All-new 2012 Buick Verano

GMC Sierra HD Has Résumé for Any Plowing Job

DETROIT – With the white stuff finally falling on cities used to snow-covered roads earlier in the winter, plow-equipped trucks that make up a $20 billion annual industry are coming out to play. Only the GMC Sierra HD pickup offers the flexibility of an adjustable torsion bar front suspension as part of the industry’s most-comprehensive plow prep package.

“For plow operators, our torsion bar independent front suspension is a major differentiator,” said Sierra ride and handling engineer Chris Bither. “Our competitors’ beam axles can’t match it for traction on uneven surfaces and axle hop reduction.”

Front axle loads of all types were a major consideration when engineers set out to design the current generation of Sierra HD pickups, including 2500 three-quarter-ton and 3500 1-ton  models. Torsion bars can be adjusted with a single wrench in just minutes to provide proper wheel alignment when the weight of a plow – as much as 1,000 pounds – is added to the front of the vehicle.

At the rear of the truck, 3-inch-wide asymmetric leaf springs are designed to deliver strong traction and support heavy loads like salt-spreading equipment.

All four-wheel-drive Sierra HDs are available with an optional plow prep package, which includes 10-amp power for back-up and roof emergency lights, a heavy-duty 160-amp alternator (or dual 125-amp units for diesel models), a high-flow front bumper, a forward wiring harness, a trailer brake wiring harness, a skid plate, and a high capacity air cleaner with auxiliary transmission oil cooler, all covered under GMC’s standard warranty.

By contrast, a prep package for the Ford Super Duty offers an uprated alternator and heavy duty springs. The Ram’s package includes 180-amp alternator and a skid plate. GMC offers   the only plow prep package for light-duty pickups.

“Even the smaller details of Sierra were designed with plowing in mind,” added Bither, “Our optional 17- and 18-inch all-terrain tires were developed for excellent snow traction.” All-terrain tires are available for most Sierra models as a $200 option.

Designing Sierra for serious work didn’t come at the expense of handling and comfort.

 “Our new trucks hold a plow and sander with very little sag at the wheels,” said Andy Ryder, who owns JAMS Lawn Care in Bangor, Maine, and uses only Sierra HDs in his fleet.  “But Sierra’s seat comfort, ride, and handling are what keep us happy. And the power and performance when plowing is awesome.”

Whether equipped with a Duramax 6.6L turbodiesel or a 6.0L gasoline V-8 engine, all four-wheel-drive Sierra HD pickups are rated to handle commercial-size straight and V-type plows, where Sierra 1500 models are recommended for use with personal straight blade plows up to 7.5 feet in width.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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The Good Guys Drive GMCs in Hollywood

DETROIT – Whether or not The Help wins Best Picture when the stars gather in Hollywood this weekend, car lovers will remember the film for its cast of classic American metal, including a faded green 1948 GMC pickup truck. It’s the latest in a long history of GMC trucks cast on the silver screen.

Quite often, GMC has been the go-to brand when Hollywood actors need to save the day. Here are some of the memorable moments from recent decades:

• For a brief period in the 1970s, GMC produced motorhomes in 23- and 26-foot lengths. Examples of them took notable roles in Bill Murray’s 1981 comedy, Stripes, as well as in the 1996 blockbuster, Twister.
• In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, one-ton GMC pickups had great on-screen opportunities to prove their capability. One helped actor Mel Gibson rip a criminal’s house from its foundation in the 1989 action movie Lethal Weapon 2, while another towed a killer whale to freedom in 1993’s Free Willy.
• Before Arnold Schwarzenegger traded up to a fighter jet in the 1994 action movie True Lies, he could be seen keeping a low profile as a secret government agent driving around with his partner, played by Tom Arnold, in a 1993 GMC Jimmy.
• In 1995’s The Bridges of Madison County, star character Robert Kincaid, played by Clint Eastwood, has a 1960 GMC pickup as his photography work truck. Supposedly, the actor still has the truck and keeps it on display at his Carmel, Calif. hotel.
• GMC Yukon and Yukon XL (formerly Suburban) full-size SUVs are a frequent choice of Hollywood law enforcement agents. One helps Keanu Reeves on and off a speeding bus in 1994’s Speed, while multiple others race around Chicago in 1998’s The Negotiator.
• Actor Tommy Lee Jones in particular has spent considerable time making the world safer while driving Yukons. He drove them in 1997’s Volcano and the 1998 follow-up to The Fugitive, U.S. Marshals.
• 2005’s Brokeback Mountain won awards for Best Director and Best Writing, and was nominated for Best Picture. Stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal drove a number of trucks in the film, including GMCs from 1950 and 1955.
• GMC returned to saving the world in 2007, when a GMC Topkick played the role of Ironhide in the action blockbuster, Transformers. Government agents supported the heroic Autobots in a fleet of black GMC Yukons.
• In 2010, GMC’s full-size SUV finally got a lighter role when a Yukon Denali escorted the cast of Hot Tub Time Machine to a ski lodge, where they later traveled decades into the past.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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Buick Encore Packs Big Storage in Small Footprint

