In just its third model year since debuting for 2005, the Buick LaCrosse is still a relatively new vehicle. While a freshening was expected—and confirmed earlier this year—for 2009, we weren’t under the impression that Buick’s mid-size sedan was being totally redesigned so soon. However, in light of these leaked photos of a pre-production 2010 LaCrosse, it appears GM has put the car on fast-forward.

While grainy, these photos do give us the very first look at the car without camouflage and in near-production guise. Having first seen this vehicle in concept form earlier this year at the Beijing Auto Show as the Invicta Concept—and again last month via another set of leaked GM photos labeled, simply, “Buick Sedan”—the feeling at the time was that it may have been an all-new model for Buick.