buick Archives | Page 2 of 4

New Buick “brand anthem” ad breaks during NCAA Final Four

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Buick, Luxury

Buick “What Matters” TV spot – Click above to watch video after the jump

This weekend, Buick is introducing a new ad the company calls its “brand anthem.” Car companies do this once in a while. It’s almost always a 60-second TV spot meant to illustrate a new idea of what the brand represents.

In Buick’s case, its new anthem, to paraphrase, is “luxury for regular folks.” The actual message the ad carries is, “Your Kind of Luxury.” Buick says this is not a permanent tagline or slogan, but that it is dropping “The New Class of World Class,” which it’s been using as a tag for more than a year. The brand will go without a consistent slogan in future.

Buick is the brand that, more than any other, is trying to tell the public that times have changed. “Quiet” luxury is in, the marketers say. Buick ad chief Craig Bierley says that Buick is going back to its image roots established in the 1950s and 60s. He describes Buick in those years as the perfect car for the doctor who made house calls. If the doc drove a Cadillac, he would be saying that his rates were to high, Bierley explained. If he drove a Chevy or Dodge, he wasn’t successful enough. Buick conveys authority and taste without showing off.

Buick is a big sponsor of the NCAA Men’ Basketball Tournament. In many ways, it’s the perfect marketing vehicle for Buick, reaching young sports fans as well as the older ones who are watching their alma maters compete in the Final Four. If they have alma maters, they’re college educated. If they’re college educated, it figures they have money to spend.

Buick buyers’ average age is in the low 60s, a nice drop from 70s, which it was in 2009.

Cadillac, the Buick marketers tell us, is for people who like to show off their success. Buick is for the successful person with a more understated lifestyle. In other words, Caddy is the brand for the college hoops stars who are going pro. Buick is for the people who buy the tickets. Check out the new spot after the jump.

[Source: Buick via YouTube]

Continue reading New Buick “brand anthem” ad breaks during NCAA Final Four

New Buick “brand anthem” ad breaks during NCAA Final Four originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “New Buick “brand anthem” ad breaks during NCAA Final Four”

Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, Buick, GM, Quick Spin

The TriShield’s Big Sedan Does The Electric Slide

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s hard to talk about all of the good things General Motors is doing these days without referencing the Chevrolet Volt – it is perhaps the most talked-about car on the scene, green or otherwise. In showing the world that highly efficient, practical cars aren’t so far out of our reach, GM is preparing to launch a slew of fuel-sipping vehicles in the near term.

We’ve already spent time with the honest-to-goodness 42-mile-per-gallon Chevrolet Cruze Eco, but the next chapter of GM’s efficiency story lies in Buick’s eAssist mild hybrid system, coming to both its LaCrosse and Regal sedans later this year.

We recently had the chance to drive the 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist on the roads near GM’s proving grounds in Milford, Michigan, and while some hybrid systems vastly change a car’s overall driving experience, we walked away from our time in the Buick feeling as good as we ever have in a LaCrosse. The beauty of eAssist is that it functions in an almost entirely transparent manner, and that’s a very, very good thing.

Continue reading Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist…

Gallery: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist: Quick Spin

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

Continue reading Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Quick Spin: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist”

Report: GM readying Buick Ampera

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Buick, GM, Opel, Rumormill, Electric

2012 Opel Ampera

2012 Opel Ampera – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to a new report from Bloomberg, General Motors is working on a Buick-badged version of its Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid, Europe’s mechanical twin to the Chevrolet Volt. The car hasn’t received final approval yet, as GM still isn’t sure it can get buyers to justify in inevitable premium over the $41,000 pre-incentive Volt.

To make a Buick version more marketable, the General may attempt to take measures to extend the car’s all-electric range, like using lighter materials, but that may be a higher level of investment than the program calls for. That said, any Ampera with a waterfall grille will probably require a few more creature comforts and better interior materials to command Buick’s typically higher pricepoint.

If General Motors can figure out how to build and sell an Buick Volt/Ampera, the car will probably arrive in 2013 as a 2014 model. For now, range and performance will likely be pretty similar to the Volt.

Gallery: 2012 Opel Ampera: Geneva 2011

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: GM readying Buick Ampera originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: GM readying Buick Ampera”

2012 Buick LaCrosse dropping trim levels, V6 available as no-cost option

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Buick, GM

2010 Buick LaCrosse

Buick LaCrosse – Click above for high-res image gallery

In addition to having eAssist added to its four-cylinder powertrain, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse is undergoing a few other changes. We aren’t talking about styling or content tweaks – instead, General Motors is revising its packaging strategy for the LaCrosse. Buick will be ditching the CX, CXL and CXS trim level designations and simply offer large option packages that encompass all of the available amenities.

