Buick Straightline Archives

Can't blame Buick for giving it a try. It launched the Buick GS with a six-speed manual transmission only, a move seen  as equally cool or stupid depending on who you asked.

For 2013, the 270-hp GS will offer a six-speed automatic transmission as a no-cost option. Buick says it's still good for a 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds and will return 27 mpg on the highway.

If that's not enough efficient for you, Buick also announced that its eAssist system will now come standard with the base 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. The mild hybrid system pushed the Regal's EPA highway number up to 36 mpg on the highway. 

Categories: Buick,Sedans

 
If you're a classic car nut, you've probably heard of Hagerty; the company is a leader in classic-car insurance and hosts the world's largest database of classic cars. Each year, the company publishes its Hagerty Hot List, a list that spotlights 10 new vehicles that its valuations experts see as having the best future collectability. 

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Categories: Audi,Buick,Chevrolet,Dodge,Fiat,Ford,Jeep,Nissan,Porsche,Volkswagen

If you've got a spouse and a bouncy castle full of kids, the siren call of a minivan can be a tempting one. Still, minivan ownership need not be as inevitable as some would have you believe.

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Categories: Buick,Chevrolet,Dodge,Ford,GMC,Mazda

Buick unveiled its compact crossover, the 2013 Encore. Made in Korea, the Encore is powered by a 140-hp turbo four-cylinder engine, so don't expect much in the way of power. On the plus side, Buick has taken steps to provide a pleasantly quiet cabin. Sales are set to begin in the beginning of 2013.

James isn't impressed; click through for the video and judge for yourself.

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Categories: Buick,Detroit Auto Show,Videos

In person, the 2013 Buick Encore is noticeably compact. It has the chunky, curvy look of a Hyundai Tucson, but it's almost 5 inches shorter in length (168.5 inches) and its wheelbase is more than 3 inches shorter at 100.6 -- barely longer than the wheelbase of a Chevy Sonic (99.4). But the Encore is still larger than crossovers like the Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman.

Like the Sonic, though, the Encore is roomier inside than you think it will be. A 5-foot-10 adult (your author) climbed into the front seat today at the Detroit auto show and still left room for another average size adult to sit in back. GM's Jim Federico tells us the platform underneath this small crossover is all-new, and with 60 percent high-strength steel in the unit-body, lighter than past designs -- at 3,300 pounds with its optional all-wheel-drive system, it's about 50 pounds lighter than a Tucson.

Maybe you're wondering why Buick picked such a small platform for its compact SUV rather than looking to the Chevrolet Equinox platform architecture, and the answer seems to be that the Encore is largely driven by demand in China, where upwardly mobile consumers gravitate toward small cars with premium furnishings. Buick sold 645,537 vehicles in China in 2011 versus 177,633 in the U.S.

Like most of the cars GM builds and sells in China, the Encore is engineered in South Korea, and the plant in Bupyeong will handle assembly for the U.S., though GM President Mark Reuss was careful to leave the door open for potential North American assembly when we spoke to him today. However, he closed the door to the possibility of badge engineering.

"We're not doing Chevrolets off this platform," he said. "The last thing we want to do is put a Chevrolet alongside this and take Equinox sales away." 

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Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles

Buick finally took the last bit of disguise off the 2013 Encore today just a few hours before we saw it in the metal here in Detroit. And we're still sitting firmly on the fence.

The Encore gets, as we expected, GM's multiport-injection 1.4-liter turbocharged engine producing 140 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, hooked up to a HydraMatic six-speed automatic transmission. Suspension is a MacPherson strut with coil-over spring and stabilizer bar up front, and a torsion-beam rear with twin-tube shocks out back. Steering is electric.

This doesn't sound terribly impressive even for a crossover, but let's consider one thing: Those wheels that look pretty big on this Encore are 18s with P215/55R18 tires. We're looking at a small crossover (built in Bupyeong, South Korea, on GM's small crossover platform) that has a 100.6-inch wheelbase and is only 168.5 inches long. For comparison, the Cruze is 181 inches long. The Verano is 183.9. The Sonic is 159 inches.

Buick's new small crossover features the brand's first use of active noise cancellation as part of Buick's "Quiet Tuning" philosophy. Other quietness features include an acoustically treated headliner, "quiet-tuned" Continental tires, aerodynamic sideview mirrors, laminated 5mm side windows and foam baffles in body structure openings.

Because this is a very small car (in today's terms) Buick had to be careful with weight management and, if this does in fact ride/sound like a Buick, it has done well; the Encore weighs in at 3,190 pounds for FWD and 3,309 for AWD. The last Sonic we tested rang up 2,775 pounds.

Cargo volume for the Encore is listed at 18.8 cubic feet, which is more, says Buick, than either a BMW X1 or an Audi Q3.