DETROIT – When the Buick Encore small luxury crossover goes on sale in early 2013, it will define a new market segment in the United States. But small doesn’t mean cramped when it comes to storage.

“Regardless of a vehicle’s size, Buick has a standard for what items must fit, from iPods and smartphones, to umbrellas and much larger items like handbags,” said chief engineer Jim Danahy. “With Encore, we used every space available, big or small, in a visually pleasing and useful way.”

Encore offers eight beverage holders, storage in all four doors, four different bins in the dash, pockets in the seatbacks, an available bin beneath the front passenger seat, and even bins under the rear load floor around the spare tire.

This holistic approach maximized traditional cargo space concerns and the ever-growing need to stow small gadgets. Deep pockets in each front door can hold a one-liter beverage, along with a book or tablet computer, plus a smaller item like an iPod or portable video game system like a 3DS.

Because valuable electronics are often left in vehicles, the Encore’s dashboard features multiple spaces that hide such items behind closed doors. A Bluetooth-connected smartphone can be stored in a small flip-down compartment to the left of the steering wheel, while larger items can be divided between individual upper and lower glove boxes.

Additional storage space for front passengers includes a cubby in front of the gear selector, which houses a 12-volt plug and USB jack. Moving rearward along the console, two cupholders sit ahead of a storage compartment with a retractable lid. 

Encore’s rear doors can hold half-liter bottles, while a fold-down rear armrest offers two cupholders and additional storage space.

Buick benchmarked the Encore’s rear cargo space against leading international competitors:

 

	Rear Seat in Place	Rear Seat Folded
Buick Encore	18.8 cu. ft. / 533 liters	48.4 cu. ft. / 1,372 liters
BMW X1	16.9 cu. ft. / 480 liters	47.4 cu. ft. / 1,350 liters
Audi Q3	16.2 cu. ft. / 460 liters	48.2 cu. ft. / 1,365 liters

 

With the rear seats in place, there’s space for six large grocery bags or the gear necessary for a quick overnight trip. For longer vacations and more luggage, either or both sides of the 60/40 folding rear seat can be lowered, and the front passenger seat folds flat to handle long boards for a home do-it-yourself project or bulky sports equipment like skis or a surfboard.

Encore also has plenty of room for people and compares favorably to some much larger competitors. Compared to the 2012 Acura RDX and Lexus RX350, respectively, Encore offers 1.2 and 2.0 more inches or rear passenger legroom. It also offers more front and rear headroom than either of those vehicles.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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You Don’t Have to Upsize to Upgrade!

Experience the all-new thoughtfully designed Buick Verano.

Thoughtful design is all about you. How you live. How you drive. That’s why we created a vehicle that doesn’t just fit into your life, but it feels like an extension of it.

Verano highlights:

-          The only car in its class to offer a standard 7-ince hi-resolution color-match radio display with IntelliLink technology.

-          Verano offers an available Heated Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel – a feature you won’t find on Acura TSX, Infiniti G-Series Sedan or Lexus IS 250

-          Verano features 10 standard airbags

-          Verano was named a 2012 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

-          Stunning 18-inch alloy wheels add to Verano’s sophisticated look

-          Standard remote vehicle starter system. Pair with on OnStar Remotelink app and you can not only start your vehicle, but lock and unlock your doors from almost anywhere.

