Slowly but surely, Buick has been transformed. It all started in 2008 with the Enclave crossover, and it has continued with the LaCrosse, Regal, Verano and upcoming Encore. Buick has been one of the fastest growing brands at General Motors.

That is despite having just three competitive models during that time – Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal. Strong sales are thanks to the strength of the brand’s products. Years into its model-cycle, the Enclave remains a strong seller, as well as the LaCrosse, which has proven to be more capable versus the Lexus ES than anyone thought. A groundbreaking move with the LaCrosse for the 2012 model year was the standardization of eAssist technology.

Buick’s eAssist is a mild hybrid technology, and it boosts mileage by a significant amount. So far it is remained as a Buick-only option. The addition of the technology is powerful for advertising, and it enables customers to choose from two options at the dealer: fuel-efficient four-cylinder or V-6 power. They are both at the same price point.

Now for 2013, the Regal is adopting this same strategy. Up until now, eAssist has been available on the Ecotec 2.4-liter as a $2,000 option. For 2013, it will be standard equipment, with the V-6 being optional. It is a way to gain traction in the segment thanks to fuel economy, leapfrogging the competition. It also puts further space between Regal and the Chevrolet Malibu. The eAssist Regal will get 25 mpg city, 36 mpg highway. It isn’t clear how pricing will be impacted – GM hasn’t released figures for the 2013 model yet. Also new is that the performance Regal GS will be available with a six-speed automatic as a no-cost option. These changes show a responsiveness to the market and a penchant for continuous improvement. Up next for Buick is the refreshed 2013 Buick Enclave at the New York International Auto Show in April.

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Buick has completed a remarkable transformation in just a few short years. The Buick today is nothing like the brand was just five years ago. Few companies are able to complete a turnaround so quickly.

Generation X and Y are considering Buick when they never thought they would. The transformation began with the Buick Enclave, and it is has spread to the LaCrosse, Regal and Verano. Now the Encore joins the fray – an offering courtesy of General Motors’ international operations. Buick and Opel are pretty much sharing partners now, and this is the result of it. Small Buicks! Who would have ever thought? The Encore is probably considered a subcompact – it is a category many manufacturers thought buyers in the United state would never be interested in. Buick is taking the initiative by introducing the first luxurious small crossover of this size in the U.S.

At 168.5 inches long, with an 100.6-inch wheelbase, the Encore is smaller than even the Verano. There are only a few ways you can shape an CUV of this size, and Buick has done its best to make the Encore stylish. The signature waterfall grille, blue-ringed headlights and portholes are all here. Buick’s styling stands out in the market.

The interior shown in the photos is gorgeous, finished in a two-tone leather combination called Saddle. The colors, stitching, lighting and wood work together so well. It is very rich looking and distinctive from what other manufacturers are doing. We like it Buick. Unique colors and trim are really having an emphasis put on them at GM, and particularly at Buick and Cadillac.

Less visible is a more advanced version of Buick’s “QuietTuning” technology. In the past it has involved things like acoustic glass and sound deadening stuffed everywhere (very scientific, we know). This time though there is an active component; microphones in the ceiling that detect engine noise, which are processed by a computer.

Counteracting (inaudible) sound waves are then pumped through the Encore’s speakers and subwoofers. This helps mute the sound of the engine. Its a first for Buick, and expect this to spread to other cars in the lineup. Speaking of engine sounds, the Encore is motivated by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder making 140 horsepower and 148 pound feet of torque. Weighing 3190 pounds, this should provide adequate power and return excellent fuel economy.

Buick cites competitors like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, which aren’t even on the U.S-market. Overall, the Encore shows forward thinking on Buick’s part. Check out Buick’s baby CUV in our gallery below.

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Encore, Encore – it is something heard at concerts and other entertainment events. Buick wants you to be saying it at the dealer though, as the company is introducing a new crossover at the Detroit Auto Show.

The Encore has been in the works for a while as a “Baby Enclave.” The company developed the Encore in response to the Saturn Vue-based “Vuick” controversy. The automotive blog and twitter sphere decided that Buick was better than a rebadged Saturn, and therefore a more unique model was born.

Buick’s renaissance began in the 2008 model year with a crossover, the Enclave, and it has continued ever since with models like the LaCrosse and Regal. The next phase is two compact models – the Verano sedan which is arriving at dealers, and the Encore. Both should help boost volume significantly. Buick sales have been rising on the back of just three competitive models – Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal. The Verano and Encore will expand that appeal significantly.

This teaser has been released and while we don’t expect the Encore to break any new ground ground breaker, it should do a good job adding new buyers for Buick. The most unique thing about the design appears to be the little vent insert into the front headlight. We’re still deciding if it should be chrome or body colored instead of black though. This definitely isn’t the base model too, so this is how it will look for the rest of the lineup.

