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.

2011 Buick Regal: Car Seat Check

2011 Buick Regal

For the 2011 model year, Buick resurrected the Regal nameplate. This entry-level luxury sedan can seat five passengers.
For the Car Seat Check, we use a rear-facing infant-safety seat, a convertible child-safety seat and a high-back booster seat, all made by Graco. The front seats are adjusted to a comfortable position for a 6-foot driver and a 5-foot-8 passenger. The child seats are installed in the second row and, if available, third row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant seat and convertible seats are installed behind the passenger seat.
Here’s how the 2011 Regal scored in MotherProof.com’s Car Seat Check:

Latch system: There are five Latch anchors in the Regal, with two sets in the outboard seats and one anchor in the middle position (photo above). This allows parents to install a child-safety seat in the middle seating position. However, only two car seats can be installed into this car using the Latch anchors. Using one Latch anchor to connect two car seats is not recommended. The anchors are somewhat buried in the seat cushions. Three easy-to-use tether anchors sit on the rear shelf behind second-row’s head restraints. 


Booster seat: Large side bolsters pushed our high-back booster seat inward and nearly over the top of the seat belt buckle, which sits deeply in the seat cushions.

All-New Buick GL8 Luxury MPV Revealed

 

General Motors announced the all-new Buick GL8 in Shanghai. The luxury MPV is built on the heritage of the original GL8, China’s first family of executive wagons. The company said that the new model will be available in the market in January 2011.

The all new Buick GL8 features seven innovations and 27 technological breakthroughs along with improved design, space and safety, technology, power, features and quality. The new GL8 comes equipped with a graceful exterior design highlighted by Buick’s distinctive double sweep spear running from front to back.
This MPV comes with an option of a 3.0-liter V-6 SIDI intelligent direct injection engine or a 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with high fuel efficiency. The advanced 6-speed automatic transmission from the American auto maker provides unrivaled power for the luxury MPV segment.
When it comes to safety, the new GL8 has a super-solid body frame. The Bosch 8.1 ESP system delivers premium handling and is complemented with large-size tires and disc brakes, with six air bags available on selected models.

2012 Buick Verano Details Unveiled

Just as the 2012 Buick Verano is getting set for a 2011 debut, the preliminary pricing as well as equipment details were revealed by a survey sent to Buick dealerships. The online survey is intended to gather information about potential customer buying behavior of the car in four trim levels.

According to GM Inside News, Buick called upon the dealerships to participate in an online order study of a “potential new addition to the Buick portfolio.” Buick reportedly stated that the potential new entry would be a compact car and be available in four models. Further, each model will be a build off of the previous model.

Hence, it was revealed that the 2012 Buick Verano will likely be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four engine that can produce power of 180 hp and 172 lb.-ft. of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission.

The base Verano 1SB is anticipated to have a starting price of $20,900. The 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start with a starting price of around $22,100.

2011 Buick Regal Pictures

2011 Buick Regal Pictures

2011 Buick Regal Pictures

2011 Buick Regal Pictures

2011 Buick Hybrid Crossover

General Motors' plug-in hybrid technology will be introduced in a new Buick crossover vehicle in 2011, Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman of product development, announced here today during the Management Briefing Seminars.

The yet-to-be-named Buick crossover will launch in late 2010 offering a family of fuel-efficient direct-injected gasoline engines, followed in 2011 by the plug-in hybrid model.

Buick Business Concept

The Buick Business Concept, a new concept vehicle designed to showcase Buick’s future vision of “business class on the road,” made its global debut today at Auto Shanghai 2009.

2009 Buick Business Concept

Buick Business Concept

Buick Business Concept

Buick Business Concept

2010 Buick LaCrosse photos

Redesigned from the ground up, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan makes its world debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 12. The LaCrosse offers all wheel drive, a suite of advanced intelligent personal technologies and safety features, and a choice of two fuel-saving V-6 engines.

