Buick

I just noticed on the Buick website (Heritage page) a typo. http://www.buick.com/history/ How long is a centry? LOL

Heard a rumor that the selection of that name was chosen for a big reason. Verano means summer, which is a great name for a convertible. Could be based on the Opel Astra twintop

Saw an ad today for the Buick LaCrosse while reading my Hispanic Business magazine and noticed something that made me laugh. The ad shows the LaCrosse CXS and ES 350 side by side and has a list of features and awards, but the very last line says "Desaceleracion del vehiculo robado" It basically translates to "stolen vehicle slow down." It then says "no disponable" (not available) under the ES and "OnStar/ 1 ano estandar" (one year standard) under the Buick. I know GM has been advertising this for a while now, but it made me think of the ES's acceleration issue... Made me wonder if it was meant to be a slap in the face...

Here is the Regal info on the GM web site. http://eogld.ecomm.gm.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2011&butID=1&regionID=1&divisionID=4&vehicleID=10162&type=0

Will they be worth money? Saw this blog about them: http://dennishouse.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/yes-i-really-drive-a-buick/

2011 Regal CX - 2012MY 2010 LaCrosse CX - $26,995 2011 Regal CXL - $26,995 2010 LaCrosse CXL - $30,395 2011 Regal CXL turbo - $29,495 2010 LaCrosse CXS - $33,765 Pricing is excellent considering the level of equipment you get. In Europe, the Insignia competes against the EU Accord (TSX over here in the US). Regal CXL - 182 hp $26,995 Accord EX-L - 190 hp $27,540 Regal CXL turbo - 220 hp $29,495 TSX - 201 hp $30,120 This is a much better car than the awkward and cheesy looking LaCrosse, IMO, and it's way less expensive to boot. You get a fully-loaded German sports sedan for the same price as a base velour-and-wheelcovers LaCrosse. I'd expect prices to g…

I think this is shaping up to be one nice compact sedan for Buick. It is clearly a sedan version of the new Astra, but it appears that GM took a little more effort in ensuring that the front end treatment fit in with the Enclave and 2010 LaCrosse. I provided a link to the article below (Sorry! I'm not sure how to import photos). Link: Baby Buick Spied With Less Camouflage, Source: World Car Fans P.S. I am disappointed that I don't see any ventiports. P.S.S. I also don't want to see this nice looking sedan carry the "Verano" name. I would still settle for "Vectra", personally.

"Buick sales up 37.4%" Tim Higgins Detroit Free Press, Jan. 5, 2010 Good news for Buick fans - read about Buick's momentum! click here

From China Car Times, here are some more pictures of the new Chinese Buick Excelle sedan. Maybe it's the gray-ish color of the body, rather than white, but in my opinion, they look pretty good; I particularly like the proportions of the photo in the bottom right.

According to the Detroit News, Brian Sweeney, 42, will be named the new General Manager of Buick-GMC. Click here.

"Buick Excelle Hatch - The big picture!" China Car Times, Nov. 24, 2009 "The Buick Excelle hatch is some serious direct competition to the recently launched VW Golf, and with it being available in hatchback and sedan form, GM might be able to keep up the fight against its largest competitor in the PRC." For the complete story, including 13 pictures, click here.

A stick in a Buick! No need to buy an unreliable Audi A-4 or VW Jetta http://jalopnik.com/5408535/breaking-buick-regal-getting-a-manual-transmission

[source: Motor Trend] First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal Pre-Production Prototype Have Opel and Buick Built a TSX-Fighter? November 19, 2009 By Frank Markus The 2011 Buick Regal is targeted at me. My last two family cars purchases have been a 2005 Acura TSX and a 1995 Infiniti G20. Our requirements were 1) a full roster of luxury features and toys, 2) four-cylinder fuel economy, and 3) long-haul durability (the G20 racked up 170,000 miles). I have no concerns about domestic-car reliability, but the Big Three haven't seriously attempted a four-banger luxmobile since the ill-fated Cadillac Cimarron. Now, with Buick training to go toe-to-toe with the Asi…