The light also features Buick’s signature blue projector ring. Buick didn’t release much more information, except to say the Encore will feature QuietTuning like every other Buick. Sources have said the Encore is actually pretty small for a U.S market crossover, as it is Gamma based. Gamma is the platform the underpins the Chevrolet Sonic – a subcompact. Shows you how flexible platforms are, doesn’t it? Given its small size, it’ll be interesting to see if the Encore offers acceptable interior room.

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For almost 100 years of automotive development, the most accepted notion for improving vehicle horsepower was to build a big engine. As many auto enthusiasts know, stricter fuel economy standards and vehicle downsizing have required 21st century auto manufacturers to find equal or more horsepower in a small engine. Turning otherwise underused exhaust air into improved engine efficiency, the turbocharger has ventured from high-performance vehicles into the general vehicle marketplace.

Ford Motor Company’s popular EcoBoost engine, the TDI powerplant produced for Volkswagen and Audi vehicles, as well as the most popular Porsche performers are members of the modern turbocharger revolution. In recent update of the BMW M5, the German auto company downsized their V-10 engine in favour of a twin-turbocharged V-8 powerplant. The result for the 2012 BMW M5 was more than 560 horsepower (60 horsepower extra than the previous engine) but capable of running roughly 4 miles further per gallon in average driving. As the turbocharged engined 2012 model year vehicles are being sold with great enthusiasm, the forced air induction technology marks a 50-year trip since entering into production automobiles.

When pondering the first auto manufacturer to install a factory turbocharger, today’s assumptions would make us believe a Japanese or European company that found promise in the engine component. In fact, the first major factory application of a turbocharger on a gasoline engine was found on the American made Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair in 1962.

Called the Turbo Rocket powerplant, the aluminum V-8 produced an additional 60 horsepower over the conventional 215 cubic inch (3.5 liter) engine. Producing 215 horsepower, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire became a late member of the ‘one horsepower per cubic inch’ fraternity in the American auto industry. Unusual for the era, the early exercise with turbochargers saw Oldsmobile engineers add a rather unorthodox cylinder treatment procedure. Added to the air/fuel mixture, distilled water and methyl alcohol was injected into the 215 cubic-inch turbocharged engine’s combustion chambers to help maintain a proper operating temperature. Debuting in mid-1962, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire with the turbocharged engine would only last through 1963 over 8,500 examples created.

General Motors also tried turbochargers on non-eight cylinder engines by adding the units to the Chevrolet Corvair. Debuting 1962 on the Corvair Monza model, the engine produced 150 horsepower. Ford 1965 and 1966, an improved turbocharged version of the embattled rear-engined Chevrolet Corvair was made available with the flat-6 powerplant. Obtaining 180 horsepower from a 164 cubic inch engine, the efforts to promote turbochargers in smaller vehicles was defeated by the bad publicity brought against the Corvair.

As the muscle car era had American automobile buyers craving big V-8 engines, General Motors declared an unofficial moratorium on turbocharger units. Even as the oil crisis caused auto manufactured to think of downsized vehicles in the late 1970s, the technical advantage of turbochargers was rarely brought to production. During the same time, he world have become wise to turbocharging with Porsche and BMW selling their first models using the forced-air induction system. Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot also made the first turbodiesel passenger cars available to the European public in the late 1970s.

By the start of the 1980s, Japanese auto companies realized turbocharging as a way to pick up power from their smaller engines. The Toyota Supra, Mitsubishi Lancer and Nissan 280ZX stormed the North American market as performance driving entered an era of higher fuel prices. Coinciding with the widespread adaptation of fuel injection, turbochargers came a new statement for high technology in automobiles. Rushing back into the turbocharger game, American auto companies adopted turbocharged engines as a performance enhancement around the horsepower lost to choking emission control hardware. Added to the Pontiac Firebird and the Chrysler K-Cars, Buick made a name for itself with special version of the two-door Regal. In 1987, the Buick GNX powered by a turbocharged, 231 cubic-inch V-6 was recognized as the fastest accelerating production car built in the United States.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, the turbocharger became more noted for reaching the plateaus of high-performance. Limited to cost as well as the increased complexity, turbocharger units were also held back by a mechanical performance delay called turbo lag. Eventually, auto engineers discovered the use of twin turbochargers could overcome the compromise of where optimal turbo power would be delivered. Most recent development was the variable geometry turbocharger that adjusts the profile of the impeller for any speed.

