Buick Picks its Top 11 Since 1903

Buick is celebrating its 110th birthday by selecting 11 automotive highlights from its long history.

It may sound hard to believe for some at first, but Buick has been in the car-building business for 110 years. Despite being a successful money-making brand today, the first Buick was hand-built in a small barn behind founder David Dunbar Buick’s home in Detroit, Michigan, way back in 1903. To mark the historic occasion, the American automaker has chosen 11 of what it feels are its most important and game-changing models - one for each decade it's been in business - in this nice photo montage.





Some of those chosen models include the 1904 Model B, the 1936 Century (which was the first Buick to top 100 mph), the 1963 Riviera, the 1987 GNX and the 1938 Y-Job, which Buick claims to be the world’s first concept car and was styled by legendary designer Harvey Earl.


























Source: carbuzz.com

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Vehicle Maintenance: Infographic

The Ultimate Corvette Garage

Corevette signs, Corvette photos, Corvette gas pumps and of course... Corvettes. This really is the ultimate Vette garage.

Bob Brown Buick GMC | The Next Big Thing In Luxury

The next big thing in luxury is small.

Buick Riviera Concept Vehicle Makes Global Debut

The Shanghai Motor Show has been turning out some astonishing vehicles, and the new Buick Riviera concept is no exception. This car is definitely “not your father’s Buick.” The new Buick Riviera will start a new chapter for the 110-year-old Buick brand.



Equipped with avant-garde aesthetics, advanced technology, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion — in a single package — this concept very well could rebrand Buick for the next century. Although GM’s car of the future is being developed in Shanghai, we hope there is still a chance this will hit America.



An old Chinese saying — “the greatest good is like water” — helped inspire the elegant design. The Buick Riviera mimics the dynamic nature of water as it goes from thick to thin, and has an athletic shape, while expressing a sense of ambience that can be felt from a flowing river.

“Riviera is a design study of the future expression of Buick design with its elegant athletic shape, sculptural beauty, and precision execution,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “It is a great opportunity to share Buick’s future design language and technology strategy.”

One of the key signature attributes of Buick’s future designs will be the waterfall grille and wing-shaped daytime running lights. The new Buick Riviera will also contain BIP (Buick Intelligent Performance) technology. It is equipped with GM’s all-new, dual-mode W-PHEV (wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) propulsion system.



The user can drive the car on green power in electric mode and enjoy the exhilarating handling and performance of a sports car while driving “green” in hybrid mode.

The owner will have two options on recharging her or his vehicle — with either a traditional cable, or wirelessly via a sensory recharge panel on the car’s chassis. The charging port is integrated into Buick’s iconic porthole design.



The Buick Riviera will have intelligent four-wheel steering, with electromagnetic-controlled suspension and an air spring package to ensure comfort and handling in extreme conditions.



Some of the other key features that were made available in the press release include:


The innovative mobile Internet system adopted in the new Riviera supports high-speed 4G LTE network use. The concept vehicle offers real-time traffic information, weather updates, and news and entertainment while communicating with other vehicles. The vehicle’s voice commands and controls along with touch and gesture recognition activate a range of vehicle systems and enable seamless interaction between driver and vehicle.



The new Buick Riviera employs a forward-looking active safety system that collects traffic information through 10 high-resolution cameras (for image monitoring) and 18 micro high-precision sensors (for distance monitoring). The information is integrated and presented in a holographic image onto the windshield.



With the intelligent driver assist system, its astonishing the features included to improve safety and security. The system incorporates everything from an “eagle view record system” to a rear cross-traffic alert system. This is definitely a new look for Buick, and so far – I’m loving it!
 
Source: cleantechnica.com

"Green" Auto Tips Not Just for Earth Day

When it comes to celebrating Earth Day and helping the environment, vehicle owners and drives should not feel left out. By changing a few habits, motorists can do their part in helping the environment, say the experts at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

ASE recommends regular vehicle maintenance and better driving habits as two easy-to-implement strategies. What’s more, better automotive habits will help your vehicle last longer and command a better resale price.

