Sunday, February 27, 2011

2012 Buick Verano

2012 Buick Verano
The all-new 2012 Buick Verano compact luxury sedan, the brand’s third new model in the past two years and first in the compact luxury segment, makes its Canadian debut at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.
Verano goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2011, the latest model in a product renaissance that began with the Enclave and continued with the LaCrosse and Regal. Like them, Verano is distinguished by luxury and technology, including 10 standard air bags, an available heated steering wheel and a next-generation radio system with OnStar-powered connectivity that enables seamless communication between the Verano and the driver’s smart phone. 
2012 Buick Verano

An Ecotec 2.4L and six-speed automatic powertrain combination is standard and delivers an estimated 177 horsepower (132 kW) and 170 lb.-ft. torque (230 Nm), 0-96 km/h performance of 8.0 seconds and an estimated  6.4L/100km on the highway. A 2.0L turbo engine will be offered in the future.
2012 Buick Verano

“Verano builds on the growing momentum of the Buick lineup in Canada, giving us a great opportunity to attract a new generation of customers with a product that delivers on a higher level of expectations for design, performance and technology,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director of General Motors of Canada. “It is a smart choice that provides discerning customers with unexpected luxury in a compact sedan – and it will compete head-to-head with competitors from Audi and Lexus.”
2012 Buick Verano

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Buick Regal Hybrid Coming To Chicago Auto Show

Buick Regal Hybrid
Buick Regal Hybrid


Buick has yet to officially confirm the plans, but reports are breaking that the Buick Regal Hybrid will be on display at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. Borrowing the eAssist hybrid system from the LaCrosse, the Regal Hybrid is expected to turn in 25 percent gains, reaching as high as 24 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

Those might not seem like particularly stellar numbers for a hybrid, but given the Regal's 19/30 mpg rating in standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder trim, they're a marked improvement.

With a price premium on top of the standard Regal, it's unclear that the Regal Hybrid will be competitive in a marketplace where the Ford Fusion/Lincoln MKZ Hybrid nabs 41/36 mpg ratings and the Lexus HS 250h rates 35/34 mpg around similar price points.

The eAssist mild hybrid system pairs a small electric motor with the standard 182-horsepower 2.4-liter four shared between the Regal and LaCrosse, aiding acceleration during high-load situations. Regenerative braking and accessory power functions are also part of the package.

Buick Incentives for February 2011

The 2011 Buick Enclave is available with a 0% interest rate loan incentive for 60 months or $2,000 cash back. The 2011 Enclave can also be leased during February for $399 a month on a 39-month lease with a $2,459 down payment due at lease signing.
This month, the 2011 Buick LaCrosseis available with a 2.9% interest rate car loan incentive for 60 months. The 2011 Buick LaCrosse can also be leased for $309 a month with $2,104 due at lease signing on a 39-month lease.
2011 Buick Lucerne
2011 Buick Lucerne

The 2011 Buick Lucerne (shown here) incentives for February give buyers the choice between a 1.9% interest rate car loan for 60 months or $4,000 cash back. Through the 1.9% interest rate incentive, a new Lucerne with a base price of $29,730 will have monthly payments of $519.80. Through the $4,00 cash back incentive with a 6% interest rate on a 60-month loan, the same 2011 Lucerne will cost $497.43, so the cash back incentive is a better deal.

Buick To Debut Regal With E-Assist At Chicago Auto Show



Continuing the momentum of new products for the Buick brand, General Motors plans to unveil a mild hybrid variant (e-Assist) of the Buick Regal at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show next week, following its larger stablemate, the Buick LaCrosse. But unlike the 2012 LaCrosse, the Regal (we’re assuming for the ’12 model year) will not offer e-Assist as a standard feature.
For those of you unfamiliar with e-Assist, it’s essentially a revised take on GM’s belt alternator starter (BAS) system that was first introduced in 2006 and consists of a 115V lithium-ion battery pack, a 15kw electric motor that adds 15 horsepower to assist acceleration, an intelligent engine stop-start system and regenerative braking. The result is a 25 percent increase in fuel economy (at least for the 2012 LaCrosse, which engineers say will hit 37 mpg on the highway).