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXL FWD The Looks... So at my dealer, while my tires were getting put on my salesman and I went out for a cruise in the 2010 LaX they got in last week... Let me tell you this car is STUNNING in person, it has dramatic lines, the Diamond white paint and chrome wheels "were just right". This car is a show stopper on the outside, but I already knew that from the photographs, it was the inside I wanted to see. The car was amazing once inside the "claw" door grab handles looked great but were a tad small for someone with large hands. As for the rest of the interior it was amazing the shifter was crisp, leather soft and comfortable, the d…

http://blog.caranddriver.com/blazing-buicks-335-hp-regal-gs-regal-sport-wagon-being-discussed/

Needs ventiports! http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=C4&Dato=20091111&Kategori=BUSINESS&Lopenr=911110802&Ref=PH

The Chinese Buick Park Avenue is getting new headlights, new wheels, and other minor modifications, according to China Car Times. For pictures, click here.

DETROIT — General Motors Co. said Tuesday the rollout of its new 2010 Buick LaCrosse is being delayed for a few weeks due to quality concerns. Speaking to analysts and reporters during a conference call on August sales, GM's vice president of U.S. sales Mark LaNeve said about 300 to 400 of the cars were shipped in August, but further deliveries are on hold until the company works out what it called "quality issues." The company wouldn't offer specifics on exact problems with the LaCrosse, but LaNeve said they "were not serious but were enough to delay us three or four weeks while we made sure they were fixed so that our customers didn't have any problems." For the c…

http://www.freep.com/article/20090829/BUSI...ith-its-dealers

I know most people here love the new LaCrosse/Allure...the design, the mechanics, the fit and finish. I know there are a few of us who think it wasn't handled that well and that it's no big deal. I wanted to quantify this with a poll. What's your take on this new car?

American Customer Satisfaction Index results. Leftlane Article Here

GM is having a test drive event at the annual CHIN International Picnic in Toronto. One of the cars featured is the new 2010 Buick Allure (aka LaCrosse). I checked it out on Friday (the event wasn't open, so there was no one there, and no driving). VIDEO: *NEW* INTERIOR VIDEO: ALLURE AND CTS WAGON VIDEO: PICS:

http://www.examiner.com/x-10697-SF-Autos-E...ress-conference Note that it was not referred to as a next generation Opel Astra, but Saturn Astra. It may be a substantially different car than what Saturn had, but it's still going to get called a rebadge.

Leftlane Article Here

The Buick webpage has been updated. It no longer has the 2009 LaCrosse on the opening page.

[source: Motor Trend] First Test: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS Dr. Right: A Buick to Lure Back the Medicos [/font] There was a time long ago, boys and girls, when all telephones had cords, music could be purchased only on cumbersome black discs, and cigarettes were advertised on TV as a digestive aid. Back in those blurry, black-and-white days, well-off professional Americans in the prime of their careers aspired to own Buicks. The brand became known as "the doctor's car," because it provided most of the creature comforts, quiet performance, and gravitas of a glitzy Cadillac without causing patients or clients to question their house-call …

I saw this article on Motor Trend this morning: Link: http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_ve...lans/index.html Source: Motor Trend

Is there a place for Future Global niche Vehicles at Buick? With the addition of the Insignia, and a future Theta (Centieme?) Buick looks to have strong lineup coming. My question what potential is there for niche vehicles? (Likely small volume imports) An Insignia sports tourer based Electra? An insignia coupe?