With technology evolved and perfected, turbochargers have struck the mainstream market on new vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Kia Optima as well as the Ford F-150 pickup. 50 years since General Motors installed the forced-air unit on a showroom-destined vehicle, the turbocharger is potentially the best known way to help obtain fuel efficiency while pleasing are need for performance motoring.

Information source: Cars of the Sizzling ‘60s, Nissan Americas, Porsche AG
Photo source: Chris Nagy, Nissan Americas

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As we are witnessing with a slew of small car introductions from manufacturers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – premium luxury is in. Lexus is going after buyers in the entry-level compact segment with its CT 200h hatchback. Despite being a hatchback and hybrid-only, the CT 200h has done impressively well for itself….and I don’t find it to be the most stylish car in the world either.

Buick, surprisingly, recognized this emerging trend and fielded a new entrant in the form of the Verano. The Verano seems like a product that will make a splash in the segment; it looks premium inside and out and offers an impressive amount of content. It could attract an even younger set of buyers – don’t laugh its happening – to Buick as well.

The Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal have all brought down buyer ages for Buick. The Regal in particular has seen a lot of interest from Generation X and Y. Look for that trend to only continue with the sporty and relatively affordable GS. But I digress, back to the Verano.

The pricing point was a key factor – would it be too high to find buyers or too low to offer a compelling package? Today, official pricing has been announced, and the Verano starts at $23,470 and goes up to $26,850. Given that Buick has ditched trim level designations, options are added on either a la carte or in packages.

The standard features list is impressive: blue translucent projector beam headlamps, standard fog lamps, 18-inch multi-spoke, forged alloy, silver-finish wheels, leatherette seating, high-resolution 7-inch diagonal LED backlit color-touch radio display with IntelliLink technology, 10 standard air bags, automatic climate control, remote start, power windows and steering wheel radio controls.

For now (more options are coming later) an 180 horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder mated to a six-speed automatic does duty across the lineup. The idea of luxury in a smaller and less expensive package could be an enticing one to many. Hopefully, a performance model Verano is in the works as well. Verano GS, anyone?

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Do you remember the first time you fell in love? I do. She was a steel beauty straight out of Detroit. I wasn’t too keen on the color, a grandma green shade that my friends make fun of me for, but I wasn’t ashamed; ok- at first I was. My first love was a 1984 Buick Regal, 2-door, with a few hidden modifications. It was a hand me down that my parents had driven for a few years after they bought it from a friend of a friend. I’m not from a big car family, no mechanics or collectors, so she was a bit misunderstood.

When I started learning to drive I didn’t want to be seen going through my neighborhood in her, but once I was rid of a chaperon, I knew there had to be something more. I got my driver’s license on a cold December day in North Carolina. The streets, still patched with ice, were semi deserted, so on a back country road I opened her up for the first time, and she liked it. Tires skidded behind me, from the ice I’m sure, and I must admit I was scared! I had never driven fast or been in a car driven fast, and I felt a rush shoot through my body and slam my right foot down. I looked in the rear view and saw a black puff come from the exhaust as she cleared her throat. Her favorite roads had nice curves highlighted by long straight-aways.

The speedometer, like everything else in the interior was suited for a grandmother, oversized numbers that only went to 88 MPH. The pale green velour front bench that split so that people could get into the back kept me from sliding into the passenger seat in the curves. The radio was analog with a dial and 5 “preset” buttons that all tuned to the same station. She was an automatic; I couldn’t drive a manual yet. I had to be careful because she was automatic; if I hit the gas too hard with the brake down she stalled. I found that out trying to learn to do a burnout. The only frill was an ashtray that dutifully hid the butts of my covert rebellion. I didn’t doll her up with the exception a set of original steel hubcaps to cover the black steel wheels. I kept her as incognito as possible, just like I was.

As I sat at the red-light on a popular drag in my hometown on a sleepy Saturday night a comparable age Camaro pulled alongside me. A guy from my school sat behind the wheel and gave me the international “wanna race” face as he revved his engine. I gripped the leather wheel and just sat there. If I did the same she would leave me stranded, but I knew I she was up to his challenge; our first test. A lot of people would “drive hard” on this stretch, we didn’t call it street racing, that was illegal. The light snapped to green and the kid in the primer sport scar barked his tires as he jumped the line to best me. But I knew what my grandma sleeper could do. I just held my foot all the way to the floor as I felt the transmission wind and shift into the next gear as I sped up.

This stretch was popular because the lights would change green in succession and opened up a half mile of the 6 lane-street. There were six lights total from the start to the “finish line” next to the local parts house. The gear heads would stay parked there all night just to call winners and losers and dish out the proper insults when needed. I worked at McDonalds and hadn’t made it into their world yet.

