Buick Looking to Get Younger, Adds New Models with Pizzazz

Buick Looking to Get Younger, Adds New Models with Pizzazz

September 1st, 2011

Buick is working hard to shed its image of the “old guy car.” No longer a brand that whisks grandparents to bingo and doctors’ appointments, it now offers luxurious, high-end and even sporty sedans and crossovers aimed at the pre-Medicare generation.
Buick will build on its rebranding over the next few years, redesigning many models and introducing new ones. In all, Buick will retool or introduce six different models starting in 2013, and expect the brand to take on a completely new look by the 2016 model year. With all of these changes Buick will go through, parent company GM hopes to continue attracting a younger demographic, but without alienating Buick’s “traditional” buyer.
2011 Buick Verano: The first compact Buick in more than 20 years, the Verano goes on sale this fall. The Acura TSX-fighter will come standard with GM’s IntelliLink infotainment system, and is based on the same mechanical underpinnings as the Chevy Cruze.

• 177-hp Ecotec 2.4-liter engine
• 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels come standard. Optional 18-inch wheels available.
• Estimated fuel economy: 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway

2013 Buick Encore: Seen as a “baby Enclave,” the Encore five-seat compact crossover is expected to join Buick’s line-up for the 2013 model year. While details are still slim, especially for a vehicle that’s only a year away, here’s what we know:

• Will be built on Chevy’s Gamma platform, the same one that the new Sonic will be perched on. Translation: It will be small.
• Expected to compete against Acura’s RDX and the Infiniti EX

2012 Buick Regal: Expected to be launched in the fall, the Regal will have a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine churning out 270 hp, or the option of eAssist. GM is also weighing its options to put a Regal wagon on the road in China and it hasn’t gotten the go-ahead here in the U.S either.

• Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a six-speed transmission
• Optional eAssist mild hybrid system available

2012 Buick LaCrosse: Buick’s eAssist, a mild hybrid system, debuts on the 2012 LaCrosse, improving fuel economy by up to 25 percent. We expect eAssist to make its way across all Buick models in the coming years. The LaCrosse will be redesigned and is expected to be made available to the public for the 2013 model year.

• A new grille, hood, and rear tailgate will be added for 2013
• 2.4-liter engine will be combined with a small electric motor

2012 Buick Enclave: This three-row crossover first appeared in Buick’s line-up in 2008. Expect a facelift in 2013 and a new generation surfacing around 2015.
2013 Buick Astra: This small compact is expected to be added to Buick’s line-up for the 2013 model year. Buick is weighing its options on bringing a three-door rebadged version of the Opel Astra to the U.S., thus far there’s no definite launch date. Originally planned to be inserted to Saturn’s line-up, the Astra would share a front-drive platform with the Verano.

Source: [Automotive]