There is a new Buick print ad that just debuted showing a four vehicle lineup: Lacrosse, Lucerne, Enclave and Regal. I'm having trouble posting the picture. Can someone do it? Also Troy Clarke from GM said this today about Buick "The good news for Buick is that it is one of our core brands and so will get a due amount of our attention in terms of entries, cadence of entries, and effective promotion to build the brand. Best to take it step at a time so right now we are focused on the launch of the new Lacrosse. Dynamite product. Continues the renaissance of Buick that began with the Enclave. We will get this one right and you can take it to the bank that we…

Ok so here are the new ads that will be on TV: http://news.google.com/news/more?um=1&...MkDnBKxMbAaJDKM Click "Buick unveils a new tagline in LaCrosse ads" Scroll down to view the video...

According to Financial Times, Buick is getting a shot in the arm with the new LaCrosse, a media blitz ("Take a look at us now" and "You've changed and I love it"), and, eventually, some smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles. Peter DeLorenzo of autoextremist.com, for one, says, "Buick can absolutely capture a younger, more contemporary audience. They'll do it by unleashing a series of sensational looking, eye-catching designs combined with edgy image advertising that will delete any previous hoary notions of Buick”. Buick haters (and we all can see you for who you are, despite your denials) needn't bother, but others can click here to read the entire story.

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-bl...lows-an-embargo

http://www.autonews.com/article/20090610/A.../906109971/1176

I'm on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC and decided to drop into the local Buick dealership to pick up a LaCrosse brochure (which is very nice BTW) and I started a long conversation with one of the sales managers there. He confirmed to me that Buick is getting three new models over the next two years. The LaCrosse is the first, which will be followed soon by the new Regal and then, and here's where the conflict begins, the last will be a "Baby Enclave." I started talking to him about the Buick "Astra" model that has been photographed testing in China and Germany, and he acted as if he knew nothing about this. The prospect of a Baby Enclave is exciting to me, but the rumors ab…

In mid-June, GM will change from its present TV message to promoting Buick, according to David Welch and David Kiley in Business Week. "The primary focus is on hooking younger buyers who have zero loyalty to GM vehicles. Buick, while popular in China, has come to be considered a fogy brand at home (average buyer age: 66). Americans love a makeover, so that is the theme Buick has latched on to. One ad has a plastic surgery spin with the catch line: 'Nip. Tuck. Weld.' To reel in younger buyers, ads for Buick's curvy new LaCrosse sedan will feature its array of Lexus-caliber gadgetry, including a hard drive for music, a system that alerts drivers if someone is in their bli…

Link to Leftlane Article The ugly Acura, down 34 percent to 9,469 Audi, down 12.1 percent to 7,503 Buick, down 17.1 percent to 9,160 BMW, down 27.8 percent to 18,383 Cadillac, down 39.9 percent to 8,027 Chevrolet, down 23.7 percent to 127,510 Chrysler, down 51 percent to 15,987 Dodge, down 48 percent to 41,399 Ford, down 25.5 percent to 137,167 GMC, down 22.1 percent to 23,926 Honda, down 39.7 percent to 88,875 Hummer, down 40.6 percent to 1,094 Hyundai, down 20 percent to 36,937 Infiniti, down 38.1 percent to 6,496 Jeep, down 40 percent to 21,624 Kia, down 16.1 percent to 26,060 Lincoln, up 2.4 percent to 8,566 Lexus, down 33.9 perce…

First Drive: 2010 Buick Regal Could the Insignia Still Make it to America Badged as a Buick? By Angus MacKenzie How's this for culture shock? I'm driving a German-designed Buick alongside a Korean-designed Chevy through the streets of a Chinese city. Welcome to the future of General Motors. GM plans to double its sales in China over the next five years, to two million units. "China remains the centerpiece of our global growth strategy," GM Asia-Pacific boss Nick Reilly said at the Shanghai show, where the GM stand featured 37 models, including the German-designed Buick and Korean-designed Chevy. The Buick is the 2010 Regal. It's an old American nameplate for…

