Many North Americans would scarcely believe their ears if they heard what Gina Burton has done. A Toronto mother of two in her early 50s, Ms Burton drove a Volvo for 10 years. But, she says, “I just don’t think that the last Volvo drove as well as the others.” So in August, she traded in her Cross Country estate for a Buick Enclave, one of GM’s upscale crossover sport-utility vehicles.

A Buick? For decades, the 106-year-old General Motors brand has evoked retirement, white shoes and the country club. According to TrueCar, an on-line car-buying service, the average Buick driver is 61 years old, making him (seldom her) the oldest buyer by far of any luxury car brand. The average Volvo buyer is 50.

But Buick is pulling out all the stops to broaden its appeal to younger buyers such as Ms Burton. “The goal is about expanding the audience for the brand,” says Craig Bierley, advertising and promotions director.