Buick Looking to Get Younger, Adds New Models with Pizzazz

Buick is working hard to shed its image of the “old guy car.” No longer a brand that whisks grandparents to bingo and doctors’ appointments, it now offers luxurious, high-end and even sporty sedans and crossovers aimed at the pre-Medicare generation.

Buick will build on its rebranding over the next few years, redesigning many models and introducing new ones.  In all, Buick will retool or introduce six different models starting in 2013, and expect the brand to take on a completely new look by the 2016 model year. With all of these changes Buick will go through, parent company GM hopes to continue attracting a younger demographic, but without alienating Buick’s “traditional” buyer.

2011 Buick Verano: The first compact Buick in more than 20 years, the Verano goes on sale this fall. The Acura TSX-fighter will come standard with GM’s IntelliLink infotainment system, and is based on the same mechanical underpinnings as the Chevy Cruze.

• 177-hp Ecotec 2.4-liter engine
• 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels come standard. Optional 18-inch wheels available.
• Estimated fuel economy: 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway

2013 Buick Encore: Seen as a “baby Enclave,” the Encore five-seat compact crossover is expected to join Buick’s line-up for the 2013 model year. While details are still slim, especially for a vehicle that’s only a year away, here’s what we know:

• Will be built on Chevy’s Gamma platform, the same one that the new Sonic will be perched on. Translation: It will be small.
• Expected to compete against Acura’s RDX and the Infiniti EX

2012 Buick Regal: Expected to be launched in the fall, the Regal will have a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine churning out 270 hp, or the option of eAssist. GM is also weighing its options to put a Regal wagon on the road in China and it hasn’t gotten the go-ahead here in the U.S either.

• Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a six-speed transmission
• Optional eAssist mild hybrid system available

2012 Buick LaCrosse: Buick’s eAssist, a mild hybrid system, debuts on the 2012 LaCrosse, improving fuel economy by up to 25 percent. We expect eAssist to make its way across all Buick models in the coming years. The LaCrosse will be redesigned and is expected to be made available to the public for the 2013 model year.

• A new grille, hood, and rear tailgate will be added for 2013
• 2.4-liter engine will be combined with a small electric motor

2012 Buick Enclave: This three-row crossover first appeared in Buick’s line-up in 2008.  Expect a facelift in 2013 and a new generation surfacing around 2015.
2013 Buick Astra: This small compact is expected to be added to Buick’s line-up for the 2013 model year. Buick is weighing its options on bringing a three-door rebadged version of the Opel Astra to the U.S., thus far there’s no definite launch date. Originally planned to be inserted to Saturn’s line-up, the Astra would share a front-drive platform with the Verano.

Read more: http://blogs.automotive.com/buick-looking-to-get-younger-adds-new-models-with-pizzazz-45681.html#ixzz1TVPSxfxx

REVIEWS: 2011 Buick Enclave CXL-2 AWD

Four years after its introduction, the Buick Enclave remains a strong competitor -- and a strong seller -- in a tough segment. To quantify the latter point, consider that Buick has sold 23,998 Enclaves through the first five months of the year, compared with 18,821 Acura MDXs, 2112 Lincoln MKTs and 3872 Audi Q7s. Those sales would be in addition to the 33,526 mechanically identical GMC Acadias that were sold predominantly through the same dealer network during the same period.

The Enclave's styling, in my opinion, remains a big factor behind its appeal. It's expressive and instantly identifiable as a Buick -- something that cannot be said of the "globally" developed LaCrosse and Regal -- but isn't overdone, as is the case with the Lincoln MKT. That theme continues inside, where the simple round gauges and tasteful wood trim don't say GM parts bin.

Most important, the Enclave drives really well for a proper seven-seat vehicle. The steering has just the right amount of weight and feedback for a vehicle of this size, and is very accurate. The suspension doesn't crash over bumps but doesn't float, either.

There are a few places where the Enclave shows some gray hairs. The in-cabin technology, for instance, looks and feels every bit like it's been on the market four years, even though it has, in fact, received updates like Bluetooth connectivity. Keyless ignition isn't an option, something I might not have noticed if not for the very antiquated-looking keyless entry remote. On a more substantive note, I wonder if GM should consider expanding the engine lineup. No doubt, the 3.6-liter V-6 will appeal to the majority of customers in this segment and for good reason, as it offers a nice balance of respectable efficiency and smooth power. But with the Dodge Durango offering a V-8 on one end and Ford preparing the four-cylinder Explorer on the other, perhaps GM should follow suit, at least on some of its Lambda SUVs.

Read More: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/editors_notebook/1107_2011_buick_enclave_cxl_2_awd/index.html

Pandora Internet Radio Integration Spreads to Buick Models; More Automakers Plan Integration

Pandora‘s efforts—inadvertently or not—to squelch terrestrial radio continue to expand. The streaming radio service is available in a number of BMWs, Fords, Mercedes-Benzes, and Minis, and this week the company announced that it will soon be serving Pandora-monium to Scions and even more Ford and Lincoln models.

Ten Ford models and two Lincolns now support the streaming radio app, whereas before only the Ford Fiesta, Fusion, Mustang, and Lincoln MKZ were offered with the necessary AppLink SYNC software. Although you can always listen to Pandora in the car through your phone and the car’s AUX input jack, it means your hands have to be on the phone; the integrated SYNC/Pandora system can be controlled through the car’s stereo- or steering wheel–mounted controls.

Several automakers are working to integrate Pandora’s mobile app with their on-board audio systems. Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Hyundai, and Toyota all plan to offer the capability in their cars in the near future. Owners of older vehicles or those in the market for an aftermarket audio system can find Pandora integration in offerings from Alpine, JVC, Kenwood, and Pioneer; a compatible Sony system will hit the market soon.

Read More: http://blog.caranddriver.com/pandora-internet-radio-integration-spreads-to-scion-more-ford-models-more-automakers-plan-integration/

2012 Buick LaCrosse to get more powerful V-6

DETROIT -- General Motors said today that the 2012 Buick LaCrosse will get a more powerful version of its direct-injected, V-6 engine when the sedan goes on sale this summer.

The engine will deliver 303 hp, up 23 hp from the current version. It will be available on most trim levels at no extra cost from the LaCrosse's standard 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with GM's eAssist mild hybrid stop-start system.

Despite the added power, the new engine will deliver the same fuel economy as the current V-6: 17 mpg city/27 highway.

GM is using "lighter-weight components and enhancements to improve the engine's performance, efficiency and durability," Tom Sutter, global V-6 engineer, said in a statement.

The engine is made of a lighter-weight aluminum alloy. A new cylinder-head design has larger intake valves and longer-duration intake camshafts. Holding open the larger valves longer pulls more air into the combustion chamber, producing more power.

The 2012 LaCrosse will be the first GM vehicle to get eAssist, which combines a lithium ion battery and an electric motor-generator that enables regenerative braking.

The powertrain will generate 182 hp and get 25 mpg city/37 highway, GM estimates, up from 19 mpg city/30 highway on the 2011 model.

LaCrosse sales are down 7 percent this year, to 23,362 units, through May.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110622/OEM04/110629954/1259#ixzz1QsrK9kqx

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