GMC IntelliLink Helps Drivers Get Connected

DETROIT – The 2012 GMC Terrain smaller SUV’s standard Color Touch Radio is now available with IntelliLink, which provides smartphone connectivity and voice activated control of the audio system.  Simple commands initiate a phone call, change a station, stream internet radio, and even control an iPod.

IntelliLink’s interface is designed to be used with two hands on the wheel as often as possible, and its layout was created with specific emphasis on minimizing distractions. Here are some other important things to know about the system:

• Like most smartphones, the IntelliLink homescreen is configurable. An array of icons for phone, radio, and other functions mimics the displays of popular mobile devices, and each icon can be shifted or removed, based on the driver’s needs and wants.
• IntelliLink has icons for popular internet radio providers Pandora and Stitcher for Bluetooth streaming through a smartphone, Pandora listeners can give a song a “thumbs-up” or “thumbs-down” through Terrain’s seven-inch touchscreen.
• Most of IntelliLink’s features can be controlled through a hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance. Drivers can place a phone call, play an artist, or tune to a radio station without their eyes leaving the road.
• An MP3 player isn’t required to play music through Intellilink. Owners can bring their music collections into the car by plugging a USB flash drive into a port in the center console.
• Album art and artist information for songs playing from a device are displayed on Terrain’s color touch screen. The Gracenote data that allows this also makes voice activation more conversational, identifying nicknames like “The Boss” or “The Stones.”

GMC’s implementation of the Gracenote media database includes a piece of exclusive, patent-pending technology, according to General Motors lead engineer Tony Kraatz.

“Gracenote is typically limited to devices plugged in to the USB port,” he said. “With IntelliLink, we are the first company to run Bluetooth streaming audio through the Gracenote database to display album art for music players connected wirelessly.”

“About 70 percent of all new car buyers want some form of connectivity,” said Micky Bly, executive director leading GM’s infotainment engineering efforts, citing GM research. “Whether it’s because they want to listen to their favorite music or hear movie times on the way to the theater, today’s car buyer expects so much more out of their time in a car.”

The GMC Terrain talks with smartphones in other ways than just IntelliLink. With the OnStar RemoteLink app available for iPhone and Android, drivers can use their phones to lock and unlock doors or check fuel and tire pressure levels. On models equipped with remote start, the app can also start the engine from anywhere a cell phone signal is present.

IntelliLink is available now for the 2012 GMC Terrain SLT-2 V-6 and is coming soon to all SLT models. Last week, GMC debuted IntelliLink connectivity for the redesigned 2013 Acadia and Acadia Denali, on sale in late 2012.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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Treat Your Date to a Verano Valentine’s Day

DETROIT – A successful Valentine’s Day is more than red roses, milk chocolate and a romantic dinner. The 2012 Buick Verano luxury sedan can be the perfect way to start the night off right.

Nerves can be the enemy of good impressions, so the Verano is packed with features to put both the driver and passenger at ease. That starts with the seats, which were subjected to more than 1,000 hours of comfort development.

Even if things do get tense on your Verano date, the seats are designed to prevent uncomfortable pressure points that sometimes develop during long drives. Equal attention was paid to ergonomics, resulting in headrests shaped to comfortably accommodate ponytails. So there’s no vehicular excuse to avoid that first kiss.

Buick’s QuietTuning technology creates an intimate atmosphere within Verano’s four doors where more than a dozen different noise-reducing and noise-cancelling technologies are at work. Whispering sweet nothings like “You can order an expensive glass of wine tonight because I get 32 highway mpg” can be easily heard, though maybe not recommended.

If talk is cheap, Verano offers numerous entertainment options with IntelliLink connectivity. Through the standard seven-inch color touchscreen, drivers can control SiriusXM radio, an iPod, or popular smartphone-connected Internet radio apps like Pandora.

Nicole Biggins, soon-to-be-married co-host on SiriusXM Hits1, has a perfect date playlist. “Romantic music is about classics mixed with the unexpected,” Nicole says. “Elvis with the Righteous Brothers., Marvin Gaye is a must, and toss in the Heart power ballad for the right romantic mood when driving with your guy.” SiriusXM’s romantic music channels include SiriusXM Love, Heart and Soul, Siriusly Sinatra and Watercolors.