For 2012, the 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with eAssist technology will be offered as the “standard” powertrain. We recently had some very limited drive time with an eAssist-equipped LaCrosse (stay tuned for our full impressions), and found the four-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque to be pleasantly adequate and its highway rating of 37 miles per gallon downright remarkable. eAssist-equipped cars will look no different than other LaCrosses, save the addition of model-specific 17-inch wheels on efficiency-optimized tires and other fuel-saving upgrades not visible from outside the car.

The General’s 280-horsepower direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 will still be made available, complete with the new HiPer Strut front suspension that helps keep torque steer to a minimum, but buyers can now select it as a no-cost option, and also opt for all-wheel drive.

Final pricing information has not been released, but Buick tells us that the entry level LaCrosse will start around $30,000. Currently, the LaCrosse has a base MSRP of $26,995, which suggests the addition of eAssist and its associated fuel-saving parts isn’t cheap. What Buick has effectively done is ditched the “base” LaCrosse model and left two identically priced models for buyers to choose from: one focused on exceptional fuel economy and the other on power.

Production on the 2012 LaCrosse will start this summer with the first round of cars hitting dealerships this Fall.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

2012 Buick LaCrosse dropping trim levels, V6 available as no-cost option originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2012 Buick LaCrosse dropping trim levels, V6 available as no-cost option”

AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo

Buick Regal CXL Turbo commercial – Click above to watch video

Company: General Motors

Brand: Buick

Medium: TV

Ad Agency: Leo Burnett

Product: Regal Turbo

Campaign: Regal Turbo/NCAA

What We Like: The cinematography of the Regal in this spot makes the car look even better than it does when it sits in your driveway. And if your TV or computer speakers are any good at all, the sound of the engine and the turbo comes through. This is a simple ad, and the simplest messages are generally the most effective. “Turbo. Buick. Turbo. Buick. Get used to the sound.” We like that they are not loading us up with the car’s stats, as well. You can always get that stuff online anyway. The ad pretty effectively says, “This car looks good, sounds good and, dude, has a turbo! Yeah, we know it’s a brand that’s normally associated with Fred Mertz, ‘Mr. C’ from Happy Days or pretty much any Junior High School principal. But, seriously, it’s worth checking out.” We agree.

What We Don’t Like: The driver looks a little too much like Rocco DiSpirito, or a Men’s Health metro-sexual, and that’s just annoying. But we are pretty sure that was what the ad agency was going for. We say we like the ad’s simplicity, but is it too simple? Is this going to keep the average bloke from leaving the couch to refill his beer or nutbowl during a commercial break in March Madness? Maybe there could have been more of a hook in the copy… or a female? Or maybe we are just looking for things to poke at because we have to.

Strategy: Oldsmobile is gone. Pontiac is gone. Saturn is gone. Hummer is gone. Saab is sold. Thank the Chinese for saving Buick. They see Buick as some sort of Cadillac-Mercedes hybrid. Go figure. General Motors sells more of the tri-shield vehicles in the land of the Great Wall than in the land of the Grand Canyon. GM is pitching Buick as “luxury,” and says there is room for both Buick and Cadillac in the company’s luxury play, that they appeal to different luxury buyers. We think Buick appeals to luxury buyers who have lost a lot of money in the market, and had to sell their stuff, including the Mercedes, to keep junior in Country Day School. But there is no denying that the LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave are vehicles we would not be ashamed to drive to the dance, the kid’s soccer game, or poker night. But luxury? Wethinks Buick doth need to find another way to communicate what it stands for. Oh, by the way, thanks for the turbo.

Grade: B

Watch the commercial after the jump and give it your own grade below.

View Poll

Continue reading AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo

AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo”

Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Buick, Cadillac, GM

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and General Motors have announced the recall of 10,000 vehicles. According to The Detroit News, certain 2011 Cadillac SRX and 2011 Buick Lacrosse models may have been built with a defect that can prevent the vehicle’s defroster from effectively clearing the windshield. NHTSA is concerned that the reduced visibility could lead to an accident.

The problem was discovered to during a production trial, in which one in 50 vehicles exhibited the defect.

At the moment, no crashes or incidents have been reported as a result of the programming error, though it’s worth noting that only a third of the 10,179 vehicles covered by the recall actually belong to customers. The rest are either unsold or are awaiting delivery.

GM dealers will reprogram the HVAC software to fix the bug free of charge.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac SRX

2011 Cadillac SRX

Gallery: 2011 Buick LaCrosse

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall”

Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand

Filed under: Car Buying, Buick, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

There are a number of simple, reliable truths in the world. The Earth is round. A compass points north. Nobody but the Chinese buy Buicks and Lexus is the best-selling luxury brand in the United States. Well, hold on to your horses. Lowly old Buick, long seen as the doorstop of the luxury segment, has outsold Lexus two months straight and shows no signs of slowing down.

Our friends at Kicking Tires ground through the sales figures and found that Buick also sold more luxury cars in February than Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Acura. In fact, the only luxury brand that sold more cars in the States in February was BMW, and even then only by 800 units.