LaCrosse Vehicle Highlights: (GAN) Quicksilver Metallic exterior color (GAO) Gold Mist Metallic exterior color (GAP) Midnight Blue Metallic exterior color (GAQ) Red Jewel Tintcoat exterior color (GAR) Carbon Black Metallic exterior color (GAZ) Summit White exterior color (GBN) White Diamond Tricoat exterior color (GHA) Mocha Steel Metallic exterior color (AFA) Cocoa/Light Cashmere cloth seats (AFB) Dark Titanium/Light Titanium cloth seats (AFC) Cocoa/Light Cashmere leather-appointed seats (AFE) Dark Titanium/Light Titanium leather-appointed seats (AFG) Jet Black leather-appointed seats (AFD) Cocoa/Light …

Will there be a future Buick flagship? Extended Epsilon II? Or is LaCrosse going to be the cream of the crop?

This actually comes from a GM official in Shanghai, China. Click on this.

The word is out that Buick is to take Saturn's place as the Opel rebadger for the US. A VUE redeux is to be the first model based on this unconfirmed report. Final word to come down by June 1st deadline. Link to Leftlane article here.

In the years since the Friends of Buick project launched, several C&G members have e-mailed, asking when the site would be updated. It has been renewed this morning, at http://www.friendsofbuick.com. The older version had much information on the Perception Gap, which (in particular) got quite a bit of airplay around here back in 2006, when it was presented to General Motors. Most of that will be uploaded again; pardon our dust, the migration to the new format is a work in progress. In the meantime, we were hoping to get your feedback. Given the aims of the site, as defined (briefly) at http://www.friendsofbuick.com/Default.aspx?mode=about, what would you like …

Yowza! I'm in love! Jalopnik.com is showing a photoshopped Buick "Orlando," based on the Chevrolet Orlando concept. The Buick is to debut next week at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. Here's a direct link to Jalopnik's story. I think their depiction of the Buick concept, in white with chrome wheels, is beautiful!

Buick may be sold to Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). To get the details, read the article linked below. The rapidly slimming General Motors might soon cast off another brand, according to a Chinese media report. General Motors is considering selling its Buick division to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), according to financial newspaper the Shanghai Securities News. The deal could potentially involve a sale the Buick name only, or it could include the sale of plants, tooling, and designs to SAIC. Buick is extremely popular in China, despite its relatively limited success in America. The Obama administration has apparently asked Ge…

It would seem that GM is hellbent on doing something with Buick in NA, so the question becomes what, exactly, should Buick be? To my mind, Buick should be elegant, high style, high comfort, high quality luxury without the burden of a performance orientation that Cadillac has to maintain. Im other words, Buick should be luxury and style without compromise. That's not to say that Buicks should not perform at a high level, just that no compromises of luxury or style be made on behalf of that performance. Cadillac has to toe that line, Buick should be free not to. Discuss.

Here is a very quickie to show that the Chinese Regal can be easily modified to become a more NA version. The existing hip line can be used to form the sweep spear, making the change doors only. I chose to kick it up a bit, requiring the rear quarter to modify. We certainly could use this wagon here to fill a void. I also like the idea of naming it Invicta over here. Invicta Sports Tourer or Invicta Estate? Regal Sports Tourer

What are some of your favorite models over the years? You know, the ones that made you stop and think " maybe I could see myself in a Buick". For me a few of them are: The Blackhawk concept (my favorite Buick ever). The GN/GNX/ T-Types of the late 80s (duh) Certain Sportwagon models 1964 ish Rivieras The '71 Riviera Certain Wildcats

Autoblog J.D. Power and Associates has just released its 2009 Vehicle Dependability Study... and it is a bombshell. For the past 14 years, including the most recent 2008 Vehicle Dependability Study, Lexus has sat at the top of the chart. In a significant upset this year, Buick and Jaguar have tied for top ranking (with just 122 problems per 100 vehicles) dropping the premium automaker Lexus (126 PP100) down to third place. The top five are rounded out by Toyota (129 PP100) and Mercury (134 PP100). The Vehicle Dependability Study is designed to accurately measure problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2006 model year) vehicles. J.D. Power based t…