The following tips from ASE can put you on the road to environmentally conscious car care:

• Keep the engine running at peak performance—a misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent. Replace filters and fluids as recommended in the manual.
• Today’s vehicles have much cleaner tailpipe emissions that they did thirty years ago. But a poorly running engine or faulty exhaust system will cause your vehicle to pollute much more than it would otherwise. Don’t ignore that ‘Service Engine’ light.
• Keep tires properly inflated and aligned to reduce the engine’s effort and, thus, gasoline consumption. What’s more, your tires will last longer too, saving you money and easing the burden at recycling centers.
• Have your vehicle’s air conditioner serviced only by a technician certified to handle and recycle refrigerants. Older air conditioners contain ozone-depleting chemicals, which could be released into the atmosphere through improper service.
• Avoid speeding and sudden accelerations; both habits guzzle gas. When waiting for friends or family, shut off the engine. Consolidate daily errands to eliminate unnecessary driving.
• Remove excess items from the vehicle, since less weight means better mileage. Remove that roof-top luggage carrier after vacations to reduce air drag.
• If you do your own repairs, properly dispose of engine fluids and batteries. Some repair facilities accept these items. Or call your local government. Remember too that improperly disposed fluids such as anti-freeze can harm pets and wildlife.

Source: carcarenewsservice.org

Bob Brown Buick GMC | 5 Star Review on Cars.com

  Jan Des Moines, Iowa Apr 17, 2013

It's always a pleasure to have my car serviced at Bob Brown Buick. The staff is always courteous and knowledgeable and keep me informed promptly on any issue and go out of their way in considering my needs first.

Experience Buick with Shaq

If you don't know the stylish and luxurious LaCrosse, you don't know Buick.

This Design Element Will Adorn All Buicks, Now And Into The Future

Most luxury car manufacturers have established a signature light design element in their headlamps: for instance, Audi is famous for its classy LED eye brows, Cadillac has pioneered the sharp and prominent vertical LED light strips, and BMW has its legendary angel eyes. Not to be left out of the cool LED lighting club, Buick has a unique headlamp design element of its own that it calls the “Wing”.

In some way, shape, or form, the Wing has been present on existing models such as the Verano, Enclave, and Encore — but the 2014 LaCrosse and Regal have really brought the design element into the spotlight. On the refreshed LaCrosse, for instance, the Wing serves as the LED-based daytime running light, stretching horizontally (across the top) and then vertically (down the side) across the headlamp cluster, all while wrapping the main HID jewel lamp.

According to exterior director of Buick design Phil Zak, the Wing accentuates the LaCrosse’s wide and planted stance, and will be consistently used across the Buick lineup going forward.

We find the Wing elegant, classy, and distinctive. What’s your take on the Wing?

Bob Brown Buick GMC | 5 Star Review on Edmunds

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Bob Brown Buick GMC | 5 Star Review on Cars.com

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Bob Brown Buick GMC | 1958 Buick Commercial

"It's fresh, it's new, it's what I've been looking for!"

While it may no longer by fresh and new, there's still something to admire about the 1958 Airborne Buick.

Turbo makes a spirited Buick Verano

 

The 2013 Buick Verano Turbo is a stealth car. It looks pretty and rides comfortably. But stomp on the accelerator and this newest Verano sedan takes off.

A full 250 horses come out of the turbocharged four cylinder under the hood, which is a whopping 70 horsepower more than the Verano with its regular engine, a naturally aspirated four cylinder.

Peak torque from the turbo is a healthy 260 foot-pounds and comes on at a low 2,000 rpm compared with 171 foot-pounds of torque at 4,900 rpm in a Verano with non-turbo four cylinder.

And, Buick offers a six-speed manual transmission as a no-cost option with the turbo. A six-speed automatic also is available and is expected to be the most popular transmission.

The new-for-2013 Turbo version of Verano isn’t just a Buick sport statement. After all, Buick already has a Regal GS sedan with the same 2-liter, Ecotec, turbocharged four cylinder that the Verano gets this year.

Rather, the turbo is a welcome alternative to compact sedan buyers who want more zip in their driving than the Verano’s base, 180-horsepower engine can provide.

Just be aware that the Verano Turbo has the lowest government mileage ratings and the highest starting retail price of all Veranos.

Specifically, the federal government fuel economy ratings for the Verano Turbo are 20 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway. The test car, with manual transmission and the vast majority of driving done in city traffic conditions, averaged just 20.6 mpg. This is akin to the government fuel economy rating of 20 mpg in city driving for a 2013 Ford Explorer with six-cylinder engine and two-wheel drive.

Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a front-wheel drive, 2013 Verano Turbo is $30,000. This is with the manual or automatic transmission. In comparison, the starting retail price for a base, 2013 Verano with base engine and automatic transmission is $23,975.

But the base Verano doesn’t include all the standard features, such as leather-trimmed seats, premium Bose sound system with nine speakers, push-button start, power adjustable driver’s seat, heated steering wheel and side, blind-spot monitor, that are found on the Verano Turbo.Competitors in the premium compact sedan segment include the 2013 Acura ILX, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge of $26,795 with 150-horsepower four cylinder and $30,095 with 201-horsepower four cylinder and six-speed manual. The government estimates the 201-horsepower, front-wheel drive ILX gets 22/31 mpg. Premium unleaded gasoline is recommended but not required for both the ILX and Verano Turbo.

