Detroit 2011: 2012 Buick Verano is quietly powerful

If you were wondering how General Motors was planning to differentiate the 2012 Buick Verano from its Chevy Cruze counterpart, wonder no more. According to Buick, its newest addition will offer the quietest ride in its segment thanks to heaps of laminated glass, triple door seals and a host of other muting technologies. Buick calls the cabin "library quiet," though there's no word as to whether the interior smells of old books. They've also made sure to throw in the same levels of refinement as found in the likes of the Lacrosse, and drivers can expect to find the same high-quality leather and a host of tech goodies as the bigger four-door.

That's all fine and good, but we're more excited about what Buick has thrown under the hood of the 2012 Verano. Buyers who opt for the base car will be met with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine capable of 177 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, Buick is shooting for around 31 mpg highway. The really juicy news is that the Verano will also be available with the same turbo 2.0-liter four cylinder found in the Regal Turbo, and again with your choice of six-speed manual or automatic! That means this significantly smaller, lighter four-door will be available with a full 220 horsepower.

2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

Following the launch of the Regal, Buick will be introducing its next all-new model sometime in 2011. Set to launch as a 2012 model, the Verano compact will slot in beneath the Regal sedan, though we've been told on several occasions that it will not share a platform with General Motors' other new small car, the Chevrolet Cruze.

According to the infomongers at GM Inside News, the automaker recent sent a letter to its Buick dealers inviting them to participate in an order study in an attempt to gain knowledge about what pricing and trim levels would be most attractive to potential buyers. The details, available after the jump, reveal that the Verano will be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Regal) that produces 180 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and will be initially offered in four trim levels.

If the letter is to be believed, the base Verano 1SB (the alphanumeric likely being an internal designation) is estimated to start at $20,900. From there, the 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start, and will be priced from around $22,100. 1SG models add a power driver's seat, heated mirrors and rear park assist and should command roughly $23,300. Top-trim 1SL Veranos will have heated leather seats, premium audio, a heated steering wheel and 18-inch wheels. Expect the top-rung 1SL to retail for around $25,600, with pricing reaching as high as $26,200.

We don't expect GM to reveal official Verano specifications and pricing until closer to its launch date, with the car being officially debuting sometime in the early 2011 auto show season. Top tip, Ed!

[Source: GM Inside News]

The Buick GS is Back, Regal Performance Model Green-Lit

A little while back GM was crashing and burning, littering the automotive market with debris from its badge-engineered brands. Who could have seen turbochargers, all-wheel-drive, Recaros, and a clutch showing up in the Buick lineup? The last time any one of those were even possible, I was in diapers.
More recently, Buick was the brand that was selling the Lucerne, LaCrosse, and Rendezvous, none of which could get anyone excited. Now, however, Buick intends to keep surprising people with its new direction and image. The latest decision from the golden oldie? They're going to build the Regal GS (can I get a collective high five?).
Originally debuting as a concept in Detroit this year, the GS is styled similarly to Opel's Insignia OPC yet uses a different power train (would it be too much to get the Euro's turbo-six?). Instead, we'll be getting something like the concept's turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 that makes 255 horsepower and is connected to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Sadly, the Detroit News reports that the GS may not be getting those Recaros. If that's some idea to save costs, here's a bit of advice: have them be part of an available sport package. That way, the car won't seem diluted; just having the option available shows that Buick is serious about having a little adrenaline in its lineup now that Pontiac's dead.
As for the 2.0 liter power train, it could be just the beginning. Considering the LaCrosse is soon to be Buick's big-dog, the next generation LaCrosse would likely get GM's version of EcoBoost making significantly more horsepower to better compete with Lincoln's MKS (that's right, I said it).
This means we may be able to expect more from the Regal GS in the future, but don't get too worked up just yet. It's exciting enough to see that the GS will be making it out onto dealer lots.
Since GM has decided to kill trim-level badges in order to make Buick more upscale, the Regal GS will likely be the only model with a specific designation.
Good, because this is one case where you want people to know what it is. It's a Buick GS, and it's back.