2010 Buick LaCrosse

2010 Buick LaCrosse

2010 Buick LaCrosse

2011 Buick Regal Photogallery

2010 Buick LaCrosse 2.4 EcoTec Does 30 MPG

General Motors is offering the 2010 Buick LaCrosse CX with a new 2.4 liter Ecotec engine which develops 182horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft. of torque (233 Nm) and has an EPA rating of 30/19 mpg city/highway. This efficient powerplant features a sophisticated direct injection system and is also quite clean.

The 2011 Buick Regal

we told you about Buick's new digital campaign to hype the all-new 2011 Regal and youthen the model's fusty image. But sometimes, the web isn't enough, so GM is also putting the Regal smack-dab in front of the 30/40something influencers it's targeting by throwing a series of debutante balls for the sedan in hot spots around the country. That's arguably more social than social media, but you know: details.

Called the "Regal Remix", the parties are being held in Chicago, Miami, Dallas, San Antonio, and other major U.S. cities. (We can't seem to find a complete list right now, but then, we were never the Cool Kids.) The Regal is meant to be the star of the evening, although other Buick rides -- specifically, the Enclave and the LaCrosse -- also earn spins on the ballroom floor. GM has described the Regal Remix as a "low pressure" event, primarily intended to generate awareness and interest among 500 or so hipsterish guests. (If we're guessing correctly, a few business cards and brochures may be exchanged, too.) The abundance of booze and live music probably helps take the edge off what could otherwise become as uncomfortable as a timeshare pitch.

So far, word of mouth from these parties and other promotional efforts seems to be paying off for GM. Zeta Interactive -- a firm that monitors online discussion of brands much like General Sentiment does -- has seen Buick rise from #17 to #8 on its list of likable auto brands. We'll see if that continues once GM and Leo Burnett launch the Regal's more conventional campaign next month.

Buick Offering Test Drive Experience

The Buick brand will debut another initiative included in its transformation plan. The project, which has been developped with the 100 Black Men of America publication, will see Buick offer a test drive experience to the public and attendees of the 100 Balck Men of America 24th Annual Conference.

In addtion to offering test drive session that include three of its models, Buick will also offer children who are 8 years of age or older to ride along as passengers.

Here is Buick’s description of the vehicles that will be available for test drives:

• 2011 Buick Regal - Armed with turbocharged horsepower, a driver-selectable suspension system and a firm, European-tuned chassis, it delivers a driving experience that rivals the best import sport sedans in the segment.

• 2010 Buick LaCrosse - Redesigned from the ground up, the LaCrosse luxury sedan offers all-wheel drive, a suite of advanced personal technologies and safety features, and a choice of two fuel-saving V-6 engines.

• 2010 Buick Enclave - Buick’s popular luxury crossover gets available 20-inch wheels for 2010, as well as several technologies that add value and convenience.

Buick said that it will not dilute the driving expereince, allowing the attenders to enjoy the vehicles 100 percent. In other words, the company won’t bring any sales personnel at the ride-and-drive event.

2011 Buick Regal doesn't live up to its name

The upside to being so out of fashion is that Buick could now be "in," if only the Regal lived up to the promise the manufacturer showed last year with its luxury sedan, the LaCrosse CXS. With its successor, the Regal, Buick is simply trying to do too much. In its efforts to be simultaneously elegant, sporty, fuel efficient, technologically tricked out and affordable it doesn't fully succeed.

What I liked most about this mid-size sport sedan was its exterior. There's a wind-swept stylishness to its profile that elevates it to the level of its competitors: the Acura TSX, Volvo S60, Volkswagen Passat and Mazda 6, each of which shares a kind of athletic voluptuousness. The Bentley-esque grille, even the Buick insignia itself, lends the car an upscale appearance that helps the Regal live up to its moniker. And the palette of sumptuous exterior colors, including the shade of deep, seafaring blue in the model I was testing, made me curious to open the doors and see what was inside this Autobahn-inspired beauty.

