Buick Verano: 'Small car with big-car features.'

The arrival of the Verano constitutes a major step in a new direction for Buick, but one that General Motors' up-level division seems fully prepared for.

"The look of the Verano is amazing, but what makes it truly exciting is that this is a small car with big-car features," said Tim Jacques, Sales Manager for Schumacher Buick-GMC. "It offers great interior and trunk space, along with the ride quality and quietness that Buick is known for."

Stylistically, the Verano shares the same shape as the Regal, and both vehicles are adorned with similar grilles, although the Verano's seems proportionally larger, as do the headlight pods. The neatly contoured fenders allow very little fender-to-tire gap, which hints at a sporty side.

The Verano's cabin is pure luxury, however. Although base models will come with leatherette and cloth seats, premium models will feature plenty of wood trim and plumped-up leather-covered seat cushions. For any compact car - and not just a Buick small car - this is ground breaking.

Befitting the Verano's upscale leanings, designers added five layers of acoustic material within the headliner and sound-absorbing foam, and other insulating materials has been stuffed into every possible nook and cranny. All door openings are triple sealed, while thicker windshield and side glass provides further noise reduction.

"It is so refreshing to have a vehicle like this in our lineup that adds to the renaissance of Buick," said Jacques. "It meets a lot of needs, and it is a perfect vehicle for so many of our customers."

Other sound-blocking measures include specially-designed tires and alloy wheels plus "quiet-tuned" intake and exhaust systems for the standard 177-horsepower, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that's mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

"The Verano's Ecotec engine develops horsepower at a much lower rpm than most four-cylinders, and combined with a six-speed transmission, it is remarkably peppy," said Jacques. "And since it doesn't have to wind up to high rpms, it doesn't have the noise that is often associated with four-cylinders."

Standard items include dual-zone climate control and 10 standard airbags. The options list provides a heated steering wheel, push-button start, electronic parking brake, premium Bose audio package and 18-inch alloy wheels (17-inchers are standard).

Traditionally, compact models have meant limited features and zero luxury. However, that tradition is rapidly disappearing as vehicles such as the 2012 Buick Verano emerge. That doesn't mean the days of the big luxury sedan are over, just that luxury can now also exist in a smaller package, and with much better fuel economy - not to mention pricing.

"We just started getting these cars in and the response has been amazing," said Jacques. "Buick has done a tremendous job."

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Buick Gets Assist

Sliding into the heated leather driver’s seat of the 2012 Buick LaCrosse, I felt wrapped in comfort and luxury.

A cozy center armrest at just the right height made it an easy reach to the media center and climate controls. Subtle blue ambient lighting along the dashboard and control knobs contrasts the ebony interior. The LaCrosse felt custom-made for me and I hadn’t yet tweaked the seat or the leather-wrapped steering wheel.

I shouldn’t be surprised by the opulence, it’s a Buick after all, and our test LaCrosse was loaded with options.

Topping the list was a $1,295 rear-seat entertainment system that was a big hit with our children. They could load a movie into the DVD player and watch on two monitors placed inside the backs of the front seats. The system also included headphone jacks so that while the kids watched a movie, my wife and I could enjoy the satellite radio.

Other optional equipment included upgrades to the speaker system, advanced headlamps and safety technology. I could live without much of it, but the side blind-spot alert is a must-have. A warning light appears in the side-view mirror when other vehicles enter the blind spot. It’s part of a $1,440 driver confidence package that includes high-intensity headlamps with adaptive forward lighting and a heads-up display that projects speed and other information onto the windshield just above the dashboard.

Although Buick shies away from calling the LaCrosse a hybrid, the sedan uses a lithium-ion battery and motor generator to give the power train an electric boost that the company calls eAssist. The eAssist technology gives the LaCrosse decent gas mileage, 25 mpg city/36 mpg highway, combined with a roomy interior to make it an appealing entry-level luxury sedan.

Buick pairs fuel-sipping hybrid technology with a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 182 horsepower.

The big sedan did feel underpowered, but a six-speed automatic transmission helped to compensate for the LaCrosse’s lack of muscle.

We did a trip up to Putney, Vt., through a particularly hilly section of highway and the LaCrosse handled the terrain effortlessly. Not only was the engine quiet as we charged up the hills, but road noise was non-existent.

Buick also offers the LaCrosse with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive.

The LaCrosse has a sculpted exterior design that is highlighted by chrome body molding and 17-inch alloy wheels. Carbon black metallic paint gives this Buick an elegant appearance.

Buick blends conventional and futuristic technology under the hood. A traditional emblem, waterfall grille and porthole vents serve as reminders of Buick’s heritage as the oldest continuous American automobile make.