We crossed under the second light. I was looking at him through his passenger window. He wasn’t happy at all. Four lights left. We stayed pretty close for a while, but my girl was a long liner; the more space she was given to run the faster she would get. When I went under the sixth light he was nearly two car lengths behind me. I screamed because no one could hear me.

My heart was racing so hard that I could hear the bass thumps in my ears. I never even saw the blue lights kick on after I crossed the line. The Camaro escaped down a side street headed for the safety of the unlit country side roads as I pulled over into an empty parking lot. An unfamiliar wave of anxiety hit; this time fueled by fear, embarrassment, and uncertainty. The treble heavy speakers blared out “Highway To Hell” as the officer approached my window. I sat paralyzed watching his silhouette grow in my mirror; all the while he was adjusting his hat. When he knocked on my window I was released from my spell and rolled down the glass that separated us, still looking straight ahead.

“Do you know how fast you were going, Mandie?” He knew my name. I looked up and saw a family friend under the hat. I started breathing again as I answered, “No, my speedo stops at 88…” He let out the hardiest laugh as he opened my door to let me out. He had clocked me at 102 miles per hour in my “grandma cruiser,” that’s what my friends called her. He popped the hood to take a look. I didn’t even know how to do that yet. We walked to the front as he made small talk trying to calm my nerves. He showed me how to release the massive steel hood and it flew up. A small light flickered to life as he inspected the chrome beast that hid under there. My eyes grew large as they reflected the shiny façade that manufactured all that power. He poked and shined his light and mumbled to himself.

“Mandie, did you get this car from David?” He asked me as he rested his hands on the lip of the hood above his head. “I think that’s where Dad got it…” I answered with all of the certainty of a 16 year old girl still coming down from the high of the race and the fear of the pull over. He knew the car. It had a 400 small block in the place of the factory 6 cylinder. The chrome 14” high hat hid her 4 barrel carburetor and HEI ignition. The polished valve covers covered oversized flat top pistons and a port and polished head. I had no idea at the time what he was saying and he knew it, so he simply said “That means you’ll go fast.” I already knew that!

He closed the hood and put the beast back under cover. He said he was going to tell my dad and I needed to slow down, but he wasn’t going to give me a ticket or impound my car. Then he came back to where I was still standing next to her in a shock of sorts and said, “Off the record, mighty fine job. I saw the whole thing.” My face flushed, I let out an uneasy laugh and patted to ole girl on her top. The crowd at the parts store saw him leave and me drive away scot-free. They found me every weekend trying to see if I was beatable, no one knowing what I was bringing to the game. They nicknamed my pea green machine “The Bitch.” I totaled her a few months later in a rematch against the Camaro, but her legend still races along that stretch of street and the stories usually start “remember that ole green Bitch that used to run out here?” That was my first love, still pretty unbeatable.

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For 2010, the Buick LaCrosse was introduced and it changed the paradigm for the Buick brand. The car surprised critics and has powered sales growth and increases in transaction prices for Buick.

With such a fresh model, Buick isn’t content to rest on its laurels though. 2012 models are being introduced and Buick has some significant changes in store.

They start with the standard V-6. The 3.6-liter unit is mated to a six-speed transmission and for 2012, now makes 303 horsepower and 274 pound feet of torque. That horsepower figure is up by 23 over last year’s figure and does no damage to the car’s 17/27 mpg EPA rating.

What’s more, the LaCrosse has one starting base price, now at $30,810 including a $860 destination charge. At that price you can opt for the eAssist model, which garners 37 mpg on the highway, or the V-6 model. It is all part of Buick’s effort to provide a premium experience and to make eAssist “invisible.”

That is to say, it isn’t loudly trumpeted as a hybrid, and it doesn’t come either at a cost premium or discount. These changes for 2012 help to keep the LaCrosse on top of its game. Reports in the industry say the car could get a exterior styling freshening next year.

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Established in 1911 as sweepstakes race for motor vehicles, the Indianapolis 500 was held to demonstrate through competition the incredible progress of the still-infant automobile. As vehicles like the Ford Model T began to introduce the mainstream American public to the thrill of motoring, imagine the amazement of the first Indianapolis 500 fans as cars manoeuvred around the 2.5 mile, rectangular-shaped track achieving speeds over 80 miles per hour a lap. A Marmon Wasp crossed the line first in the 1911 Indy 500 establishing the Marmon Motor Car Company with important publicity. In fact, several participating automakers benefited from the early promotion.

Unfortunately for early automotive manufacturers, which included the Marmon Motor Car Company, the automotive marketplace would be an endurance test they were unable to win. Case, Knox, National and Lozier are a few of the names that competed in the inaugural Indy 500 that would not exist past the 1920s. One automaker who endured the stresses of the 500-mile race and the 100 years of market pressures was Buick.

