The 2011 Buick Enclave is an appealing product among those who're looking for family haulers and, what's more important is that it even manages to steal buyers from other non-GM brands. Every second buyer of the luxury crossover was previously driving a non-GM vehicle, the company proudly said in a press statement in which it applauded the way the new Buick performs on the US market.


And 2010 perfectly reflects the way Enclave performs against competition, as this was the model's best year in history. Sales were up 28 percent, while December was the best retail month ever.


"Enclave has brought a new kind of customer to our showroom - young professionals with families who previously owned an Acura or Lexus," said Tim Fitzgerald, general manager, Bowser Buick GMC of Pleasant Hills, Pa. "They have very high expectations for styling, interior amenities and quality materials, and they’re finding out that the Enclave delivers in all of those respects and more."

2011 Buick Enclave

The new Buick Regal CXL Turbo sedan, driven for this week's column, is a case in point. It is stunningly attractive to look at. Fit and finish, inside and out, are top of class - even rivaling Audi and Volkswagen, the longtime masters of classy interiors. Every amenity and infotainment feature available in substantially more expensive automobiles is offered, often as standard equipment, in the Buick Regal CXT Turbo.


Self-avowed automobile "enthusiasts" tend to hold themselves above the millions of consumers whose purchase of everyday cars make their "enthusiasm" possible. They seem not to understand that most companies making exotic or driver-centric cars can do so only if they have ample income from the production and sale of mass-market automobiles. It is why Volkswagen owns Audi, why Toyota can afford Lexus. It is why Porsche is surviving largely thanks to a Cayenne SUV that can carry families.

Our "enthusiast" friends spend much time and energy - and the pun here is intended - talking about 0-to-60 times and handling as if we all drive on racetracks, or need cars capable of doing so. Automobile advertising in car-buff magazines and TV commercials too often follows the "enthusiast" lead.

2011 Buick Regal CXL Turbo

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. 


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.


“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.”

Buick Regal Hybrid Coming To Chicago Auto Show

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

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).

2011 Buick Regal CXL Sedan

2011 Buick Regal CXL Sedan

2011 Buick Regal CXL Sedan Price As Tested: $31,780
This week we're driving Buick's all-new 2011 Regal CXL, which incorporates General Motors' German build platform and a model name from past success. As stated in this column before, Buick's survival following the demise of Oldsmobile and Pontiac nameplates falls directly on the car's popularity in China, and now, hopefully, worldwide.
Regal's home base assembly point is Rrusselsheim, Germany, which is a major selling point for the new Buick. Furthermore, you can "feel" the German-build in Regal's steering wheel, just as you can when you drive a more expensive Audi, Mercedes-Benz or BMW. Buick feels those who drive the Japanese built Acura TSX are prime candidates for a change and I feel the car will attract a large buyer demographic.
Germany also receives credit for supplying 40-percent of the parts content, with U.S. and Canada 21-percent. The rest of the car's 39-percent of substance are supplied by a multitude of world manufacturers. Thus, German built Regal reinforces a world car marketing premise, be it badged as a Opel Insignia in Europe or a Buick Regal in America and China.
My initial drive impression was "so-so" concerning the power under the hood, as the V6 was below average in all areas. However, that changed for the better when I remembered that the new Regal comes only with 4-cylinder availability, be it an optional 2.0 liter 220 horse Turbo or our tester's 2.4 liter Ecotec fuel injected version, which puts out 182 horses.