Throwback: Remember When Shaq Tried to Tell Us He Could Fit in a Buick?
Approximately seven and a half years ago, NBA legend and The General car insurance spokesman Shaquille O’Neal appeared on our television screens and told us he could comfortably fit inside a Buick LaCrosse. The 7’1” former LA Laker casually sauntered down the steps of what looks to be some random California mansion while proudly mentioning the luxury and efficiency of the 2012 LaCrosse. Of course, Shaq got his coin for the promotion, but we recently came across the ad and wanted to dig a little deeper to see if his claim of fitting inside the Buick was even remotely plausible.
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During a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! later that year, he appeared in the late night host’s infamous “Mean Tweets” segment for a special NBA Edition. It was clear that his previous Buick ad struck a chord with some viewers, as O’Neal read out an accusatory tweet that stated, “You know you don’t fit in that Buick.” Shaq simply deadpanned to the camera and asked, “Is that supposed to be mean?”
U.S. News & World Report collected information and reviews regarding the LaCrosse’s interior when the vehicle first debuted, stating that the cabin was spacious and featured the Buick IntelliLink system as standard equipment. So far so good for Shaq… Looking at the actual dimensions, the LaCrosse had 38 inches of front head room, 41.7 inches of leg room, and 55.2 inches of hip room. A review from AutoWeek even noted, “The serene, roomy cabin is filled with useful features and amusing toys ranging from a rearview camera to a dual-screen video entertainment system.”
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Competitors like the Chrysler 300 and the Nissan Maxima had almost the same amount of space. But Shaq wasn’t just lauding the cabin space in the commercial, was he? Along with the luxury Buick is known for, Shaq mentioned that the LaCrosse gave him 36 miles per gallon (highway). The Chrysler 300 got just 31 mpg highway while the Maxima was only capable of 26 mpg on the highway. Maybe Shaq was on to something here…
Okay, so maybe Shaq could comfortably fit in the stylish, luxurious, and efficient 2012 Buick LaCrosse. We’ll give him that. While we’re still not completely ruling out a little Hollywood magic in the studio to make it seem like he had any extra room, maybe the sports analyst should opt for the Enclave the next time he does a spot for Buick, just in case.
Watch Shaq fit inside the 2012 LaCrosse:
Source: U.S. News & World Report
Ben never thought he’d be writing about cars for a living, but here he is, knowing more about the Kia Stinger than he’d care to admit. When he’s not devoting his time to researching engine specs and other oh-so-exciting car details, he can be found enjoying time with his wife and dogs. See more articles by Ben.