A General Motors brand just recently enjoying resurgence, the younger Buick was significant in bringing another soon-to-be important name to American motorists. Driving a #16 Buick, a Swiss expatriate named Arthur Chevrolet started 14th in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. Though Arthur Chevrolet’s effort in the race ended with a mechanical problem after 30 laps, the surname would gain prominence in less than six months following the Indy 500. Arthur’s older brother Louis had made a business contact with early automobile magnate William Durant. Together the automaker Chevrolet was created. As the Indianapolis 500 marked 100 years as America’s top motorsport event, 2011 is also the centennial for another United States automotive staple. Both iconic to past as well as current motoring culture, Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500 share a closely-knit existence.

In the early years, Chevrolet at the Indy 500 would be found on the driver sheets. All three Chevrolet brothers Arthur, Louis and Gaston would drive at the speedway. Youngest brother Gaston Chevrolet would win the 1920 Indianapolis 500 race achieving the most successful result. Sadly, Gaston would die in November of that year at the wooden track called the Beverly Hills Speedway along with his mechanic after a race crash. At the Indianapolis 500, none of the Chevrolet brothers actually drove Chevrolet automobiles. Since Louis Chevrolet left the auto company is founded with Durant, the three brothers actually formed their own automotive name called Frontenac. Successful, the Frontenac Motor Corporation dissolved shortly after younger brother Gaston’s fatal car accident. The remaining brothers would never compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway following Gaston’s 1920 victory.

The next time the Chevrolet name would be found at the Brickyard would be on a pace car vehicle. The first Chevrolet to serve pace car duties at the Indianapolis 500 would be a 1948 Fleetmaster Six-Series convertible. Through the years, the 1955 Chevrolet, the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro and most infamously the 2003 Chevrolet SSR would be given the spotlight controlling the field of Indy cars. Chevrolet would lead the field of the Indy 500 a total of 22 times including this year where a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible led the field in the hands of AJ Foyt.

While the Chevrolet brothers had never returned to the driver seat following the 1920 season, their name would be worn on an Indy car in the mid-1980s. Powering vehicles of legendary Indianapolis 500 team owner Roger Penske for the first time in 1986, the Ilmor-engineered Chevrolet Indy V-8 engine would push the Newman/Haas Racing team driver Mario Andretti to the Indy 500 pole in 1987. In 1988, Rick Mears wheeled his Penske-Chevrolet Indy engine to the Brickyard victory. Between 1987 and 1993, the Chevrolet Indy engine designed by Ilmor captured 5 pole positions and found victory lane 6 times. For the upcoming 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series season, Chevrolet will return the competition at the Brickyard following a 19-year absence as a twin-turbocharged powerplant.

Concluding their 100-year anniversary since the first race, he 2011 Indianapolis 500 was especially memorable for a last lap, last corner pass by Dan Wheldon when rookie JR Hildebrand crashed into the turn 4 wall. Chevrolet will officially turn 100 on November 3rd and will definitely hope their official centennial party will be just as stunning.

Information Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Photo Source: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ron McQueeney

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Buick’s recent success in the United States has startled many industry observers and has come as a promising development for General Motors.

Out of the four remaining brands at the company, Buick has seen some of the biggest percentage sales increases. This off the back of three competitive models, the Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal. A small car dubbed Verano is on the way later this year.

Over in China though, Buick has been successful for years. Buick owes its existence to China, which likely will become the world’s largest auto market. With the Shanghai Motor Show under way, Buick is previewing a new generation of crossovers with the Envision Concept.

The concept was created as a joint effort between Shanghai GM and the company’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. The Envision Concept takes Buick design cues and explores them in new and more dramatic ways. It shows off a more angular take on Buick’s waterfall grille and a more aggressive face than on production models. A unique element on this crossover is its greenhouse, which is uninterrupted by a pillar. The rear is dramatic, with a steeply raked window.

Overall, we like the themes being explored. With these teams responsible for future Buicks (that will be coming to our shores), it is likely we will see similar elements make their way to production Buicks. The concept has a bit of a local flavor, but these themes will be making their way to future models. GM executives in China and the U.S said as much. Shi Hong, Director of Buick Marketing at Shanghai GM says “It introduces the development direction for Buick’s future SUV products for the market.”

According to Ed Welburn, GM Vice President of Global Design, “The Envision has inherited Buick design DNA and taken the Buick global design language to a new height. It makes a significant statement for Buick styling and technology, and will influence upcoming models from the brand.”

A good bet would be a strong influence from this concept on the next-generation Enclave or the new Encore small crossover. However, what the Envision Concept doesn’t do is serve as a wholesale preview of a future production model.

