New Buick Excelle debuts in China

2011 Buick Excelle XT

Back in August, when General Motors gave the media a tour of its design studios to show off pieces of its upcoming lineup, one of the cars we saw was a compact four-door Buick sedan. That sedan was essentially a re-grilled and trunked version of the recently introduced Opel Astra, but GM did not say what badging the car would receive in North America. However, the five-door hatchback version has just debuted in China at the Guangzhou Motor Show as the newest baby Buick.

In what is Buick's largest market, the compact is badged as the Excelle, and we wouldn't be surprised to see that name come to the U.S. provided there aren't any issues with the similarly named (and defunct) Hyundai Excel. The car we saw in August was identical to the Excelle shown above from the B-pillars forward. It only differs at the rear where the hatch was originally a traditional trunk.

Sporty Buick Regal GS

Upcoming 2011 Buick Regal is essentially a rebadged version of the Opel Insignia, a car that won the prestigious 2009 European Car Of The Year award the year it was launched.

What a lot of readers may not know is that in Europe, the Insignia is offered in several different variants, including one that’s available with a 325 horsepower turbocharged V-6, a manual transmission and a sophisticated all-wheel drive system. This high performance Insignia is the OPC (Opel Performance Center) model and as recently as last month Bob Lutz hinted that the car was under consideration for the U.S. market.

Speaking previously with Car and Driver, Lutz explained that manual-transmission and all-wheel drive versions of the Insignia are being considered for the U.S., and of course the OPC model are among these.

The Regal name has been linked with sporty Buicks in the past, with models like the Grand National, GNX, GS and GSX all springing to mind, and today we have reports claiming that a new iteration of one of these, a modern-day Buick Regal GS, will be unveiled at next month’s 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

2010 Buick LaCrosse

The last time I spent any considerable time in a Buick was as a tot when my parents owned a really sweet wood-paneled Buick Century wagon. From the looks of the sleek, new LaCrosse, Buick certainly isn’t aiming at that market anymore.

Love: Backup indicator lights
As much as I loved the heated steering wheel in the frosty Chicago weather, my favorite feature was the backup indicator lights, which are being phased out these days in favor of fancier backup cameras. The version I drove didn’t have a camera but did have a series of three lights over the rear window that lit up in succession as I got closer to obstacles behind the car.

The LaCrosse is a substantial sedan with a high trunk, so some sort of backup aid is almost necessary. Placing the lights over the rear window was incredibly smart, and I preferred relying on the lights as opposed to a fisheye lens backup camera.

Hate: The visibility

The low-profile windows limit visibility significantly. Add to that the enormous front and rear pillars, and there were a few times I felt like I was piloting a submarine instead of luxury auto. The bulky side mirrors don’t help matters when trying to navigate cross-traffic at a four-way stop. On more than one occasion, a cyclist or small car almost completely disappeared behind the A-pillar and mirror. But at least my hands were nice and toasty on the heated steering wheel as I double- and triple-checked my blind spots.

Buick Adds Four-Cylinder Engine, Price for LaCrosse

In addition to its 3.0- and 3.6-liter V-6 engines, Buick will add a third engine option for the 2010 LaCrosse: an Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection. This option will come with a price tag of $26,995. The price puts it a hair below the previous base LaCrosse CX with the smaller V-6, which starts at $27,085.

The more fuel-friendly engine will be matched with a six-speed automatic transmission that Buick expects to deliver a mileage rating of 20/30 mpg city/highway (the EPA hasn't rated the new engine for official numbers). This would put the LaCrosse at the top of its segment in terms of fuel economy. The Ecotec engine brings with it 182 horsepower and 172 pounds-feet of torque. Its closest competitor, the Acura TSX with a four-cylinder engine, starts at $29,310.

Four-Cylinder 2010 Buick LaCrosse CX Priced From $26,995

Potential 2010 Buick LaCrosse customers will soon have a third engine option to choose from, with the announcement today that a new entry-level model equipped with a four-cylinder engine will be offered next year.

The LaCrosse CX with a fuel-efficient direct injected Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine will be priced at $26,995 and promises fuel economy of 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.

The Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder joins the lineup in the first quarter of 2010 as the standard engine in the LaCrosse CX. Direct injection technology helps it deliver 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, and Buick expects that roughly 25% of customers will opt for this engine.

Every engine in the LaCrosse lineup is direct injected and matched with a fuel-saving six speed automatic transmission. Along with the Ecotec 2.4-liter, a direct injected 3.0-liter V-6 is also offered as well as a larger-displacement and more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 standard on the LaCrosse

Sweeney named head of Buick-GMC

General Motors Co. tapped Buick GMC general sales manager Brian Sweeney as the new head of the brands, replacing Michael Richards who resigned last week after nine days on the job, according to sources.

Sweeney has been the interim head of Buick-GMC since Richards' departure. The appointment, which is expected to be formally announced Thursday, solidifies management ranks upended last week by the surprise retirement of Chevrolet Vice President Brent Dewar and Richards' resignation. Dewar had been appointed to lead the automaker's largest and most important brand five months ago.

The appointment also continues the trend of moving younger executives into critical positions at GM -- a trend started last summer by the appointment of Bryan Nesbitt, 40, as general manager of Cadillac.

Susan Docherty, head of GM sales and marketing and former head of Buick-GMC, would neither confirm nor deny Sweeney's appointment.

Sweeney was instrumental in marketing the Buick, GMC and Pontiac brands through one channel and the consolidation of three marketing and advertising agencies, Docherty said.

"People talk about (GM north American President Mark) Reuss having oil running through his veins; Brian Sweeney not only has it running through his veins, but his heart," Docherty said. "He is a tireless leader who can command the respect of dealers."

Sweeney, 42, has held several posts at GM including vice president of sales at Saab Cars USA and sales manager of GM's north-central region. He started his GM career at GMC in 1990 and has worked as truck merchandising manager and later manager of sales and service promotions for Pontiac-GMC. He has held regional divisional marketing manager positions for Pontiac-GMC, Chevrolet and Oldsmobile.

Buick LaCrosse 2010 Top Review and Images

Production June 15, 2009- present
Model year(s) 2010–
Assembly Kansas City, Kansas, USA
Shanghai, China
Body style(s) 4-door sedan
Layout FWD / AWD
Platform GM Epsilon II platform
Engine(s) 2.4 L Ecotec I4
3.0 L HFV6 V6
3.6 L HFV6 V6
Transmission(s) 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase 111.7 in (2,837 mm)
Length 197.0 in (5,004 mm)
Width 73.1 in (1,857 mm)
Height 58.9 in (1,496 mm)





Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010


Buick LaCrosse 2010