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Ten Little Known Things About GMC

1. The GMC name turns 100 years old in 2012. In 1912, Rapid Motor Vehicle Company was merged with two others – Reliance and Randolph – to become GMC.
2. On August 1, 1909, a Rapid F-406-B – a GMC predecessor – was the first truck to reach the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak.
3. If GMC was a standalone manufacturer, it would be the tenth-largest automaker in the United States in terms of total vehicle sales from January to November of 2011.
4. GMC built some of the world’s earliest electric vehicles from 1912-1917. These trucks had single-digit model names, each denoting load capacity, from one-half-ton to 12 tons.
5. GMC’s luxury-focused Denali trim level currently outsells the entire product lines of some premium automakers, including Land Rover, Jaguar, and Porsche.
6. GMC was tasked with engineering and production of the 1936 Parade of Progress vans and the 1941 Futurliners, which toured the country carrying mobile road shows.
7. Today, GMC and the Denali trim level are among the fastest-growing nameplates in the U.S. with respective sales increases of 22 percent and 91 percent year over year.
8. During World War II, GMC manufactured approximately 584,000 military vehicles, including the CCKW-353 “Deuce-and-a-Half” and the amphibious “Duck.”
9. The GMC Sierra – the brand’s top selling model – outsold the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan combined, with 40,000 sales to spare, through the first 11 months of 2011.
10. From 1973-1978, GMC produced motorhomes in 23- and 26-foot lengths. They appeared in Bill Murray’s 1981 movie, Stripes and the 1996 blockbuster, Twister.

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What makes a GMC a GMC? Check this interview with Jeff Perkins, as he recounts the heart and soul he and his team put in to every detail of the GMC line.

2012 Buick Verano Cures the Wintertime Blues

DETROIT – With the depths of winter weather approaching, the Farmer’s Almanac predicts lower-than-normal temperatures chilling New England, the Midwest, and the Southwest. For many drivers that means frigid upholstery, icy windows, and the fear of being let stranded on a snowy roadside.

Inside the 2012 Buick Verano, the forecast calls for safe, comfortable driving.

Buick’s new newest luxury sedan offers stay-warm features generally reserved for more expensive vehicles. Its optional heated steering wheel, for example, isn’t available in a Lexus IS250, Acura TSX, Infiniti G25, or Audi A3.

Customers have noticed. Karen Schindler, who bought her Verano at Dave Sinclair Buick in St. Louis, described the heated steering wheel as a “big surprise,” adding that she “really loves it” and that it gives Verano “great value for the price.”

Leather-equipped Veranos also come standard with heated front seats that warm automatically via remote start when the ambient temperature is below 45 degrees. The key fob-controlled starting feature standard on every Verano also activates the car’s climate control, rear defroster, and optional heated side mirrors.

“We wanted to go the extra mile to give Verano that ‘wow’ factor,” said product manager Michael Danowski. “Everyone has heated seats, but no one in the segment has a heated steering wheel or our remote start and automatic-warming features. If you park outside in the winter like me, you’ll start wondering how you ever lived without them.”

The six months of free OnStar service included with every Verano extends remote start capability for smartphone users. The RemoteLink app – offered at no cost for compatible Apple and Android phones -- allows the car to be started, locked, or unlocked from beyond the key fob’s 200-foot range. The app can also be used to pre-load a turn-by-turn navigation destination or check engine oil life and tire pressures.

OnStar subscribers are also protected by Automatic Crash Response and roadside assistance. A reliable link to these services can prove invaluable during a winter storm.

Snowfall is expected to be above normal this year for most of the country. Verano comes standard with StabiliTrak electronic stability control, which can apply braking at each individual wheel to keep the car on its intended course. Additionally, standard Bluetooth and steering wheel-mounted radio controls keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Safety systems like these, plus 10 standard air bags, helped Verano  be named an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2012. Every Buick model sold today is a Top Safety Pick.

The 2012 Buick Verano is available at dealerships now with a suggested starting price of $23,470.

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Buick Verano Earns IIHS 2012 Top Safety Pick

DETROIT – The all-new Buick Verano, with its 10 standard air bags, is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick for 2012, and completes a sweep of Buick cars and crossovers earning the designation.

General Motors is among industry leaders with a total of 14 IIHS 2012 Top Safety Picks, including 13 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award and were carried over to 2012 because their structure is substantially the same as the institute tested for 2011.

“GM set a goal that every new product would be designed to meet or exceed the third-party metrics that IIHS and others use to communicate crash worthiness to consumers,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “We are now seeing the results from that commitment.”