Buick bills itself as a producer of “Premium American Motorcars,” and its target audience is the somewhat conservative, fairly affluent buyer. But in spite of this rather traditional approach, Buick has occasionally broken out of that mould to market some surprising high performance machines. In 1936, for example, it introduced the Century, named for its 100 mph (161 km/h) capability. It was basically Buick’s light Special model fitted with the Roadmaster’s 5.2-litre (320 cu in.), 120 horsepower overhead valve, straight-eight engine. In the 1960s, the Buick Wildcat wrapped sybaritic luxury in a sparkling performer, and Car Life magazine dubbed it the “Executive Hot-R…

GM will kill the Lucerne in 2008. What will be the other GM sedan? Buick needs more than just the Lacrosse? How about this Regal sold in CHina?http://allworldcars.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2010_buick_regal.jpg

While I am not a die hard Buick guy I saw the new Lacrosse today at the Cleveland Auto SHow today. It was a very impressive car. The interior is fantastic and the over styling less the grill was spot on. The grill I thought could be shorter but it was not anything that would keep me from considering one. GM should do well with this car if it is price right.

Enjoy:

For your viewing pleasure:

Here are some pictures I took of the Silver 2010 Buick Allure CXL at the Montreal International Autoshow in Quebec, Canada on Tuesday January 20th. This was a Canadian show debut. Off the bat, I have to say that the interior is beautiful!!! The car looks very striking as a whole, and the best angle in my opinion is the rear 3/4. I noticed this model had slightly different headlights than what the press pictures showed. The sweapspear looks cool in person, although the general proportions of the car will take some getting used to. VIDEO:

Dave Lyons, a native of Naperville, IL, a suburb of Chicago, is one of the design team who created the new image of Buick. To read his talk with the Herald News newspaper, click here.

FIRST GLIMPSE: 2010 Buick LaCrosse Interior Photoshop courtesy of Ted Krygier General Motors has released these four renderings of a future vehicle labeled 'GMX-353', which is the internal designation for the next-generation Buick LaCrosse. Based on the forthcoming Epsilon II mid/large FWD platform, the next LaCrosse is intended on taking the current midsize Buick to the next level in terms of luxury and refinement. If these conceptualizations are even partially telling of the production sedan, then that goal will be readily achieved. The first rendering of the gauge binnicle (above) shows an advanced design with heavy use of metallic textures. A stitched leather da…

...like many of the GM cars at the B-J Auction, is being sold with a "scrap" title and "cannot be driven on any public road". I so love that car!

Another website, GM Inside News, today reported that the Buick Regal (a rebadged Opel Insignia now sold in China as a Buick Regal) will be available in NA as of 2011. GMI says that it was officially greenlighted yesterday. According to GMI, it's possible the car could come earlier than 2011 but it's expected the vehicle will look very similar, if not exact, to the Chinese Regal - possibly with some different engine choices.

I'm wondering since GM says it will focus on Buick and make Pontiac a niche brand, what is next for Buick, since Saturn and Saab look like history. 1. Will the G-6 convertible and Saab convertible become a Buick ragtop? 2. Will the Vue become the Rendezvous?

Link to Leftlane article here.

Jamie LaReau Automotive News August 25, 2008 - 12:01 am ET At Buick, it's nearly all about China — the brand's biggest market. Buick's redesigned mid-sized car will be sold here and in China. A small sedan created for China may be sold here. A stylish, rear-wheel-drive sedan went on sale last year in China and was penciled in for the United States. But GM's financial plight scuttled the U.S. plan for the rwd sedan, as well as production plans for a sharp-looking coupe concept that debuted last year at the Shanghai auto show. Small car: General Motors is likely to bring a redesigned compact sedan to the United States for the 2012 model year, a front-wheel-driv…

Link to article HERE.