The experience was a little like biting into a See's chocolate and tasting a nougat you weren't expecting — and hadn't wanted. It was, in a word, disappointing.

Although the center stack was nicely arranged, it was trimmed in cheap-looking brown plastic and anchored with an equally chintzy chrome finish around the six-speed gear shift. The "pleather" dash was inlaid with a faux-wood grain. In fact, the whole cockpit was more pastiche than crafted.

If this is regal, then I'm Prince Harry.

Of course there's only so much bling Buick can pack into a car that starts at $26,995, especially a car that has as many performance and technology objectives as the Regal. I just wish the bling had been a bit more premium because there's a lot of competition at that price point. Buick would have been better off focusing on fewer features and ensuring that each was the highest quality.

2011 Buick Regal CSX Test Drive

The 2011 Buick Regal is sold in Europe as the Opel Insignia (recipient of the 2010 European Car of the Year award) and under the Buick name in China; its development was truly a cooperative venture on a global scale.

The Regal's appearance confirms its cosmopolitan pedigree; it would not appear out of place in any modern city, from San Diego to Shanghai. As a midsize sedan, the new car is smaller and more tautly sculpted than any previous model bearing the Regal name. With Buick's signature grinning grille, its muscular shape was met with positive responses from most of the people we talked to. Given the pedestrian shapes of cars that dominate the current midsize sedan market, that's not entirely surprising. But since GM couldn't beat the competition with the rotund American architecture that formerly defined the Regal, designers had to rethink their options.

Furthermore, the choice of two four-cylinder engines rather than the historical dependence on V6s in the model line speaks of a major identity shift.

The Specs

The new Regal's base engine is a 2.4-liter inline four with 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque, and it features direct-injection and variable valve timing, as befits a 21st-century powerplant. The high-performance option is a turbo 2.0-liter with 220 hp and an impressive 258 pound-feet from just 2,000 rpm. Both engines hail from GM's Ecotec family, but are much smoother and more genteel than the corporation's four-bangers of yore.

Fuel economy has not been finalized, but GM estimates that the 2.4-liter normally aspirated engine will achieve 30 mpg on the highway, and the turbo will get 29 mpg. Both engines pedal through six-speed automatic transmissions with manual-override capability, but these are two different units—one a Hydra-matic, the other an Aisin—and the gear ratios vary quite a bit to take advantage of the turbo motor's wide torque spread. A six-speed manual transmission is promised sometime in the future for use with the turbo.

With a wheelbase of 107.8 inches, an overall length of 190.3 inches, a height of 58.4 inches and an overall width of 73.1 inches, the Regal is smaller in every dimension than the Buick LaCrosse. It also provides four fewer inches of rear legroom than the LaCrosse, at 37.3 inches, although chief engineer Jim Federico points out that that's three more inches than rear passengers will find in an Acura TSX.

Designed to meet new federal crash-test standards for 2012, the Regal's body shell claims to offer a 25 percent improvement in torsional bending resistance compared with the outgoing model. According to Federico, the amount of high-strength steel in the structure is considerable, and was limited mainly by weld incompatibilities between it and conventional steels. At around 3600 pounds, the Regal isn't exactly svelte, but a projected five-star rating in both major federal crash-test categories suggests that it is strong.

The Regal's suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front with aluminum lower control arms and an aluminum four-link setup in the rear, both ends equipped with direct-acting, tubular antiroll bars. An electronic adaptive-damping shock system called the Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS)—which features three push-button selectable programs: normal, tour and sport—is available for the turbo model.

The ride firmness—as well as the amount of body-motion control imparted by the shock—changes depending on which IDCS program the driver chooses. Selecting Sport Mode also alters the degree of steering assistance and the response of the Buick's Stabilitrak handling system, reducing the level of electronic intervention and raising the threshold before it steps in. These values can be adjusted independently through the car's info screen.