In addition to the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave, 2011 carryover winners included the Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt, Equinox, Malibu and Traverse; the Cadillac CTS (sedan) and SRX, and GMC Terrain and Acadia.

The IIHS tests vehicles to determine how well they protect occupants in front and side crash tests, in rollovers via a roof strength test, and simulated rear impacts to evaluate seat and head restraints for protection against neck injuries. The Verano achieved a “good” score in all four types of tests performed and has standard electronic stability control, which the IIHS requires for Top Safety Pick designation.

The Verano is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in the event a crash occurs. Standard safety features include:

• Ten air bags: Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal and seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax air bags; rear outboard seat-mounted side-impact airbags; head curtain side air bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear seating rows; driver and front passenger knee air bags.
• Rollover sensors which can activate the head curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection.
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.
• Disc brakes with ABS to provide sure stops and full-function traction control to make the most of available traction in adverse weather conditions.
• Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision
• Collapsible pedal system which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries.
• OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash that deploys the air bags.
• Strong body structure to absorb crash energy and provide a protective “safety cage” around occupants. More than 60 percent of the body structure is composed of advanced steels.

“Safety is a top priority in Buick’s product renaissance as evidenced by earning these accolades from IIHS on every model,” Kent said. “Our customers can have confidence in the safety performance of every Buick for sale today.”

 

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Buick Ecotec 2.0L Turbo named among WardsAuto 10 Best Engines

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While Buick, a division of General Motors company (NYSE: GM) is more often known as a modern luxury brand, offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors with thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance, the engine award from WardsAuto World returns Buick to the world of engine power performance, albeit in a smaller displacement than in the past.

Just look at the power-to-displacement ratio. According to the GM news release, the Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s 270 horsepower is the highest specific output of any GM production engine, and at 135 hp per liter, is the most power-dense engine certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

“The turbocharged Ecotec 2.0L belongs on the list this year because it makes an outrageous 135 hp per liter in the Regal GS, and it’s a blast to drive,” said WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter. “This engine delivers a level of power and sophistication that redefines Buick.”

The Regal GS achieves 0-60 mph in less than 6.7 seconds and runs the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 98 mph. It also recently claimed victory in the 120-mph Grand Touring class at the Silver State Classic Challenge open road rally, with only a .019 deviation from a perfect time. A variation of the same engine powers the Regal Turbo.

For the record, Ward’s reviewed 35 engines from 15 automakers in this year’s competition. Winners were chosen based on several factors, including power; noise, vibration and harshness; fuel efficiency; new technology; and comparative data for similar engines.

The Ecotec 2.0L turbo engine includes the latest in technology combinations, whereby the turbo engine is an all-aluminum, dual overhead cam, four-valve design with forged steel connecting rods. The A356 aluminum cylinder head is cast using a rotocast process for high strength, reduced machining and improved port flow. The exhaust valves have sodium-filled stems that promote valve cooling.

"Our continuously variable valve timing is tuned to work in tandem with direct injection and twin scroll turbocharging to achieve optimum fuel economy, lower emissions, and instant performance when needed,” said Mike Anderson, global chief engineer for Ecotec engines. “Having 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque available over a wide range of engine speeds makes for a very exciting driving experience.”

An advanced, electronically controlled turbocharger uses a twin-scroll design to increase power. Each of two scrolls on the turbine is fed by a separate exhaust passage – one from cylinders one and four, the other from cylinders two and three – to virtually eliminates turbo lag at low engine speeds, giving the engine immediate throttle response associated with a naturally aspirated high-performance engine.

Based on the recent acquisition of Controlled Power Technologies by Valeo (Read: Valeo acquires electric superchargers technology business of Controlled Power Technologies , be apprised that Buick’s present turbo technology will likely be challenged in the near future with electric-powered superchargers, which virtually eliminate the lag at low speeds, as well as the inrush of power that standard and modified turbos often exhibit.

An a vehicle note, the GS is equipped with Brembo four-piston front-caliper brakes, a HiPer Strut front suspension system, six-speed manual transmission, driver-adjustable suspension and steering settings, and 19-inch standard and 20-inch optional alloy wheels.

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Terrain and Acadia Continue to Attract New GMC Customers

DETROIT – For the third consecutive time since the GMC Terrain debuted in 2009, the smaller SUV is on track to end the year with more than half its sales coming from brands outside General Motors. And more than one in five is coming from import car and truck brands including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

The GMC Acadia also continues to attract new customers to the brand. Like Terrain, Acadia is on track to count more than half of its owners from outside GM in 2011, continuing a four-year trend for the full-size crossover.   