Pandora allows listeners to create personalized radio stations based on a single song, artist, or genre like “Valentine’s,” which features a dozen custom stations created specifically for Valentine’s Day. If your date doesn’t seem impressed, simply hit the “thumbs-down” button on the screen and the station will play the next song. Last year, Pandora listeners logged more than 170,000 hours of love music on February 14.

Regardless of the source, music can be played through an optional seven-channel, nine-speaker Bose audio system. It is uniquely tailored to Verano’s specific dimensions and quiet-tuned cabin with crystal-like clarity even at low volumes.

Buick IntelliLink offers other features useful on Valentine’s Day, like the ability to display photos (those of past lovers aren’t recommended) from a USB drive or play a romantic movie in the parking lot while waiting for a table. That’s only if the driver hasn’t used the system’s Bluetooth to call ahead.

If a restaurant doesn’t offer valet service, returning to a cold car isn’t a concern. The Buick Verano comes standard with remote start and even automatically activate the available heated seats at temperatures under 45 degrees. A heated steering wheel can warm the hands as amorous feelings warm the heart in your Verano Valentine.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

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2013 Acadia Evolves the Original Three-Row Crossover

CHICAGO – GMC today unveiled the new 2013 Acadia and Acadia Denali at the Chicago Auto Show, highlighting a new exterior and safety features including the industry’s first front center air bag.

Acadia, which launched in 2007 as GMC’s first crossover and defined a segment that has since surged in popularity, had the best sales in its five-year history in 2011. The Denali model, added in mid-2010, broadened Acadia’s appeal to luxury customers with its combination of functionality and style.

“With an award-winning combination of space, capability and fuel-efficiency, Acadia epitomizes GMC’s ‘never say never’ attitude,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing. “For 2013, our engineers and designers applied that same attitude to developing the new Acadia.”

Acadia retains the interior functionality popular with families, including the SmartSlide seating system, which allows easy access to the third row for both seven- and eight-passenger seating configurations. Likewise, both the second and third row still fold flat for class-leading maximum cargo space, including the ability to carry 48-inch-wide sheet goods, such as drywall and plywood.

Confident design

First impressions are everything, and the 2013 Acadia was developed to make a strong one. A chiseled, three-bar grille sits prominently in the new, more upright design.

Diffused LED running lamps lend a premium look to the Acadia and are standard on all models, regardless of whether standard projector beam or optional HID headlamps are selected. New taillamp detailing reflects the advancements up front.

The new Acadia gets other subtle exterior design updates, including wrap-around rear glass and a new rear spoiler. New 18-, 19- and 20-inch wheel patterns complement the vehicle’s lines and stance.

The Acadia’s refined interior uses upgraded soft-touch materials, with French stitching that adds a tailored look and red ambient light flowing across the dashboard. SLT and Denali models get aluminum accents on the center console, doors and dash.

Industry-exclusive safety

The redesigned Acadia will be the first vehicle on the market with GMC’s new front center air bag system, created to protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle. It deploys from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the driver and front passenger.

"While no restraint technology can address all body regions or all potential injuries, the front center air bag is designed to work with the vehicle’s other air bags and safety belts to collectively deliver an even more comprehensive occupant restraint system," said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness.

Standard on the Acadia Denali and available on other models are Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems. These systems use radar to watch spots the driver may not be able to see – and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.

Every Acadia model also comes standard with six months of OnStar’s Directions and Connections service, which includes automatic crash response, turn-by-turn navigation, roadside assistance, emergency services link and remote door unlocking. OnStar’s RemoteLink smartphone app allows for remote vehicle status reports, extended locking and unlocking capability, and remote start functionality to distance limited only by cellular phone service, rather than the few hundred feet of the standard key fob.

Technology leader

The 2013 Acadia’s redesigned infotainment functions feature capacitive touch controls that use electrodes to sense the conductive properties of objects such as the touch of a finger.

GMC’s Color Touch Radio – first introduced on the 2012 Terrain – is standard in the Acadia. Available IntelliLink allows customers to seamlessly integrate their smartphones for hands-free calling through the audio system and Bluetooth streaming of popular internet radio favorites Pandora and Stitcher. IntelliLink also allows voice control of USB-connected iPods for easy access to stored music. 

Other audio system features include HD radio capability, a photo viewer and a standard rear-vision camera with dynamic guide lines that will display on the high-definition screen.