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New Buick Excelle GT Debuts in China, U.S. Version to Follow

Shanghai GM, a joint venture between General Motors Corp and China's SAIC Motor Corp, has revealed the all-new 2011 Buick Excelle GT compact sedan that will go on sale in the country on June 23. It will be available in China with a choice of two petrol engines, a naturally-aspirated 1.8-liter with 108kW/145HP and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-pot churning out 135kW/181HP.
The GT model expands Buick China's Excelle range that already includes the five-door hatchback XT model. And in case you didn't notice, both the Excelle XT and GT are based on the latest generation of the Opel Astra and share the same Delta II platform and mechanical hardware as the Chevrolet Cruze.
As we have already told you in previous reports, the four-door Excelle GT will be coming to Buick stores here in the States sometime next year, most likely with a different name but without any significant cosmetic changes.
Buick's new entry-level model will slot under the new Regal in the firm's U.S. range with the Volkswagen Jetta considered one of its closest rivals.

GM Recalling Over 1.5 Million Vehicles Worldwide for Fire Danger

A massive recall is underway for numerous General Motors cars and trucks sold globally over a glitch in the wind shield wiper fluid heating system that could ignite a fire. The recall concerns a total of 1.53 million Buick, Hummer, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Saturn models, with 1.36 million of those sold in the U.S.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its Web site that GM had tried to fix a similar problem on the same cars in 2008 following reports of fires resulting from an electrical short cut in the system that heats windshield-washer fluid. However, the agency said that since then, it has received reports of "thermal incidents" on the repaired vehicles.
General Motors said that the single supplier of the technology that helps melt ice in freezing temperatures, Micro-Heat, filed for bankruptcy in 2008 after the Detroit automaker stopped offering its HotShot wiper-fluid heater after the first recall.
And since the maker of the system is out of business, GM decided to permanently disable and remove the heated-washer fluid module altogether on the recalled vehicles. According to reports, aside from removing the module, General Motors will also compensate the owners of the affected vehicles with $100 for the loss of the feature.

Interested? 1987 Buick GNX with Only 5,000 Miles on the Odo

One of the 547 Buick GNX muscle cars that GM built in 1987 has been listed for sale by a Las Vegas dealer. Cleverly described by C&D in its days as "Darth Vader's Ride", the GNX is a rare gem, even more so if it has a mere 5,000 miles on the odometer like this example that's priced at US$95,000.
When it came out in 1987, which was the only year it was offered for sale, the Buick GNX was the fastest production car in GM's range (Corvette included) thanks to its 3.8-liter force-fed V6 engine that was factory (under)rated at 276HP and 360 lb-ft. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a modified four-speed automatic transmission.
The baddest Buick of its time could reach 60mph (96km/h) from standstill in 5.5 seconds and complete the quarter mile run in around 13.4 seconds, while top speed was said to be 124mph or 200km/h.
Turbocharged engine aside, the GNX received a host of changes over the its standard Regal at the hands of ASC McLaren brethrens including a modified differential, extended fenders housing special 16-inch black-mesh alloy wheels and an upgraded interior with a unique instrument cluster. In 1987 it carried a base price of $29,000, or $11,000 more than the standard model.

Link: Autocollection

GM Plays Up German Heritage in New 2011 Buick Regal Campaign

These are some of the new print ads that General Motors will use to hype its all-new 2011 Buick Regal [a.k.a. the N.A. version of the European Opel Insignia] to U.S. buyers. The Detroit automaker agency has readied several messages, including one that says "Listen Closely and You May Detect a German Accent" and another one stating "We Didn't Start With a Clay Model. We Started With the European Car of the Year" - both hinting at the Regal's German roots.
"We want consumers to discover the 2011 Buick Regal as a compelling performance sedan," said Craig Bierley, Buick advertising director. "We are presenting the Regal in a variety of ways that are unexpected and providing relevant personal stories to allow consumers to draw their own conclusions about our newest Buick."
The full advertising campaign with TV spots and print ads in newspapers as well as weekly and monthly magazines, kicks off in July.