Like early every concept these days, the Envision is powered by a plug-in hybrid setup. Two electric motors are fed by a lithium ion battery pack. For gasoline propulsion, GM’s Ecotec 2.0-liter direct injection engine is used, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The battery is aided in charging by a solar panel on the roof of the vehicle.

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The Shanghai Auto Show is coming at the end of the month, and some high-profile launches are set to take place. The show is becoming an increasingly important one as the size of the Chinese automobile market continues to grow at a startling pace. Chevrolet is using the show as a launch for its crucial 2013 Malibu mid-size sedan, and Buick is teasing its latest crossover concept.

Buick’s resurgence in the United States is a welcome development for the brand. In the Chinese market however, it has been successful for years, fueled by upper crust luxury consumers who view the brand highly. North American models in the future will be co-developed Buick China. Given the high margins Buick commands in China (and now here in the U.S as well) that is a very good thing.

The success of Buick’s current lineup in the U.S is startling due to the fact that there is just three competitive models on sale: Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal. The 2012 Verano small car is on the way, but a smaller crossover (likely to be called Encore) is needed to help continue sales growth. The Envision Concept could offer some hints of what to expect with that vehicle. The Envision Concept is slated for introduction on April 18th, and a teaser image can be seen below. We have to say; we really like where Buick styling is headed.

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The Chicago International Auto Show is taking place this week, with press preview dates on the 9th and 10th. An interesting fact about the event is that, by floor space, it is the largest auto show in the nation. The first production model to come out of the gate is from Buick, a brand that has been on a roll recently.

For each of the past few autoshows, Buick has had important launches. Most recently the Verano compact debuted at Detroit. Prior to that, a very significant development for Buick – the LaCrosse eAssist – debuted in Los Angeles. With a strong response, the Regal eAssist is being introduced shortly after.

Overall, the Regal eAssist looks the same on the outside. To our eyes, that’s a good thing. It is the changes that take place underneath that count with this car though. eAssist is General Motors’ next-generation BAS (Belt Alternator Start) hybrid technology. The system is more advanced than the previous BAS, with it now utilizing a lithium ion battery pack.

With the hype Buick has been receiving, GM is giving the technology to Buick first to help cement its ascendant status. This is the kind of thinking that Buick needs to really move forward. Eventually, we can expect the system to infiltrate the GM lineup in order to provide impressive fuel economy numbers across the board. The numbers speak for themselves: 26 mpg city and 37 mpg highway.

For a mid-size luxury sedan to be achieving those numbers is highly impressive. The figures promise to be a huge selling point in the market; 25 percent improved fuel economy over Regal CXL for a relatively small cost increase.

Savings is achieved by regenerative braking and pairing a small electric motor and lithium ion battery pack with GM’s 2.4-liter ECOTEC four-cylinder. Together the system makes 182 horsepower and 172 foot-pounds of torque. Certainly no gutless wonder here either.

For 2012, the Regal’s larger sibling the LaCrosse gets standard eAssist. On the less expensive Regal, it is optional – and that is a good move, helping to provide space and differentiation between the two. Offering the option is also great insurance against future gas price spikes.

The Regal eAssist differs over the standard car by offering standard 17-inch aluminum wheels and in the interior, a a standard 7-inch touchscreen that displays information regarding power flow of the system. There is also an ECO indicator in the gauge cluster and a optimization mode for the air conditioning system. The Regal eAssist is set to go into production in fall of 2011 at GM’s Oshawa, Canada manufacturing facility. Currently all Regal models are being imported from Germany.

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Of all the core General Motors brands remaining, Buick has shocked the industry by performing the best, with sales up brilliantly over the past year.

This has been done with just three competitive models as well: the Enclave crossover and two sedans, the LaCrosse and Regal. That is set to change at the end of the year when the new small car Verano arrives.

Entering the premium small car segment is a pretty bold move for Buick, with its premium image still on the mend and many competitors still yet to get in the game. It is also a risk with a big payoff as well – establishing itself in the segment and opening up the brand to new buyers looking for a premium small car.

The Verano is intended to go after a whole new demographic for Buick – a younger generation looking for luxury and technology in a small package. And the key here is offering luxury in a small package, and the Verano succeeds in doing that. Stylistically it uses cues introduced on earlier Buick models like the Enclave and LaCrosse, with a waterfall grille, portholes and side character lines.

The car looks substantial, with a low, well-placed stance and wide track. Up front it adopts a signature design cue of the Enclave, a blue-ringed headlight graphic. This is something that Buick should spread across the lineup as a differentiator.