What makes Buick’s meteoric rise to the top of its segment even more impressive is the fact that it has done so with just four nameplates: Enclave, LaCrosse, Lucerne and Regal. By way of comparison, Lexus offers nine models in the States.

And lest you think that buyers are choosing Buicks solely because of a value proposition, Kicking Tires notes that average Buick transaction prices have increased by $11,113 since 2003, according to Buick spokesman Nick Richards. Sounds like Buick deserves some real kudos, no?

We suggest you scan over the whole article from Kicking Tires, it’s a very interesting read.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Buick sales beating up on Lexus, may be this year’s most popular luxury brand”

Chicago 2011: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist live in the Windy City

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Buick, GM

2012 Buick Regal eAssist

2012 Buick Regal eAssist – Click above for high-res image gallery

We received the first details about Buick’s new Regal eAssist earlier today, but we’ve just returned from seeing the car in person before the Chicago Auto Show officially kicks off tomorrow. Visually, the more fuel-efficient Regal looks no different than the standard car, save the addition of eco-friendly 17-inch alloy wheels and low-rolling-resistance tires.

What’s most important about this car is what’s under the hood – a 15-kilowatt electric motor that offers 15 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque for initial acceleration thrust, matched with Buick’s 2.4-liter direct-injected inline-four. Combine that with regenerative braking and a start/stop system for the engine, and the end result is a Regal that’s capable of achieving 26 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg highway.

Buick’s new eAssist system first debuted on the larger LaCrosse sedan, where it will serve as the base powertrain for 2012 model year vehicles. With the Regal, however, the eAssist model will slot just above the base 2.4-liter car and below the Regal Turbo, which uses the automaker’s 220-horsepower 2.0-liter Ecotec inline-four. Pricing will be announced closer to the eAssist’s official launch later this year.

Gallery: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist: Chicago 2011

2012 Buick Regal eAssist

Chicago 2011: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist live in the Windy City originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Chicago 2011: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist live in the Windy City”

Officially Official: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist will get 26/37 mpg

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Buick, GM

2012 Buick Regal eAssist

2012 Buick Regal eAssist – Click above for high-res image gallery

When General Motors debuted the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist technology at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year, the automaker told us that this new fuel-saving feature would quickly spread across many other models in its portfolio. Now, GM has taken the wraps off of the eAssist-equipped 2012 Buick Regal, which makes its official public debut at the Chicago Auto Show this week.

Most significantly, the addition of eAssist to the Regal’s 2.4-liter inline-four powertrain means that the sedan is now capable of achieving 26 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. Like the LaCrosse, the Regal eAssist uses a small, 15-horsepower electric motor to give assistance during acceleration, and when combined with things like regenerative braking and automatic start/stop, it means a substantial increase in fuel economy. It’s not exactly Ford Fusion Hybrid impressive, but still quite good when you consider that the standard Regal only musters up 19/30 mpg ratings.

Unlike the larger LaCrosse, eAssist will not be the base powertrain for 2012 Regals. Buick has positioned the Regal eAssist to be part of larger family, which includes the Regal Turbo and upcoming GS. Model-specific changes over the base Regal include things like lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels (smaller than the standard Regal’s 18-inch set), an eco mode for the air conditioning system, an eco gauge on the instrument panel and a powerflow readout in the seven-inch infotainment screen.

We’ll be seeing the 2012 Regal eAssist live in Chicago this week, so stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, follow the jump to read GM’s official press release, and see the new electrified Regal for yourself in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist

2012 Buick Regal eAssist

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist will get 26/37 mpg

Officially Official: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist will get 26/37 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Officially Official: 2012 Buick Regal eAssist will get 26/37 mpg”

Report: Buick Regal Hybrid coming to Chicago Auto Show

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Buick, GM

2011 Buick Regal

2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to a report from Ward’s Auto, General Motors will be debuting a hybrid version of the Buick Regal sedan at the Chicago Auto Show next week. The electrified Regal will use the same eAssist architecture that debuted in the LaCrosse late last year.

In the LaCrosse, eAssist accounts for a 25 percent increase in fuel economy, and we can expect similar numbers for the Regal. Currently rated at 19/30 miles per gallon city/highway with the 2.4-liter engine and six-speed automatic, adding eAssist should help the Regal reach fuel economy numbers above 35 mpg.

Unlike the LaCrosse, it’s likely that the eAssist powertrain will not be the base engine in the Regal. For the 2012 model year, all LaCrosses come standard with eAssist, but we expect the Regal to use this system in a more upmarket (read: more expensive) configuration. We’ll have the full details live from Chicago next week, so stay tuned.

Gallery: 2011 Buick Regal CXL: Review

2011 Buick Regal CXL

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Report: Buick Regal Hybrid coming to Chicago Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Buick Regal Hybrid coming to Chicago Auto Show”