Best : 2014 Buick LaCrosse

Buick on Monday revealed its refreshed 2014 LaCrosse sedan featuring new front and rear fascia, a larger and more striking grille, new LED wraparound tail lights and a new interior with more comfortable seats.

General Motors Co. Tuesday in New York City will show the full-size sedan, which has a more modern look and comes with more technology than today's LaCrosse. That's just ahead of press days at the New York International Auto Show.

2014 Buick Lacrosse

2014 Buick Lacrosse

2014 Buick Lacrosse

2014 Buick Lacrosse

2014 Buick Lacrosse

"We evolved the interior and exterior design, increased luxury amenities and materials and enhanced the safety and personal technologies to give customers more reasons than ever to rediscover Buick," Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick marketing, said in a statement.

It's the first exterior and interior refresh for the LaCrosse, which was all-new in 2009.

Inside the cabin, consumers will find more luxurious materials, the next generation IntelliLink infotainment system with natural voice recognition and swiping capability, 10 fewer center stack radio controls and more storage.

New for the 2014 LaCrosse, Buick is offering an Ultra Luxury Interior Package that features sangria-colored seats with ebony accents, suede headliner and pillars, real wood trim and high-end leather.

"The warm color combinations, premium interior materials and advanced technology in the 2014 LaCrosse provide the interior environment our discerning luxury customers are seeking," Ven Lai, creative designer for color and trim at Buick, said in a statement.

The large sedan will hit dealer showrooms this summer. The new version will be sold in China later this year.

U.S. LaCrosse sales have been on the slide, dropping 2.4 percent last year from 2011 and are down 21.9 percent through February compared to the first two months of 2012.

"The large car segment that the Lacrosse is in is a tough one," said Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst for the car shopping website Edmunds.com. "We don't see a lot of growth in that segment."

In February, the large car segment captured just 3.9 percent of the U.S. new car sales market. That compares with an 18 percent market share for the midsize segment last month, according to Edmunds.com.

Globally, GM has sold more than half a million LaCrosse vehicles since its 2009 debut.

There are no powertrain changes for the 2014 LaCrosse. Customers can buy a LaCrosse with a standard, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine featuring eAssist technology or a 3.6-liter V-6. Buick says about 25 percent of LaCrosse sales feature eAssist, which uses a small electric motor and lithium-ion battery to boost fuel economy.

The new LaCrosse is available with loads of technology, such as a lane change alert technology, which detects fast-moving vehicles in the next lane that are up to 230 feet behind the vehicle. The LaCrosse is the first GM vehicle to offer that technology, said Buick spokesman Nick Richards.

Buick also is offering several LaCrosse first safety features such as forward collision alert, adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation braking that can apply emergency brakes for the driver.

Pricing for the 2014 LaCrosse has not been released. A 2013 front-wheel drive LaCrosse starts at $32,555 and a 2013 all-wheel drive at $36,930.

Articles Source : detroitnews

2013 Buick Verano Turbo

The new Buick Verano is a perfectly nice small car, and slots in well below the larger Regal. But the little Buick lacks the styling vigor of its larger relative and thus we have been somewhat dismissive of it. That is about to change with the inclusion of some turbocharged spice.

Buick Verano Turbo

In our initial drive of the 2012 Buick Verano we found it to maintain a sturdy level of quietness and comfort. It's even enjoyable to drive, if not as dynamic as the Chevrolet Cruze of which it shares its architecture. The Verano of yet has only been available with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec direct-injected engine with a 6-speed automatic. There is a lack of excitement with the available 180 horsepower.

Buick Verano Turbo

Well rather than drop in the 1.4-liter turbo from the Cruze into the Verano, which would have been all well and good, Buick upped the ante with the 2.0-liter turbo from the Regal, taking the power from a modest 180-hp in the base Verano to a whopping 250-hp. That's more power then is on tap in even the Regal turbo, but a bit less than the Regal GS. And while the 6-speed auto is available with the turbo engine, they've also mated it to a proper 6-speed manual with unique gearing to match the 3520-curb weight.

Buick Verano Turbo

It's a true sleeper. Even with all the added power the wheels and tires remain unchanged in the turbo Verano. A slightly improved suspension is said to give a more dynamic feel, but it is not a GS model, even if it has nearly the same power to weight ratio as it's performance oriented big brother it doesn't have the aggressive MR suspension or Brembo brakes. It does have that ultra-cool no-lift shift feature though.

Buick Verano Turbo

The Verano Turbo promises to provide over 30 mph on the highway and sprints to 60 mph in a GM estimated 6.2 seconds. With the no-lift-shift technology incorporated, we suspect we'll get closer to 6 flat in our testing. It should cost less than the new 2.4-liter Acura ILX and come with more standard equipment. The only options on the Verano Turbo are a sunroof, navigation and wheel design. The backup camera, blind spot detection, leather interior and IntelliLink are all standard. To differentiate from a regular Verano will be dual exhaust tips, and if you need more style, we suggest that you choose the new Luxo Blue Metallic paint. But if you want to fly under the radar, opt for the Carbon Black Metallic and enjoy speeding in anonymity, comfort and quietness.

Buick Verano Turbo

Articles source : roadandtrack

2013 Buick Encore

Making its debut this week at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show is the 2013 Buick Encore, which hits U.S. showrooms early next year and goes on sale in Europe later this year as the Opel Mokka.

Buick Encore

The vehicle is relatively small, stretching less than 170 inches in overall length, but there�s plenty of room inside, according to Buick.

Buick Encore

The automaker claims the Encore can seat five adults and offer up to 48.4 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded. This drops to 18.8 cubic feet when the rear seats are in place.

Buick Encore

Power comes from a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine rated at 148 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque, and drive is sent to the wheels via a six-speed automatic which features both a steep first gear and tall overdrive gear.

Buick Encore

Buick Encore

Buick Encore

Combined, these two features help with acceleration and overall fuel economy, though final numbers have not yet been released. Buick also hasn't specified whether the Encore will offer all-wheel drive but expect it to be an option, with front-wheel drive remaining standard.

Articles source : autodriver

2013 Buick Enclave

The Enclave is offered in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models, and powered by a direct-injected 3.6L V-6 and an updated six-speed automatic transmission that contribute to the more refined driving experience. Buick�s QuietTuning engineering process reduces, blocks and absorbs unwanted noise from the Enclave�s cabin.

Buick Enclave

The Buick Enclave�s new appearance is instantly recognizable as a modern Buick and the LED lighting elements enhance its technologically advanced presence. The blue translucent rings around the Xenon HID headlamps are Buick design cues found on other models, adding distinction across the brand�s lineup.

Buick Enclave

At the rear, the exhaust outlets are framed with a chrome finish within the rear fascia, for an integrated appearance that exemplifies Buick�s attention to detail. New LED taillamps provide a safety benefit by illuminating more quickly than conventional bulbs when the brakes are applied.

Buick Enclave

Buick Enclave offers three rows of seating, available in seven- or eight-passenger configurations. The second-row seats feature the SmartSlide system, which allows easier entry to the third row, with the pull of a single handle. There is 23.3 cubic feet (660 liters) of cargo space behind the third row and a maximum of 115.2 cubic feet (3,263 liters) of cargo space available when the second and third rows are folded.

Buick Enclave

Buick Enclave

All models feature independent front and rear suspensions, with variable-effort power-assisted steering; and a direct-acting stabilizer bar on the front MacPherson-strut suspension helps provide a more immediate feeling of responsiveness during turns. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard and 19- and 20-inch wheels are available.

Articles source : autodriver