Acadia has the lowest cost of ownership in its segment, according to ALG, which tracks residual values, or how much a vehicle is expected to be worth after a certain number of years. Through November, total Acadia sales were up 18.6 percent year to date.

New in the 2012 GMC Terrain is the industry’s first crash avoidance system that exclusively uses a single camera to help drivers avoid front-end collisions. This technology is coupled with lane-departure warning for $295. Starting in Spring 2012, GMC’s new Intellilink infotainment system will be an option. Terrain sales were up 47.3 percent through November.

“Acadia and Terrain are industry leaders in both design and technology,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC Sales and Service. “Consumers are taking notice, as evidenced by each model’s sales increases through the first 11 months of 2011.” 

After being redesigned for the 2011 model year, Sierra HD pickups are also ending their first full calendar year on a high note. Total sales were up 30.7 percent in November, and retail sales of ¾-ton extended-cab models were up 74.2 percent.

Retail sales of all Sierra pickups – ½ ton, ¾ ton and one ton – were up a combined 22.4 percent in November.

Like GMC’s full-size pickups, the Yukon and Yukon XL full-size luxury SUVs had a strong month, with retail sales up 25.7 percent and 27.7 percent, respectively, year over year.

All of these vehicles helped GMC increase its retail sales by 19.1 percent – the 26^th consecutive month of retail sales gains. Total sales for November were up 6.8 percent and total sales for the first 11 months of 2011 are up 21.6 percent compared with the same period last year. 

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2012 LaCrosse With eAssist is Ready for Holiday Hauling

DETROIT – Whether hauling gifts for the family or the family itself, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist fuel-saving technology comes standard with the space and versatility required to successfully navigate the holiday season.

Now at dealers, Buick’s newest large luxury sedan delivers segment-leading highway fuel economy and more rear-seat leg room and cargo-carrying flexibility than most of its competitors – all while accommodating an electric assist power pack.

The new LaCrosse offers a 60/40 fold-down rear seat that allows pass-through between the trunk and passenger compartment on the wider side to accommodate items like a snowboard or even a small Christmas tree. Comparable hybrid sedans made by Lexus, Infiniti, and Lincoln do not have fold-down rear seats.

Vehicle	Rear Leg Room
2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist	40.5 inches
2011 Lexus GS450h	36.4 inches
2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid	36.7 inches
2012 Infiniti M45h	36.2 inches

In addition, LaCrosse with eAssist offers 40.5 inches of rear-seat leg room, as much as six inches more than its luxury hybrid and conventional powertrain competitors, and the same rear-seat roominess as the 2011 LaCrosse.

As far as Buick’s experts know, competitive gift-hauling vehicles from the North Pole don’t offer a rear seat at all.

“LaCrosse with eAssist is a no-compromise, high-mileage luxury sedan in more ways than one,” said Doug Osterhoff, LaCrosse product marketing manager. “Not only does the eAssist system enable outstanding fuel economy, the compact size of its battery helps maintain a spacious interior and enables owners to carry luggage and wrapped boxes in style.”

LaCrosse’s usefulness doesn’t end once the holidays are over. Though trunk space was slightly reduced to accommodate the eAssist power pack, it offers 11.7 cubic feet (331 liters) of storage – more than enough for two large golf bags or two sets of skis with the seat folded down. Buick market research shows that more than one in four LaCrosse owners participates in gear-intensive activities such as golfing and skiing.

The eAssist system is the standard powertrain for the new LaCrosse. It uses a 115V lithium-ion battery pack to store energy captured during regenerative braking. This energy is used to power a 15-kW electric motor-generator and to provide electricity to all of LaCrosse’s electrical systems when fuel is cut off during auto stop mode, or to provide added torque during acceleration. LaCrosse delivers an EPA-rated and segment-leading 36 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in city driving – up to 25 percent better than the previous model.

The eAssist’s battery pack, which has a warranty of eight years, was subjected to extensive environmental and mechanical validation testing equivalent to 225,000 miles of four-season driving. Battery cell temperature is constantly monitored and managed by an onboard computer to extend cell life and optimize performance. Its cooling fan is calibrated to vehicle speed to help maintain LaCrosse’s library-quiet interior.

“The eAssist power pack was carefully designed and integrated into LaCrosse to be as unobtrusive and unnoticeable in operation as possible,” said Sheri Hickok, LaCrosse chief engineer. The only thing LaCrosse with eAssist drivers are likely to notice is how much gas they’re saving while enjoying the driving performance, quiet interior, or ride and handling they’ve come to expect from Buick.”

 

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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