The interior of the Verano, dare we say it, beats luxury cars currently on sale like the Cadillac STS. It looks far more expensive than reports of its price tag suggest. The design is multifaceted, and with doors that flow up into the dash and premium surfaces. Attention to detail is strong in the interior, with chrome accents and ambient lighting similar to that on the Verano’s larger sibling, the LaCrosse.

There’s one engine available at first, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with direct injection, making 177 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. This is the same engine used in the Buick Regal. Eventually Buick plans to make a 2.0-liter turbocharged four available.

Standard features on the Verano are numerous: 10 airbags, 17-inch wheels, leatherette and projector headlamps to name a few.

The car offers a complete luxury package, with standard and optional features like with dual-zone climate control, electronic parking brake push button starter and a heated steering wheel and heated leather seats. As far as the technology package, the car’s next-generation radio and Bluetooth connectivity will enable voice-commands and text-to-speech SMS translation.

Those with smartphones will also be able to interface with Pandora, Stitcher and other applications through the car’s touch screen. OnStar offers the ability of using a remote application on your phone to check fuel tank level and range, mileage, oil life, tire pressure and odometer reading. This is in addition to traditional OnStar features like remote vehicle locking/unlocking, remote vehicle start and a vehicle locator.

This is impressive – especially from a vehicle with a rumored pricetag spanning from just $21-26,000.

A class leading Buick small car? Things have certainly changed – Buick is back. That’s a bold proclamation, but it is one we are willing to make.

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It is no secret that the highly-bullish Chinese automotive market is a place every automaker in the world wants to set a foothold. Having been a once-proud but recently stumbling General Motors brand, Buick’s popularly in China is similar to Toyota’s reach in North America. As GM found new life in the Buick brand, the auto giant has also realized through their Chinese subsidiary GM Shanghai the ability to popularly build vehicles which were called ‘a good vehicle’ at best. Abandoning minivans on the United States stage in 2007, the Buick division has marketed a premium version (the brand calls a Luxury MPV) successfully.

Through the work at GM Shanghai’s Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), the redesigned 2011 Buick GL8 composes a 2.4 liter Ecotec inline-4 and a direct-injected 3-liter V-6 mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Involving what General Motors calls 7 innovations and 27 features deemed “technological breakthroughs”, the 2011 GL8 is the resumption of a Chinese-exclusive premium minivan which has sold 330,000 vehicles since 1999. The new Buick GL8 is by no means a modest vehicle as the listed price for a Chinese buyer is slated for up to RMB 388,000 (the equivalent of over $58,000 American). Wearing new, mature sheetmetal, the 2011 Buick GL8 receives kudos as being a wonderfully well-crafted Luxury MPV. However, as the new Buick GL8 was unveiled, more than a few observers have noted the exterior design mimics aspects of another new minivan.

Citing the multi-level lower window sills along the vehicle, some have drawn comparison to the 2011 Honda Odyssey at a styling standpoint. This transition occurs beyond the B-pillar of both vehicles as a noticeable contour on both the GL8 and the Odyssey minivans. A difference between the minivans does present itself for where the transition exists. While the shift occurs behind the rear passenger doors on the 2011 Honda Odyssey, the GL8 incorporates the effect within the center of the door. Granted, minivan design is far from a stimulating exercise for automotive stylists but this could be a mere sampling of China’s ‘Car Clone Pandemic’.

Coupled by a flourishing auto industry and weak intellectual property guarding in the Asian country, many established automakers have found their product offerings blatantly copied by comparably upstart Chinese car companies. One of the most noted alleged offenders is the car builder Chery (a company’s who sports a name which treads closely to Chevrolet’s long-running colloquial name Chevy). The Chery QQ has been long argued a copy of the car American’s will soon know as the Chevrolet Spark. The similarities were backed up by General Motors as tests found body panels of both cars were alarmingly interchangeable.

Though the Buick GL8 is not a definite copy in the larger design scheme, maybe the most insulting factor is that the devotion GM Shanghai has placed into their Buick division is only now starting to transcend to North American Buicks.

Information and photo source: General Motors

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3. GM Uncovers Compact Buick; the Verano

The primary focus at Buick as of late has been the just-launched Regal sedan, imported over to our shores from Europe.

The uproar made over the disappointing Regal GS model has been unmistakable, but the Regal is just one part of an expansion of the Buick lineup that is yielding impressive product.

Since the next-generation LaCrosse was launched as a 2010 model year product, many have pegged it above its arch-rival the Lexus ES. Regardless, the car has represented a huge step forward in Buick’s goal of becoming an “American Lexus.”

Impressive sales and increased transaction prices have followed for the LaCrosse. An 184-horsepower Ecotec four-cylinder model was introduced as the base model for 2011. Now for 2012, the ante has been upped with the introduction and standardization of GM’s new eAssist system.