The 2013 Encore will go on sale in early 2013.

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Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Detroit Auto Show

And as everybody expected, here's the third teaser of the 2013 Buick Encore on the company's Facebook page. Honestly, we were expecting them to take off the lower-rear first and save the dramatic face for the end, but we're glad they gave us the interesting bits first. And interesting is exactly the right word. The Encore ditches the smooth, sleek face of the current crop of Buicks in favor of this bulky tuner Mercedes type look.

Teaser 1, 2.

I'm on the fence here. What say you?

Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Future Vehicles

Who could've seen this one coming? After releasing a teaser image on Facebook last week consisting of four panes, one removed to show a partial image of the 2013 Buick Encore, Buick has released a second picture that has...wait for it...another panel removed!

 With this new peek we get a look at the back of the encore and like so many things coming out of Buick lately, it looks tasteful bordering on cool. That rear quarter panel might be a bit of a blindspot based on what we see here, but aesthetically it looks sharp and just a bit like an EX35.

Now if only they could get rid of those hood vents.

(Facebook)

Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Future Vehicles

Oh good, another teaser image of a car headed for the Detroit Auto Show. This time it's the 2013 Buick Encore.

Buick chose Facebook as an outlet to release the image that shows the new small crossover partially obscured by the Buick badge. What do we see from it? Hood vents. There may be other details but all we can see are those hood vents.

Expect to see another three "teasers" as Buick slowly strips away panels of the logo before showing us the full car. Fingers crossed for a leak so we don't have to put up with another multi-week strip show.

Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Detroit Auto Show

This is the 2013 Buick Encore, or at least part of it. It's the next addition to the Buick lineup and we'll get to see the whole thing next month at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

It's basically a compact SUV that will slot under the Enclave. No word on which engine it will use, but we're guessing it will be some kind of four-cylinder.

Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,SUVs

Wards auto has released its official list of the 10 Best Engines for 2012. A record seven feature direct injection and five engines feature turbo or supercharging. Wards made the decision after driving 36 different vehicles with 34 new or redesigned motors over 2 months. Scores are based on power, technology (think that slightly skews this towards DI/Turbo motors instead off something like, oh, the LS1?), observed fuel economy, noise, vibration and harshness. Vehicles must be priced below $55,000.

Full list after the jump. (Pretend you didn't see the spoiler photo above.)

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Categories: Audi,BMW,Buick,Car Tech,Chrysler,Ford,Hyundai,Infiniti,Jeep

 For months now we've been seeing spy photos of a small Gamma platform (Sonic, Spark, this thing) crossover testing in the U.S. and abroad. While many people assumed that because it was small it was destined to be a Chevy -- and that may be true at some point -- the first iteration of this vehicle looks like it will be the Buick Encore.

GM Inside News has confirmed with "multiple sources" that the Encore would visually be a baby Enclave and that's fine with us. They're estimating the size at roughly that of a Nissan Rogue. Buick recently bucked the big car trend the maker is known for with the Verano which is a solid, comfortable and super quiet entry into the compact market.

We'll know more as we get closer to the Detroit show, but don't be surprised to see a small turbocharged motor (1.4 anyone?) when this one hits the show floor. 

(GM Inside News)

Categories: Buick,Crossovers,Detroit Auto Show

You'd hardly know it from looking at one, but the current Buick Enclave is getting a little long inn the tooth. It was back in 2007 that we bought our long term car and now, in nearly 2012, we're finally looking at the next generation of Enclave.

The first think to notice from these prototypes is the size: The Enclave is not downsizing. Fuel economy standards or not, there's always going to be a market in America for something that will seat 7 comfortably and Buick doesn't appear to have an interest in giving up that market.

Beyond that we're looking at a restyled grille with longer, thinner grille slats spaced further apart than on the current Enclave or on any other Buick vehicle. Out back we're looking at, well, mostly just a much better job with camo than in the front.

While we didn't get any photos of the interior we have to assume it will get many of the same materials upgrades as the rest of the Buick line. In 2013, the Enclave is getting Buick's Intellilink system which will certainly make its way to this vehicle the following year.

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Categories: Buick,SUVs,Spy Photos

 We could do a feature a day on the crazy things we read in press releases. When we get 90 emails before you wake up, you're bound to read something so over the top it's funny sooner or later. It's best to just ignore them.

The press release for the new Buick LaCrosse GL, the new luxury version of the LaCrosse headed for the LA Auto Show, had a line I just couldn't ignore. "“The LaCrosse GL concept expresses Buick’s distinctly human kind of luxury..."

Huh?

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Categories: Buick,LA Auto Show

You've already read our full test of the 2012 Buick Verano, now you can build your own!