Source: delmarvanow.com

Buick Draws Younger Buyers With Regal Sedan, Which Improves For 2014

Buick has gone from a has-been maker of frumpy cars for retirees to a legitimate rival of premium imports in less than a decade.

The average age of Buick buyers has dropped to 57, from 64 five years ago. “And that’s as the average age for the industry is going up,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of marketing for Buick and GMC, during an interview in Manhattan after the unveiling of the 2014 LaCrosse and Regal. The two revised sedans were revealed at a press event ahead of their public debut at the New York International Auto Show.

The Regal, a German-engineered sport sedan from General Motors‘ European Opel brand, is largely responsible for Buick’s more youthful appeal. Its buyers are the youngest in the brand’s small portfolio, with an average age of 43, DiSalle said. Even more telling, almost half of the Regal’s buyers come from import brands. Overall Buick sales are up 20 percent through February, compared with the same period last year.

The 2014 Buick Regal, which goes on sale in the fall, gets minor improvements that will help it better compete with key competitors from Asian and German automakers. The most notable changes are updates to its four-cylinder turbocharged engine, IntelliLink user interface, and the addition of all-wheel drive as an option.

Turbocharged engines are all the rage now because they allow automakers to downsize in pursuit of better efficiency without making a car feel wimpy. The turbocharged four-cylinder in the current Buick Regal has a lot of power, but it lacks the punch of other engines from rivals such as Audi/Volkswagen. With its revised turbo four-cylinder, the Regal delivers more power through a broader range of speeds, Buick says.

In the mid-level Turbo model, the new engine offers 18 percent more power than the engine it replaces, for a total of 259 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. But interestingly, the new engine represents a slight downgrade—at least on paper—for the Regal GS: it makes 11 hp less than the engine in the top-of-the-line 2013 Regal GS.

Car enthusiasts often overemphasize such specs. How the numbers translate to driving in the real world is a different matter. In that regard, Buick is confident the new turbocharged engine will make a difference for the better, not only feeling more powerful and responsive, but also offering less friction for better efficiency and smoother operation. Fuel-economy estimates have not yet been announced.

The turbocharged engine comes standard on the Regal Turbo and Regal GS, the latter of which has sportier styling and enhanced steering, suspension and braking systems. The GS even offers a six-speed manual transmission, a feature favored by many import sedan buyers that is often lacking on American cars.

The Regal’s base engine is now the turbocharged four-cylinder, Buick says. An optional four-cylinder engine, which was previously the base engine, incorporates GM’s eAssist “mild-hybrid” system, so called because it isn’t as fancy or complicated as full hybrid systems like those in the Chevrolet Volt or Toyota Prius.

The other big news for the 2014 Buick Regal is its revised IntelliLink user interface. It features a larger touchscreen with higher resolution. It also adds swipe and drag capability like on a tablet or smartphone. More importantly, it simplifies the dizzying array of controls on the center console, reducing the number of audio buttons from 17 to seven, for example. A new steering wheel also includes revised controls for audio and other functions.

The layout looks clean, user-friendly and easier to navigate than Cadillac’s rather fussy CUE interface. We’ll see how it stacks up in the real world.

Styling tweaks for the 2014 Buick Regal are minor. One notable change is the LEDs in the headlights and taillights—a flashy feature that is fast becoming a requirement on premium cars these days. The interior also gets subtle changes in trim and upgraded materials. 



Buick offers new two-tone interior treatments in the Regal for 2014, including the saddle brown leather and wood pictured here. The instrument panel also gains a small, color digital display. (Credit: Buick)

The optional all-wheel-drive system distributes power between left and right wheels, in addition to front and rear wheels. This not only helps maintain traction in slippery situations, but also gives better grip during spirited driving, even when road conditions are good.

The 2014 Buick Regal gets the latest arsenal of accident detection and avoidance systems, but with a new twist: Lane-Change Alert detects fast approaching vehicles in the next lane.

The Regal’s larger brother, the LaCrosse gets many similar updates for 2014, including the new IntelliLink system, enhanced all-wheel-drive and new safety features. The styling has also been spruced up a bit.

Buick is wedged right between GM’s mass-market Chevrolet brand and upscale Cadillac. The current Buick Regal is priced several thousand dollars below the Cadillac ATS, but a loaded top-of-the-line GS version easily pushes into the Caddie’s territory.

However, the two remain distinct vehicles designed to appeal to different tastes. The one important thing they do have in common is that both are helping to elevate brands that have been stale and struggling for years.

Source: Forbes.com