of 22,691 models in 1929 to a low of 3,290 in 1932.

1934-1938 Beginning with the 1934 model year, a significant portion of the LaSalle was more closely related to Oldsmobile than they were to senior Cadillacs. Again, Earl’s work with the LaSalle resulted in graceful vehicle, led by an elegant thin radiator grille. Earl’s other contribution was modern, airplane-styled, semi-shielded portholes along the side of the hood. All bodies were now by Fleetwood.

This new LaSalle was priced $1,000 less than the least expensive Cadillac – its mission now was not to fill a price gap, but to keep the luxury car division out of the red. Sales rebounded and almost doubled to 7,218 units for the year. A 1934 LaSalle Model 350 was chosen as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500, and a 1937 LaSalle Series 50 convertible also served as an List of Indianapolis 500 pace cars.

1939-1940 In its final years, the LaSalle once again became more Cadillac-like in its appearance and details. The narrow radiator grille opening was retained, and was flanked by additional side grill work. Headlights which had moved down and secured to the “cat-walk” were again attached to the radiator shell. One interesting feature adopted by LaSalle in these years was a sun roof marketed as the “Sunshine Turret Top”. Sales again climbed in 1939 to 23,028.

The 1940 and final LaSalle was introduced in October 1939, and in its final year as it had in its first, by a full array of semi-custom body styles including a convertible sedan. Earl also oversaw this redesign, and the LaSalle emerged as a smooth flowing design, its trademark thin radiator was flanked by a series of thin chrome slots giving the LaSalle a futuristic look.

1941 A 1941 LaSalle was planned and reached the design phase before GM ended the product line. In its place, Cadillac fielded the “Series 61”, which placed Cadillac’s prestige closer to reality for a larger group of people. In its first year, the Sixty-One enjoyed a production of over 29,000 units, almost three times LaSalle’s 1940 production.

LaSalle Hopefuls At various points in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s General Motors issued Motorama cars and proposed new consumer automobiles under the design name LaSalle. 1955 saw two Motorama dream-cars, the LaSalle II four door hardtop and the LaSalle II Roadster. Sent to the crusher, both the four-door hardtop & the roadster were instead hidden in the back corner of the Warhoops Salvage Yard and were acquired circa 1990 by Joe Bortz, a Chicago area nightclub owner who has made a significant investment in restoring General Motors Motorama cars.

In the early 1960s, GM Vice President William Mitchell floated the idea that if Cadillac decided to go forward with the production of a personal luxury coupe currently being designed that it could be marketed as the LaSalle. Cadillac passed on the design, and instead it was given to Buick and emerged as the Buick Riviera. Again, in the 1970s when Cadillac was developing a new small luxury sedan, the LaSalle name was raised, but was passed over in favor of Cadillac Seville.

Hindsight Collectors and historic auto enthusiasts have debated whether or not the LaSalle was killed off too soon, or not soon enough. Though sales of LaSalle traditionally ran notably higher than those of Cadillac, there is some debate that LaSalle's close association with Cadillac diluted the marque's exclusive cachet. And in 1941, the first model year without LaSalle, Cadillac set an all-time sales record. In contrast, Packard eventually suffered by carrying inexpensive models for too long, compromising its reputation and sales strength as an equal luxury car competitor to Cadillac.

Of the four companion marques, only Pontiac survived, eclipsing the Oakland in 1931.

LaSalle in popular culture

References

External links

{{Infobox Automobile| image =| name =La Salle| manufacturer =General Motors| parent_company =| aka =| production =| assembly =| predecessor =| successor =| class =| body_style =| layout =| platform =| engine =| transmission =| wheelbase =| length =| width =| height =| weight =| fuel_capacity =| related =| designer =--> For other uses of the name, see the La Salle disambiguation page. The LaSalle was an automobile product of General Motors Corporation, and sold as a companion marque of Cadillac from 1927 to 1940. The two were linked by similarly-themed names, both being named for explorers—Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac and René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, respectively.

General Motors Companion Make Program The LaSalle had its beginnings when GM’s CEO Alfred P. Sloan noticed that his carefully crafted market segmentation program was beginning to develop price gaps in which General Motors had no product to sell.

As originally developed by Sloan, GM’s market segmentation placed each of the company’s individual automobile makes into specific price points. Sloan designated the Chevrolet as the entry level product. Next (in ascending order) came Oakland Motor Car, Oldsmobile, Buick and ultimately, Cadillac. However during the robust 1920s, certain GM products began to shift out of the plan as the products improved and engine advances were made.

In an era where automotive brands were somewhat restricted to building a specific car per model year, Sloan surmised that the best way to bridge the gaps was to develop “companion” marques that could be sold through the current sales network.

Under the plan, the gap between the Chevrolet and the Oakland would be filled by a new marque named Pontiac, a quality 6cyl. car designed to sell for the price of a 4cyl. The wide gap between Oldsmobile and Buick would be filled by two companion marques; Oldsmobile was assigned the up-market V8 Viking automobile, and Buick was assigned the more compact 6cyl. Marquette automobile. Cadillac, which had seen it base prices soar in the heady 1920s, was assigned LaSalle as a companion car to fill the gap that existed between itself and Buick.

The Art and Colour of Harley Earl What emerged as the LaSalle in 1927 is widely regarded as the beginning of modern American automotive styling, and its designer Harley Earl would launch a thirty year career as GM’s Vice President of the newly created Art & Colour Studios that still guide GM’s designs to this day.

