Ultra Boost

I always get nervous when a company names its product something like "Ultra." It takes guts, because there are always people like myself out there who are willing (and often anxious) to tear apart the Ultra label.
When Buick named the top-of-the-line Park Avenue the Park Avenue Ultra, I originally wondered what could be so "ultra" about it. Here was a nice car - the Park Avenue itself is no slouch - and the only major difference was the addition of the supercharger to the 3800 Series II V-6 engine. The blower increases horsepower to 245 from the unblown 205, but there's a question as to whether the added power is necessary. Sure, it's nice, but is it necessary? The other factor in the equation is that my brother-in-law - a die-hard Buick fan for many years - recently switched up from his standard LeSabre to a Park Avenue "un-Ultra." He loves his car and I was interested in his reaction. Well, he loved the Ultra. The differences were more than simply a more powerful engine. The Ultra adds all the power accessories as standard, including the most valuable, heated front seats for the driver and passenger.
Among the features found in the Ultra that I haven't seen in other cars were vanity mirrors for the rear passengers. These are lighted and drop down from the roof. They also serve as reading lights if they're needed.
I do feel the Ultra deserves its name. Our ride was smooth and comfortable. There was no engine or tire noise to intrude on the engine compartment. And with the sound system controls on the steering wheel, I was able to modulate the volume so that I could still hear what I wanted to hear while the other passengers dozed in the comfortable seats. When they wake up I'll ask them if they thought the Park Avenue was Ultra.