The 2012 Verano stars at $23,470 and runs $29,885 with all of the boxes ticked -- including 18 inch wheels, audio system with nav, power sunroof and a dealer-installed spoiler. That's only about $3,000 more than our fully loaded long-term Chevy Cruze. Is a better car worth $3K to you?  

Categories: Buick

 The short list of finalists for the 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year were announced today with only a few surprises.

For NACOTY we have: Audi A6, Audi A7, Buick Verano, Chevy Sonic, Fiat 500, Chrysler 300/SRT-8, Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Veloster, Kia Rio/Rio5, Scion iQ, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius V, VW Beetle, VW Passat.

NATOTY isn't so simple and has the only surprise of the group with the addition of the Mini Countryman. Other entries in the truck field include the BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Mini Countryman, Nissan Quest and the Saab 9-4X.

The top three in each field will be announced in December and the winners will be announced at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. I've got solid money in iQ / 9-4X, you?

Categories: Audi,BMW,Buick,Chevrolet,Ford,Honda,Hyundai,Kia,Land Rover,MINI,Mercedes-Benz,Nissan,Saab

Here's another loose end from last week's 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show: The bright yellow Opel three-door hatchback, the Astra GTC, we kept walking past in Hall 8 might actually come to the U.S. We'd figured GM was done with Americanizing compact hatchbacks after the Saturn Astra experiment -- not to mention Buick is just about to launch the Verano sedan, which uses the same basic platform architecture as the Astra GTC.

Nevertheless, in a briefing with media and analysts at Opel's Russelsheim, Germany, headquarters after the show, Opel's Karl-Friedrich Stracke observed, "I could easily see it as a Buick."

It's unclear exactly which engine(s) a U.S. version would use, but a 177-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder is the top gasoline engine offered in Europe right now. A high-performance OPC motor is in the works, though, and hot Astras have used forced induction in years past.

More interesting to us is the Astra GTC's adoption of the HiPerStrut suspension design a la Regal GS to control torque steer. The GTC also has a lowered ride height and a wider track than other Astras. There'd be no reason to do all this if more power wasn't in the pipeline. If anybody's listening, the 2.0-liter Regal GS motor would suit us just fine. Other ideas?

(Auto Observer)

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Categories: Buick,Frankfurt Auto Show,Hatchbacks,Opel

On a closed section of Nevada State highway 318, a Buick Regal GS came within 0.19 seconds of a perfect 45 minute run over 90-miles of blacktop. That, friends, is some seriously careful, well-planned driving at +- 120 mph.

The feat not only earned the 2012 Buick Regal GS the overall win in the 120-mph Grand Touring class at the Silver State Classic open road rally, but won drivers Bill Rietow and John Townsend the award for most accurate rookie. If those names sound familiar, well then you are all-too-familiar with the Buick development team. Rietow, the driver, is the GS lead development engineer and Townsend, the navigator, is the GS drive quality powertrain engineer.

"The Regal GS did extremely well at course speeds, delivering stable, balanced performance throughout the run. Our racing experience prepared us for the challenge of maintaining a high average speed over a long distance," said Rietow in a statement. Rietow is an SCCA and Corvette Club autocrosser. "While our maximum allowed speed in this class was 140-mph, we only needed to push it to 137-mph to maintain our course speed average. This car has a top speed of more than 150 mph and we had plenty of power in reserve." Loyal readers will remember we had our non-GS Regal CXL Turbo up to 144 and it was steady as can be.

The Regal GS was stock except for safety equipment and data loggers.

Last year's winner in this class was a Dodge Neon SRT4 with a 0.2390 time variance followed by an '07 Mustang with a 0.39. The record speed average is 207.78 set in 2000.

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Categories: Buick,Motorsports,Sedans

The Buick Regal GS looks pretty cool and at 135 hp per liter, it's engine has the greatest power density ever certified by the SAE. At our track, it put up impressive handling numbers for a front driver, but its 0-60 of only 6.9 seconds was rather disappointing.

Nevertheless, GM will be running a nearly stock Regal GS in the Silver State Classic Challenge. I won't tell you where it'll take place, you'll just have to rely on your knowledge of state nicknames. Hint: it's not Hawaii. This bi-annual race is an open road rally run on a remote, two-lane, 90-mile section of the Silver State's Highway 318. It's common for cars to top 200 mph, but given the GS theoretical top speed of 152 mph, it will be competing against 30 to 40 other cars in the 120-mph speed class.

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Categories: Buick

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test-drivers. Enjoy.

We've been waiting to track test this one for a long time: the 2012 Buick Regal GS.

After months of waiting, disappointment that it wouldn't be all-wheel drive like the Insignia OPC, first drives, and even a Buick LaCrosse CXS suspension walkaround to show you how the HiPer Strut works, the 270-horsepower, front-drive Buick sedan with a six-speed manual transmission is in our hands and on the track.

How'd it do?

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Categories: Buick