Prior to the LaSalle, automobiles essentially followed a set pattern, with design changes set by engineering needs. Ford’s Model T evolved over its extended run, but ever so slightly making a 1927 Model T almost identical to a 1910 Model T.

Earl, who had been hired by Cadillac General Manager Lawrence P. Fisher, conceived the LaSalle not as a junior Cadillac, but as something more agile and stylish. Influenced by the rakish Hispano-Suiza roadsters of the time, Earl’s LaSalle emerged as a smaller yet elegant counterpoint to Cadillac’s larger cars, and unlike anything else built by an American automotive manufacturer.

1927-1933 Built by Cadillac to Cadillac standards, the LaSalle soon emerged as a trend setting automobile within GM, and Earl was placed in charge of overseeing the design of all GM vehicles.

LaSalles were offered in a full-range of body styles, including Fisher- and Fleetwood-built custom body designs. The roadster could also be ordered in two-tone color combinations at a time when dark colors like black and navy blue were still the most familiar colors produced by manufacturers. Earl’s design even included a nod to the inspirational Hispano-Suiza with the marque’s circled trademark “LaS” cast into the horizontal tie bar between the front lights.

Riding wheelbases ranging between 128” and 134”, LaSalles of this era were equipped with Cadillac’s “Ninety Degree V-8” which made the car fast, while its smaller size made it sportier and more agile.

On June 20, 1927, a LaSalle driven by Willard Rader (along with Gus Bell) on the track at GM’s Milford proving ground achieved 952 miles, averaging 95.2 mph with only seven minutes given over to refueling and tire changes. In comparison, the average speed at that year's Indianapolis 500 was 97.5 mph. The test at Milford would have continued, however a problem in the oil system drew the test to an early close approaching the 9:45 mark.

However the Great depression, combined with LaSalle’s stalling sales numbers, caused Cadillac to rethink its companion make. Both Buick and Oldsmobile had eliminated the Marquette and Viking in their second model year in 1930. Cadillac also saw sales of its cars losing ground as confirmed Cadillac buyers tried to trim pennies by buying the less expensive LaSalle. LaSalle sales also were falling, from a high of 22,691 models in 1929 to a low of 3,290 in 1932.

1934-1938 Beginning with the 1934 model year, a significant portion of the LaSalle was more closely related to Oldsmobile than they were to senior Cadillacs. Again, Earl’s work with the LaSalle resulted in graceful vehicle, led by an elegant thin radiator grille. Earl’s other contribution was modern, airplane-styled, semi-shielded portholes along the side of the hood. All bodies were now by Fleetwood.

This new LaSalle was priced $1,000 less than the least expensive Cadillac – its mission now was not to fill a price gap, but to keep the luxury car division out of the red. Sales rebounded and almost doubled to 7,218 units for the year. A 1934 LaSalle Model 350 was chosen as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500, and a 1937 LaSalle Series 50 convertible also served as an List of Indianapolis 500 pace cars.

1939-1940 In its final years, the LaSalle once again became more Cadillac-like in its appearance and details. The narrow radiator grille opening was retained, and was flanked by additional side grill work. Headlights which had moved down and secured to the “cat-walk” were again attached to the radiator shell. One interesting feature adopted by LaSalle in these years was a sun roof marketed as the “Sunshine Turret Top”. Sales again climbed in 1939 to 23,028.

The 1940 and final LaSalle was introduced in October 1939, and in its final year as it had in its first, by a full array of semi-custom body styles including a convertible sedan. Earl also oversaw this redesign, and the LaSalle emerged as a smooth flowing design, its trademark thin radiator was flanked by a series of thin chrome slots giving the LaSalle a futuristic look.

1941 A 1941 LaSalle was planned and reached the design phase before GM ended the product line. In its place, Cadillac fielded the “Series 61”, which placed Cadillac’s prestige closer to reality for a larger group of people. In its first year, the Sixty-One enjoyed a production of over 29,000 units, almost three times LaSalle’s 1940 production.

LaSalle Hopefuls At various points in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s General Motors issued Motorama cars and proposed new consumer automobiles under the design name LaSalle. 1955 saw two Motorama dream-cars, the LaSalle II four door hardtop and the LaSalle II Roadster. Sent to the crusher, both the four-door hardtop & the roadster were instead hidden in the back corner of the Warhoops Salvage Yard and were acquired circa 1990 by Joe Bortz, a Chicago area nightclub owner who has made a significant investment in restoring General Motors Motorama cars.

In the early 1960s, GM Vice President William Mitchell floated the idea that if Cadillac decided to go forward with the production of a personal luxury coupe currently being designed that it could be marketed as the LaSalle. Cadillac passed on the design, and instead it was given to Buick and emerged as the Buick Riviera. Again, in the 1970s when Cadillac was developing a new small luxury sedan, the LaSalle name was raised, but was passed over in favor of Cadillac Seville.

Hindsight Collectors and historic auto enthusiasts have debated whether or not the LaSalle was killed off too soon, or not soon enough. Though sales of LaSalle traditionally ran notably higher than those of Cadillac, there is some debate that LaSalle's close association with Cadillac diluted the marque's exclusive cachet. And in 1941, the first model year without LaSalle, Cadillac set an all-time sales record. In contrast, Packard eventually suffered by carrying inexpensive models for too long, compromising its reputation and sales strength as an equal luxury car competitor to Cadillac.

Of the four companion marques, only Pontiac survived, eclipsing the Oakland in 1931.

LaSalle in popular culture

References

External links



 

Lasalle



 
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