The system is the next-generation of GM’s previous BAS (belt alternator starter) mild hybrid system. BAS was first introduced on the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line, and debuted later in the Saturn Aura Green Line and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, both of which have been discontinued.

After the Volt fiasco, GM is careful not to market eAssist as a hybrid, given that it isn’t capable of running on electric-power only.

eAssist adds an electric motor that makes 15 horsepower and 79 (!) pound feet of torque. The system shuts off the engine at a stoplight like a traditional hybrid. Under acceleration from this mode, the electric engine provides initial power while the gasoline engine kicks in.

The system also makes use of a fuel shut-off feature and regenerative braking. Other changes include an active front air-flow dam and a smoother underbody to reduce drag. The results are nothing short of impressive: 25 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway.

Those figures are a 25 percent improvement over the standard four-cylinder model for 2011. Making eAssist standard is a bold move and, as a luxury brand, it is exactly where Buick needs to be heading. The base model LaCrosse with eAssist will likely see a price increase to around the $30,000 mark for the 2012 model year.

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1. Buick Announces 2012 LaCrosse Pricing, Upgraded V-6 Engine
2. Buick Regal Gets Standard eAssist For 2013
3. Buick Debuts Regal eAssist at Chicago Auto Show

Effective February 1st of 2011, the GM Goodwrench Service signs will disappear from United States General Motors dealerships ending 37 years of the name’s usage for manufacturer-backed auto care and maintenance. Proceeding on from this upcoming February, the auto service and maintenance will be undertaken by brand identified Certified Service centers (For example, Chevrolet Certified Service or Buick Certified Service). In typical fashion with companies phasing out household names, the media announcement from GM only mentioned the ceasing of the Goodwrench name in the last two lines of a press release.

Established in 1974, the General Motors specialized maintenance and service spouted nationwide in 1977 as a source for certified mechanics. Starting in the 1990s, the GM service provider adopted the persona of Mr Goodwrench. The manufacturer-backed service departments later reverted back to GM Goodwrench Service, often adding the word ‘plus’ to their name.

the GM Goodwrench brand will forever be known for their presence in motorsports. Sponsoring one of NASCAR’s most iconic Cup race vehicles, a black and silver #3 Chevrolet was owned by Richard Childress Racing and piloted by NASCAR Hall of Fame legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. Together, the grouping won 4 NASCAR Cup championships (GM Goodwrench also had a smaller associate sponsor in 1987) and the 1998 Daytona 500. Replicated millions of times on scaled die-cast cars and printed countless more times on assorted NASCAR merchandise, the GM Goodwrench name still maintains close association to the now fallen Dale Earnhardt Sr.

When Earnhardt died as a result of a Daytona 500 crash in 2001, Goodwrench stayed on the Richard Childress Racing team but took on a different identity and number to due their connection to the driver. Kevin Harvick was trusted with the sponsorship during his difficult time bringing some joy with 2 wins on the 2001 season. In time, GM Goodwrench Service corporately would drop the black and silver colour scheme electing for a blue and white instead. It would also be the choice of the auto service provider to leave NASCAR altogether in 2007 ending the long marketing partnership.

Beyond Earnhardt an aggressive marketing campaign in auto racing saw the Goodwrench brand residing in smaller stock car series as well as in sports car racing. Prior to the Richard Childress Racing/Goodwrench affiliation, NASCAR rival Hendrick Motorsports fielded a Chevrolet Corvette GTP vehicle in sports car racing in the 1980s. Through the Hendrick-backed effort was not a big success, the GM Goodwrench name would ride again on GM factory-backed Corvettes in 1999. The Corvette Racing team would carry Goodwrench to victory at the 24-hour of Daytona in 2001. Like in NASCAR, the sponsorship would come to an unceremonious ending.

In the later years of Goodwrench, efforts were exercised to rebrand it with the before mentioned colour change with a decorative ‘G’ logo (which many liken to the Quicktime video player ‘Q’). This attempt was ultimately futile as many dealerships did not update their signage.

Vice president/general manager of GM Customer Care and Aftersales Steve Hill explains the name change as strengthening a connection with General Motors vehicle owners. “Certified Service supports GM’s strategy to focus on the four brands – Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac — and is a natural extension of the customer’s vehicle purchase experience at the dealership.” Hill said. Under their dealership’s new Certified Service banner, General Motors promises a continuing commitment of qualified service technicians to customer services which includes using tools like OnStar.

Though the Goodwrench banner will be pulled in the United States, there could be life to the corporate name. For the time being, General Motors of Canada will retain the GM Goodwrench branding on their dealer service centers.

Information source: Automotive news, General Motors

Photo source:

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