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Spy Shots: 2012 Buick Regal GS caught going out for lunch

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Buick, GM

Spy Shots Buick Regal GS

Spy Shots: 2012 Buick Regal GS – Click above for high-res image gallery

We spy with our little eye, a camouflaged 2012 Buick Regal GS taking a group of General Motors employees out to lunch. Rather than opting for the drive-thru, this group decided to stay out of the office a bit longer and left the vehicle alone in a parking lot, and our CarPix spy photographers were ready to pounce in order to give us this good look at the sportiest Buick we’ve seen for eons.

And sporty it shall be judging by the hardware the cameras caught. A set of heavily-bolstered Recaro seats look identical to the super grippy chairs used in the model’s Opel Insignia OPC twin, and there’s a six-speed manual transmission sprouting between the bolsters, further suggesting that this is no mere people hauler. The Regal is expected to borrow heavily from the OPC partsbin, and that’s great thing. The OPC is motivated by a 320 horsepower, twin-turbo V6 that pushes the all-wheel drive car to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just six seconds. In our brief experience with the Euro market car, it has an altogether more hardcore and snarlier character that should appeal to diehard enthusiasts, and it’s sure to bring some performance luster back to the TriShield brand. We can hardly wait.

Gallery: Buick Regal GS: Spy Shots

Buick Regal GS: Spy Shots

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2012 Buick Regal GS caught going out for lunch originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick dealers reportedly clamoring for more Regal models amidst strong early sales

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Buick, GM

2011 Buick Regal

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

The 2011 Regal is Buick’s latest attempt at reinventing its own brand image. Apparently, the plan is working even better than Buick thought it might – dealers are asking for more. In fact, in their monthly re-orders, dealers are asking for twice as many cars as General Motors can actually provide.

Currently, the Regal is built in GM’s Russelsheim, Germany plant and production has just begun on the 2.0-liter turbocharged model (read: not the higher-output GS that will arrive sometime next year). Production of North American Regals will soon be shifted to The General’s Oshawa, Ontario facility.

Buick has already sold nearly 4,000 Regals through August of 2010. The Chinese bought about 80,000 examples in 2009 and 150,000 Vauxhall/Opel versions have found homes in European driveways year-to-date in 2010. It’s clear that people around the world like this car, ourselves included, and the addition of the 2.0T should only further the car’s success. As for us, we’re eagerly anticipating the final addition to the Regal line, the GS.

Gallery: Third Drive: 2011 Buick Regal

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Buick dealers reportedly clamoring for more Regal models amidst strong early sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Buick, Luxury

2011 Buick Regal at IIHS

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just wrapped up its battery of batterings on the 2011 Buick Regal, and the results have netted “Good” ratings for front, side, rear and rollover impact protection.

Additionally, the Regal is the seventh vehicle from General Motors to earn a Top Safety Pick award, which includes the aforementioned rollover test where the Regal excelled. Buick’s Euro-born sedan was able to withstand almost five-times its weight – up from the federally-mandated standard of 1.5 times.

The Regal joins its Buick sibling, the LaCrosse, along with the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volvo S80 as a Top Safety Pick in the large car segment. Full press release after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Buick Regal crashed at IIHS

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IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Filed under: Crossover, Buick, Reviews

The Epitome of Inconspicuous Consumption

2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD – Click above for high-res image gallery

There was a time when Buick was the brand of choice for doctors, lawyers and politicians. Its cars were elegant enough to show success without being overt signals of wealth, they were the epitome of inconspicuous consumption. But that was a long, long time ago. Buicks of the last 30 years look like slightly disguised versions of a run-of-the-mill Chevrolet, with a bit more chrome and better seat fabrics.

The Enclave can be compared to other luxury crossovers in the segment without an asterisk.

Buick design went from purposely understated to flat-out dull, and the average age of the brand’s buyers shot up to over 70 in the mid-2000s. If it weren’t for Buick’s success in China, the Trishield would have likely followed Oldsmobile into retirement. But instead of mothballing Buick for good, General Motors decided to finally give the brand what it really needed: new and exciting products. Former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz went as far as to say that Buick’s new products were going to compete against Lexus. We were all a bit skeptical, but one vehicle began making believers.

