Next Buick Regal coming in 2017, could be imported from Germany

The Buick Regal is based on the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, a pair of sedans from General Motors' European and British outfits. In fact, over 46,000 Regals from model years 2010 and 2011 were screwed together on the same lines as the Insignia twins, before GM's Oshawa, Ontario factory took over production fully. Considering this closeness, rumors that claim the next-generation Regal – due for 2017 – could move back to Europe aren't terribly surprising. Here's why, according to Automotive News.

Oshawa is home to three other vehicles, aside from the Regal – the Chevrolet Camaro, Impala rental queenand the Cadillac XTS. We already know next-gen Camaro production is headed to Lansing, MI, and that the fleet-only Impala will (finally!) die in 2016. As for the XTS, as AN explains it, sales are so slow that GM will either kill it or just shuffle its production volume elsewhere.

Taken along with the fact that Unifor, the Canadian labor union repping workers at the Oshawa factory, claim GM hasn't made any guarantees about future production at the nearly 60-year-old factory, it seems fairly clear that the Regal's current factory is going to be put out to pasture.

Meanwhile, according to AN, Opel has already dropped a not-so-subtle indicator that Buick production will be returning to the manufacturer's Russelsheim factory, issuing a statement back in March that read: "The Russelsheim plant has been chosen for the assembly of a future model which will be sold in the US under the Buick brand name in the second half of the decade."

Logistically, this all makes a lot of sense. As AN says, Canada is expensive, Russelsheim has room and GM execs have said that the German brand and Buick are pretty good bedfellows. Of course, we'll need to wait and see how this plays out. All things considered, though, the arrival of a German-built Buick seems like a very real possibility.

Source: autoblog.com

Buick Envision cabin detailed ahead of reveal later this month

    

 Buick teased the arrival of the China-market Envision last month and gave us a few specs, now it's teasing the midsize crossover's interior and features. Having said it will "set a new benchmark in terms of space, safety, performance and specifications," we're told that equipment like the heated leather steering wheel and Bose-sourced active noise cancellation are market firsts in the segment.

Elsewhere, light will shine on occupants through the panoramic roof during the day and via ice blue ambient lighting at night, and seating surfaces are being shown off with dual-stitched leather. Lane departure warning and parking assist help keep the bodywork in order, stop/start ignition fitted to the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 256 horsepower and 260 pound-feet will help keep fuel economy up. One more convenience for the model's core buyers: a tailgate that can be partially opened.

The Normal, Tour, Sport and Off-Road driving modes come courtesy of FlexRide, that last one – meant for extra-light-duty dirt work, naturally – appearing on a Buick for the first time.

The Envision greets the world on August 28 at the Chengdu Motor Show. Word on the Internet streets is that we'll eventually get it as well, slotting between the Encore and Enclave




Source: autoblog.com

Buick asks design students 'What could a Buick sedan look like in 2030?'

 

When you think of daring concept cars or emotional design-student projects, Buick probably isn't the first brand that comes to mind. It's not for lack of concepts; when General Motors ran down 11 concept-car highlights from Buick's 110-year history, three of them are from the past 15 years, with other experiments in that same timeframe like the Black Hawk, Centieme and Cielo left unmentioned.

 

But the company still thinks about them even if we don't. It ran a contest for students at Detroit's College for Creative Studies to create a Buick for the year 2030 that would incorporate future materials and transportation needs, and nanotechnology.

Best exterior design went to Sam Kenny for his Neo Classical Buick, Justin Salmon took honors forinnovative material use, like having exposed algae on the bodyshell to generate energy, and Namsuk Lee nabbed best overall concept and best interior for his Buick Vision Sedan. You can read more about the design challenge and winners in the press release, and hear students talk about what went into the work in the video below.

Buick Envision crossover to premiere in China

Buick currently offers two crossovers: the compact Encore and the extra-large Enclave, leaving plenty of room to slot a mid-size crossover in between. And that's just what Buick is planning on doing. In China, anyway.

Previewed in the teaser above, Buick's upcoming new crossover is cloaked and nestled in between its aforementioned stablemates-to-be. Set to be unveiled in China sometime later this year, the model has been confirmed to wear the name Envision – at least in that market. That's the name which the concept version wore three years ago, but we're still waiting on word over whether that name will carry over to the US version or whether we should expect something different like Anthem. But we have to admit that Envision fits better in the brand's crossover naming scheme.

Shanghai GM isn't saying much about the Envision in the press release, aside from it having "dynamic and assertive styling" backed by all-wheel drive and stop/start ignition. The last time Buick offered a mid-size crossover in North America was with the Pontiac Aztek-based Rendezvous that was discontinued seven years ago.

Source: autoblog.com

2015 Sierra All Terrain HD looks ready to hit heavy-duty trails

GMC is getting its heavy-duty trucks ready for the mud this summer with its All Terrain package for theSierra 2500HD and 3500HD. Meant to blend style, tech and ruggedness, the pack includes a lot of extra chrome outside and an off-road package underneath.

The 2015 Sierra All Terrain HD trucks naturally come standard with four-wheel drive with an electronically controlled transfer case to handle things in the dirt. The Z71 off-road package is also standard, which includes Rancho twin-tube shocks, hill descent control and a skid plate. To add some style when off the beaten path, the pack includes chrome trim on the mirror caps, lower bumper and grille surround, plus LEDs around the headlights and 18-inch wheels (20-inchers are optional on the 2500HD). The 3500HD also gets chrome, adjustable outside camper mirrors. The interior receives a technology upgrade thanks to the standard rearview camera and IntelliLink infotainment that can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot through OnStar 4G LTE, read text messages and includes Siri Eyes Free for iPhone users.

The All Terrain package goes on sale on both trucks this summer and is offered on either the SLE or SLT trim levels in double cab and crew cab models. The standard engine is the 6.0-liter V8 with 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, but the Duramax 6.6-liter, diesel V8 with 397 hp and 765 lb-ft is also available. The gas engine is mated to a Hydra-matic six-speed automatic, and the diesel uses an Allison six-speed automatic.

Source: autoblog.com

New Buick Verano testing in Germany

A refresh to Buick's popular Verano sedan appears to be nigh, thanks to these spy photos that show the tweaked four-door testing in Germany.

As with the current Verano, the refreshed model will have a great deal in common with its European platform-mates, the Vauxhall/Opel Astra. Each car rides on General Motors's Delta II platform. Unlike the current car, though, the refreshed model's styling could lean more heavily towards its European roots, if these photos are any indication.

Despite its commonality with the Astra Sedan, the Verano has featured its own unique styling since arriving in the US back in 2011 as a 2012 model, with distinct fascias at both the front and back, as wells its own headlight and taillight designs. The two cars were still rebadged vehicles, but it was more subtle than it will be in 2015, when the refreshed Verano arrives. Astra-like elements are expected to dominate, particularly in regards to the headlights and taillights. That said, trademark Buick styling features will remain, like the waterfall grille. Really, then, the 2016 Verano won't be unlike the Regal – a rebadged Vauxhall/Opel Insignia, aside from a few very small styling details.

All said, we like the idea of the Astra's styling becoming a bigger part of the Verano's design. As compact vehicles go, it's one of the sharper offerings on European roads.

Source: autoblog.com

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