Buick Luxury now In a Compact Size

This was such a great write up. It's from a different perspective of an engineer who rarely actually sees the cars as a finished product. His story is great, Enjoy!




By Justin Nielsen - Lead Calibration Engineer, Electric Machine Calibration



When I arrived in Portland, Ore., as an employee journalist for the Buick


Verano national media event, I wasn't sure what to expect. I sure wasn't a

journalist; I was an Electric Motor Controls Calibration Engineer at GM's

Advanced Technology Center in Torrance, Calif. (What a mouthful right?)



I don't get to see many finished cars; I'm focused instead on electric

motors and power electronics, like those used on the Chevy Volt, Buick

eAssist, and other hybrid systems. So, I was excited to finally see where

the rubber meets the road. Greeted at the airport and whisked off in a shiny

black Buick Enclave, I was impressed with the roomy backseat and smooth ride

as we headed to check in. Once I arrived I met some "real" journalists, from

Motor Trend magazine and Autoblog; I ended up meeting about 20 journalists

from all over the country.



Waiting for us at the hotel were cars from the complete Buick lineup so we

could familiarize ourselves with the brand before we laid eyes on the

Verano. This is not your grandpa's Buick. The rolling land boats of

yesteryear have given way to a smartly designed and seriously stylish lineup

of vehicles including the Enclave, LaCrosse, Regal with eAssist and Regal

GS. I really wanted to drive the Regal with eAssist since I was familiar

with its electrification system, but I couldn't pass up the chance to get

into the Regal GS first. We got our map and headed out on a 40 mile jaunt

from Portland out to the woodlands where the Veranos awaited us. The GS was

a blast to drive and the curvy roads were the perfect place to get my first

taste of Buick performance.



When I arrived I was sad to leave the Regal behind, but excited for the

Verano. The Verano is designed atop the same global platform as the Chevy

Cruze, but that's where the commonality stops, as far as I could tell. The

exterior of the Verano takes its cues from other family members including

the chrome waterfall grille straddled by blue translucent projector beam

headlamps and, of course, those hood portholes. The rear of the car offered

a sharp taillight design accented with chrome inlays above the trunk,

evoking a mischievous and sporty look.

Before we could get a look at the inside of the Verano, we had an OnStar

scavenger hunt to complete. I hopped in the eAssist Regal, hit the OnStar

button and got turn-by-turn directions to my first stop, a gourmet coffee

house that prepared a special "Buick" roast for us. Now, amped on caffeine,

I was guided to my second stop, a cupcakery! After downing the sugary snack

I headed back where GM representatives Pat Morrissey and Carolyn Normandin

greeted us with an overview the Verano qualities including supplier booths

and vehicle cutaways.



Itching to take the Verano on 240 miles worth of forested windy roads, I set

off on a circuitous route to the Pacific Ocean. Once inside the Verano an

abundance of quality materials greeted my eyes and hands. The main draw was

the seven-inch LED high-resolution, full-color touch screen in the center

stack with its flush mounted buttons for navigation, entertainment, and

comfort settings. I was impressed that the infotainment system integrates

with a smart phone and it proved to be easier to use than my friend's car

with Ford's Sync. With Pandora and Stitcher smartphone apps integrated into

the infotainment system there were new music options, alongside traditional

CD, FM, or Satellite radio for the Bose audio system to blast through its

nine speaker configuration. When I turned down the stereo a new sound

emerged; quiet.



The Verano emphasized the quietness of its cabin with over a dozen

technologies to keep the outside world out. To illustrate the sound

deadening capabilities, a leaf blower's deafening roar was reduced to a

whisper when I rolled up the windows during one brief pit stop. The leather

wrapped steering wheel felt solid connected to the dual-pinion rack electric

power steering system and the cluster gauge is backlit with blue LEDs,

causing the tachometer and speedometer to glow futuristically. The knit

headliner, fabric wrapped A-pillars, and other dash moldings are color and

grained matched in seamless fashion. The front seating area was spacious

and even after driving for over 4 excitement-filled hours I felt nary a hint

of driving fatigue, thanks to well-appointed seats where comfort reigned

supreme. The rear seating room is serviceable considering the compact

segment, and the trunk can easily accommodate large cargo -- or as some

other journalists demonstrated --, two full sized adults!



The Verano is definitely not a superficial beauty; all that luxury is backed

up by a superbly handling Watts Z-link rear suspension and skillful

powertrain. While I was tearing through the Oregonian mountains, the 2.4L

Ecotec four-cylinder engine coupled with the Hydra-Matic six-speed

transmission put 180 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque to the 18" wheels.

The Verano's power was especially evident when I was using the manual shift

mode to sprint past the lumbering logging trucks trying to ruin my driving

fun. (Rumor has it a Turbo version is in the works.) Descending upon the

Tillamook cheese factory in Tillamook, Ore., a light rain began to fall, yet

braking was no problem thanks to the four wheel anti-lock disk brakes and

cornering was smooth as ever, thanks to the StabiliTrak stability and

traction control system. In fact, the Verano has ten standard air bags,

which when combined with OnStar's Advanced Crash Response System provide one

of the safest cars in its class; though I was glad to not have to test that

particular feature.



After a joyous romp through the Pacific Northwest, the Verano is definitely

a worthy luxury sedan tamped down into a compact frame. Perfect for the

entry level luxury customer, Buick delivers big time elegance in the Verano

package.