and the car is a bullseye on both counts. Interior space is simply vast,

a word that also applies to the trunk. And getting in and out is devoid

of the simultaneous duck-and-bend move required in some swoopier designs,

even though the door sill is a trifle higher.

Like the exterior, the interior styling rates as more contemporary.

Over resistance from old line Buick owners, interior design chief Paul

Tatseos managed to break out of the old horizontal dashboard theme that

afflicted the '96 Park Avenue.

According to Buick research, those traditional owners don't like anything

that suggests the cockpit styling of a sport sedan, but Tatseos and his

staff went ahead with a modestly curved cowl over the main instruments.

Besides a more modern appearance, this allowed a bigger speed-ometer and

tachometer, which makes them easier to scan at a glance.

Another welcome change is the general appearance of the dashboard, which

shows a strong Riviera influence with its sharp color contrasts between

secondary controls (sound and climate control systems, for example) and

the interior color schemes. You'll find more woodgrain trim than in the

Riv, but the overall look is clean and tasteful, and the wood is the real

article.

Beyond that, the sound system buttons and climate controls are close

copies of the Riv, which means they're bigger, better located and far easier

to operate when the car is in motion.

As you'd expect, the Park Avenue Ultra includes a full array of luxury

goodies--premium sound system, automatic climate control, power everything--that

make the going more pleasant. For that matter, so does the standard Park

Avenue. And safety features are up to the minute.