Mechanically, the 2013 Acadia benefits from a next-generation Hydra-Matic 6T70 six-speed automatic transmission with better shift response and improved drivability.

Acadia’s most-popular options, including rear-seat entertainment, a Dual SkyScape sunroof and a trailering package, continue to be available.

Exclusive Denali returns

Acadia’s popular, top-of-the-line Denali trim represents 30 percent of sales, so a high priority was placed on adding premium amenities and refining Denali’s signature design cues. New or redesigned exterior additions include:

• New, three-dimensional polished grille
• Redesigned lower front and rear fascias
• Body-color lower cladding and rocker moldings, rear fascia and fender flares
• Unique body-side moldings with chrome accents and Denali badges
• Dual flow-through chrome exhaust outlets integrated into the rear fascia
• 20-inch machined wheels

Inside, Denali adds standard comfort and safety features, including:

• Perforated leather seating and Denali-specific Cocoa Dune upholstery color
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel with wood inserts and power tilt/telescope
• Aluminum trim accents
• Heated and cooled front seats
• Accent lighting in footwells and lighted sill plates with Denali logo
• Color Touch navigation
• Side Blind Zone and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Dual SkyScape sunroof system, with sliding front sunroof and fixed rear section

“When designing the new Acadia, we considered the contemporary shapes and materials GMC buyers expect from many products they buy,” said Dave Lyon, executive director of design. “The Denali’s attention to detail is the ultimate demonstration of this approach.”

GMC capability

All 2013 GMC Acadia models are powered by a fuel-efficient, 3.6L direct injection V-6 with variable valve timing, producing 288 horsepower (215 kW) and 270 lb-ft (266 Nm) of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard on all trim levels, while the added control of all-wheel drive is available. Maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds (2268 kg).

The 2013 GMC Acadia and Acadia Denali will be built at the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant in Lansing, Mich. Pricing, availability and more details will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date in late 2012.

Courtesy of media.gm.com

2012 GMC Terrain Navigation System & Geocaching

2012 GMC Sierra 1500 Low-Mileage Leasing Special

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Right now, enjoy $299 a month for a 39 month lease, with $2,259 due at signing after all offers. Visit Bob Brown Buick GMC for full details!

Offer excludes Sierra 1500 Hybrid w/3 SA. Tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment extra. Mileage charge of $0.18 /mile over 39,000 miles.

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2013 Buick Encore Preview

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Suddenly we have another crossover catfight. The 2012 Detroit auto show is where Buick unveiled its new contender in a burgeoning segment: the compact, premium crossover.

The 2013 Buick Encore will face off against recently revealed competitors, such as BMW X1 and Audi Q3. The German competitors will arrive here sometime this calendar year; we won’t see the Encore until January 2013.

In the meantime, we can mull over the show car, which is smaller than it looks. At 4,278 mm in length, it’s just a touch shorter than Toyota Matrix (4,365 mm), but a touch longer than Nissan Juke (4,125 mm). With the rear seats folded down, Encore is said to offer 1,365 litres, which betters the seats-down cargo capacities of both German rivals.

Encore is also said to seat five, but it’s a tight three in the back.

The little Buick is based on a version of GM’s Global Small Vehicle (GSV) architecture, also known as Gamma II. This architecture underpins a lot of compact cars all over the world, but most notably Chevrolet Sonic in North America. Lately all the development work for Gamma II vehicles gets done in Korea. Korea is also where North American-market Encores will be built.

As such, you will recognize the Sonic-like powertrain — the Ecotec 1.4L turbo I4 and six-speed automatic transmission.

But it certainly looks like a Buick, both inside and out. The exterior echoes big brother Enclave’s sculpted sheet metal, and features requisite Buick cues, like waterfall grille, chrome accents, and portholes.

Inside you’ll find an IP that flows to the door panels, and a prominent centre stack that houses that a 7-inch LED screen. Among the premium pieces you can order are heated seats and steering wheel, leather, remote start, dual-zone HVAC, Bose sound system, six-way driver seat with lumbar, and voice-activated IntelliLink, which uses Bluetooth or a USB to connect the driver’s Smartphone to the display.

 Courtesy of auto123.com

 

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