Buick Adam a reality after all... but only in China

General Motors may have parred down its brand portfolio, but it still has more under its umbrella than most. That's why, while a company like Ford might market the same vehicle under its own name in markets around the world, GM uses different brands in different markets. But no two are aligned quite as closely as Opel in Europe and Buick in the United States and China.

What we know here as the Buick Regal is sold overseas as the Opel Insignia. Our Encore is their Mokka.Verano? Astra sedan. But one thing we don't get here is the Opel Adam. The diminutive city car is GM's take on the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, Citroën DS3 et al. Launched at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the Opel Adam is named after the company's founder (like an ironic thumbing of the nose to the Ferrari Enzo). But while it's sold, like most Opels, in the UK as a Vauxhall, the prospect of it porting over to Buick seems slim to none. Right?

Sorta. While the Adam isn't likely to come Stateside, the latest reports (as yet unconfirmed by GM) suggest that The General is planning to sell the Adam in China where the Buick brand is also a strong seller. Local production could ensue, with prices targeting the Fiat 500 and engines – according to CarNewsChina.com – to include inline-fours displacing 1.2 and 1.4 liters with 69 and 100 horsepower, respectively.

After driving from Europe across Asia to sell in China – picking up a Buick badge along the way – is the Adam any more likely to then cross the ocean to American showrooms? Hardly. But at least buyers in China will have the option.

Source: autblog.com

Buick Regal GS and troupe of basketball dribblers make great beats

The 166 videos posted by YouTube music video maestro Kurt Hugo Schneider have been watched almost half a billion times. When Coke wanted to do something musically inclined and a little different, it called KHS, and the result was the video Little Talks.

Buick appears to be the next blue chip in line, and KHS' melodic celebration of the 259-horsepower Regal GS is called Epic Basketball + Car Beat. In it, a red Regal sits at center court in Venice Beach, California while a cast of ridiculous dribblers make music with and around the sedan.

We'll let the music speak for itself, which it does quite well in the video below.

Source: autoblog.com

 DETROIT – The GMC Yukon, Sierra 1500 full-size light-duty pickup, and Sierra HD full-size pickup – including the 2500HD ¾-ton and 3500HD 1 ton models – ranked highest in their respective segments in the 2014 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study.

The Sierra HD also achieved the highest score in its segment in the 2013 J.D. Power dependability study, giving it the highest ranking for the second consecutive year.

“The momentum continues at GMC with this recognition,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick and GMC marketing. “Sierra, our highest-volume vehicle, now has its entire line of trucks ranked as the most dependable.

“Our all-new 2015 Sierra HD and 2015 Yukon full-size SUV have begun hitting dealerships, and we look to build that momentum in 2015.”

J.D Power uses information gathered from owners of 3-year-old, or 2011 model year vehicles, to rank overall dependability.

Source: media.gmc.com

Buick Wins Three 2014 KBB.com 5-Year Cost to Own Awards

DETROIT – Three Buick models were among the winners in Kelley Blue Book’s 2014 5-Year Cost to Own awards announced today:  

• Buick Verano – Entry-Level Luxury Car
• Buick Encore – Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover
• Buick Enclave – Luxury Full-Size SUV/Crossover

Kelley Blue Book’s data for new cars for the initial five-year ownership period is the basis for the awards. Categories include lowest projected depreciation, expected fuel costs, finance and insurance fees, maintenance and repair costs, and state registration fees.

“Buick puts the customer first, not only offering a great portfolio of vehicles, but maintaining quality and dependability long after the vehicle is purchased,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick marketing.

Depreciation costs for the 2014 Buick Encore were projected to be 35.7 percent lower than the Acura RDX and 63.7 percent lower than the BMW X3.

KBB.com’s 5-Year Cost to Own information is developed using Kelley Blue Book® Residual Values to calculate depreciation costs. Kelley Blue Book calculates total ownership costs for new vehicles by applying a sophisticated valuation methodology along with critical financial data from third-party providers.  

Buick is an international modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors and thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models in North America and China.

 Source: media.buick.com

J.D. Power study sees new car dependability problems increase for first time since 1998

 

For the first time since 1998, J.D. Power and Associates says its data shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. The finding is the result of the firm's much-touted annual Vehicle Dependability Study, which charts incidents of problems in new vehicle purchases over three years from 41,000 respondents.

Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, the study found an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (PP100, for short), up 6 percent from 126 PP100 in last year's study, which covered 2010 model-year vehicles. Disturbingly, the bulk of the increase is being attributed to engine and transmission problems, with a 6 PP100 boost.

Interestingly, JDP notes that "the decline in quality is particularly acute for vehicles with four-cylinder engines, where problem levels increase by nearly 10 PP100." Its findings also noticed that large diesel engines also tended to be more problematic than most five- and six-cylinder engines.

Among individual brands, Lexus has taken the prize for most-dependable nameplate for the third year in a row, registering just 68 problems per 100 vehicles. Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Acura and Buick rounded out the top of the class with 104, 107, 109 and 112 PP100, respectively.

Broken down into specific models, General Motors brands continued their success, winning eight dependability awards for its 2011 models, including prizes for the Chevrolet Volt, Cadillac Escalade and Buick Lucerne. Toyota followed that up with seven prizes split between its Lexus, Toyota and Scionnameplates, while Honda tallied six wins.

By Brandon Turkus
Courtesy of http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/12/jd-power-2014-vehicle-dependability-survey-results/