The Buick Enclave took many by surprise when it debuted in early 2007 with attractive styling and a well-appointed cabin. And since production started, the Enclave has proven to be a strong seller. In fact, the Enclave continually beats the combined sales of its crosstown rivals, the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKT.

Since Lexus itself does not offer a three-row CUV, does the Buick offer a credible alternative to the hush and plush Japanese automaker? We spent a week with a very well appointed Enclave CXL AWD to find out if GM’s highest-end large crossover really represents the brand’s new mission. Continue reading…

Gallery: Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Continue reading Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Buick Verano compact coming in 2012

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Buick, Rumormill, Luxury

Chinese-market Buicke Excelle – Click above for high-res image gallery

As July’s By The Numbers showed us, American buyers are quick to forget the pain of having to fill up a full-size pickup or SUV when gas prices are in the $4-per-gallon range. Without the guiding hand of Uncle Sam pushing the car-buying public towards smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, consumers are all about being large and in charge in the passing lane. But According to Automotive News, General Motors is keen to the fact that fuel won’t stay cheap forever, and to prepare for a returning tide of buyers rushing to small cars when oil goes sky high again, the company is planning a more diminutive product lineup.

If the Automotive News article is on its mark, we can expect to see a new compact Buick called the Verano as well as a hybrid version of the Lacrosse. There’s no telling exactly which architecture the baby Buick will use for its bones, but the Chevrolet Cruze wouldn’t be a bad bet in our eyes. Likewise, GMC will see the introduction of a production version of the Granite concept and Chevrolet should have the all-new Aveo join its ranks along with the Spark city car. Automotive News even says that The General is planning to shrink the Impala. Sounds good to us, but when it comes to Buick, these small-car rumors crop up nearly every year.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Buick Excelle in China

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: Buick Verano compact coming in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: GM mulling Zeta-based Buick flagship?

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Buick, GM, Rumormill, Luxury

We can quit wondering where General Motors is heading with Buick. Maybe. If rumors dusting up from GM Inside News are to be believed, company leadership has the Tri-Shield’s sights trained solidly on Lexus. We all know that the 2010 Buick LaCrosse was positioned as the answer to the Lexus ES 350, but supposedly, GM is aiming even higher and cooking up a Zeta-based sedan to go head-to-head with the Lexus LS. If you believe the hype, design work has already been given the go-ahead, but production ihas yet to receive an official OK from up top. Details are predictably scarce, but GM Inside News claims that the styling is sharp as can be.

Interestingly enough, the Zeta platform that would provide the basis for the rumored big Buick isn’t exactly the same as the one underpinning the mega-Holdens prowling Australia (or the Caprice soon to be cruising your local donut shop, or the Buick Park Avenue that’s already sold in China). Instead, GMI says that the luxe Buick will be built upon something called the Premium Zeta Platform, and that the oft-rumored Cadillac flagship will use the same bones. Sounds great, but until we hear something official from The General, we won’t start holding our collective breath.

Rumormill: GM mulling Zeta-based Buick flagship? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick to expand line with coupe, convertible and wagon?

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Wagon, Buick, Rumormill

2008 Buick Regal Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Buick conducted another in its series of webchats and this time product marketing director Roger McCormack attended the party. One of the first real signs of the brand’s rebirth came three years ago with the debut of the Riviera concept. Since then, Buick has focused on launching its mainstream, higher volume products like the LaCrosse and Regal, and the Riviera coupe has languished on the sidelines.

However, McCormack says the coupe concept could live on as a production model. He acknowledged that a coupe is receiving “very strong consideration” and admitted that a convertible would help excite customers, but wasn’t prepared to make any announcements. Even a wagon was not ruled out and could be among the first to join the lineup. A be-hatched version of the Insignia already exists in Europe and a prototype with Regal badges has been spotted in Michigan in the past. No doubt Buick will be watching the sales of the Acura TSX Sportswagon when it arrives this fall in deciding what to do with the Regal. The full transcript of the chat is available here.

Gallery: Buick Riviera Concept – Studio Shots (new)

[Source: Buick]

Buick to expand line with coupe, convertible and wagon? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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