2013 GMC Acadia What is all involved.

                               2013 Acadia Comes Armed for an Army of Elbows

Hundreds of engineering hours lead to comfort and flexibility

DETROIT – The designers of the 2013 GMC Acadia crossover SUV had a lot of things to account for in developing a comfy interior – including as many as 16 pointy, sensitive elbow bones that would be part of a fully loaded eight-passenger vehicle.
General Motors global human factors engineer Joan Hertely and her team spent hundreds of hours creating resting places that considered angles, dimensions and the right materials to achieve maximum comfort.
“The process begins with benchmarking,” said Hertely, who has 12 years of armrest engineering experience. “We look at what works, what doesn’t, and start compiling criteria for width, length, angle, height, adjustment options, comfort, reach and overall design. And those factors consider door handles, cupholders and switch locations.”
Not all armrests can be treated equally, so a crossover that seats up to eight takes months of planning. The driver’s armrest needs to accommodate more controls. The front center armrest needs to both slide and open for storage, and must be level with armrests on the front doors. The four rear outboard armrests are designed with cupholders, which need to be positioned to avoid spills. Optional second-row captain’s chairs have armrests that move with the seatbacks and can be adjusted up and down, requiring additional design criteria.
“Once a layout is in place after having been evaluated and optimized over a hundred hours in a stationary buck, further testing continues out on the road,” said Hertely. “We took countless drives with Acadias, paying close attention to how each armrest feels on both elbows and forearms, because people rest their arms differently. And the cupholder integration was new, so we had to ensure a level of comfort with the holders in use.”
More new car shoppers are discovering Acadia’s purposeful engineering. October sales for Acadia were the best for that month since 2007, the model’s first year on the market. And through the first 10 months of 2012, Acadia is on track for its best sales year ever.
“I never thought I would drive anything but a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz,” said Illona Olayan, an Acadia owner from Jacksonville, Florida. “But I drove an Acadia and was amazed by the great quality and craftsmanship. I’d recommend one to any family. It’s fun, functional and good looking.”
According to auto shopping site Edmunds.com, Acadia “offers a winning combination of comfort, features, cargo space and performance in a utility-style package.” The 2012 Acadia won Edmunds’ “Best Retained Value” award for SUVs between $35,000 and $45,000, as well as a 2012 ALG Residual Value Award in the full-size utility segment.

Source: [GM Media]

New Cars for 2013: Borcherding Buick

New Cars for 2013: Buick

Charting the changes for the 2013.

Enclave: A minor redesign brings body-color rocker panels and front and rear fascias, as well as a new hood, fenders, grille, lighting elements, and wheels. Inside, there’s a new instrument panel and a center airbag that deploys between front-row occupants [see Tech Tidbit below]. IntelliLink infotainment is now standard on all Buicks.
Encore (shown above): New for 2013, the Encore shares its tiny platform—not quite seven inches longer than a Honda Fit—with the Chevrolet Sonic. It also shares the Sonic’s 1.4-liter turbo four rated at 140 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. Attempting engagement with the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3, the Encore will offer front- and all-wheel drive. Buick estimates that, in either configuration, the Encore will exceed 30 mpg on the highway.
Regal: The eAssist hybrid system is now the standard powertrain. It pairs a 182-hp, 2.4-liter four with a 15-hp electric motor/generator and brings with it underbody aero tweaks and active grille shutters. The EPA estimates fuel economy of 25 mpg city and 36 highway for the combo. A 220-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter remains an option, and the GS retains its 270-hp version of that engine.
Verano: The Verano Turbo joins the lineup with a 2.0-liter four making 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Both the automatic and the optional manual transmissions have six ratios. Other turbo equipment includes dual exhaust outlets and a rear spoiler.
Minor trim changes: LaCrosse.

Source: [Car and Driver]

National Running Day, and Here are some Tips

It's National Running Day, and you can bet we'll be lacing up our sneaks to head out for a run before the day's out. But before we do, here's a look back at some tips and techniques to help turn anyone into a better runner.

Getting Started
Before you hit the ground running, make sure you know all the basics to help you ensure proper technique and avoid injury. Start with these tips on buying the right running shoes and perfecting your running form, and then get to know the following tips.

• Get started with our insider beginner running tips. You'll learn everything we wish we knew before we went on our first run.
• After feeling comfortable with running on the treadmill, follow these helpful tips for running outdoors.
• Paved roads getting boring? Here's everything you need to know about trail running for the first time.

Up the Ante
Once you have a solid running routine down, challenge yourself by incorporating new training techniques into your regimen. It'll help you run stronger, longer, and faster.

• Why do the same run day after day? Here are seven treadmill interval workouts to up your pace and calorie burn.
• Here are four techniques that will make you stronger, faster, and more efficient on your feet.
• Combine cardio and strength training into one workout with these tips on incorporating muscle-toning moves into your running routine.

Additional Training
Becoming a great runner is more than just lacing up and clocking in mileage. Keep reading to find out what techniques can enhance the good runner you already are.

• Many runners suffer from injuries that can be prevented if they stretched their tight muscles regularly. Here are five yoga poses that will help ease tension and prevent pain.
• Most runners suffer from tight hips, hamstrings, or lower back, but here are three lower-body stretches to do every day — even on the ones you don't run.
• A runner doesn't need to follow a strict diet to be in tip-top shape, but here are a few foods every runner needs to fuel workouts, improve performance, and speed up recovery time.                                                              Source: Thinkstock

Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips

Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips

1. Avoid High Speeds
As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard
By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.

4. Use A/C Sparingly
When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep Windows Closed
Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

6. Service Vehicle Regularly
Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.
7. Use Cruise Control
Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid Heavy Loads
Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid Long Idles
If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle
When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle’s rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

Source: [Gas Buddy]

GMC Terrain and Acadia Continue to Attract New GMC Customers

Editor's Note: CORRECTS timing of Intellilink in Terrain from mid-December to Spring 2012 in 4^th paragraph

DETROIT - For the third consecutive time since the GMC Terrain debuted in 2009, the smaller SUV is on track to end the year with more than half its sales coming from brands outside General Motors. And more than one in five is coming from import car and truck brands including Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

The GMC Acadia also continues to attract new customers to the brand. Like Terrain, Acadia is on track to count more than half of its owners from outside GM in 2011, continuing a four-year trend for the full-size crossover.   

Acadia has the lowest cost of ownership in its segment, according to ALG, which tracks residual values, or how much a vehicle is expected to be worth after a certain number of years. Through November, total Acadia sales were up 18.6 percent year to date.

New in the 2012 GMC Terrain is the industry's first crash avoidance system that exclusively uses a single camera to help drivers avoid front-end collisions. This technology is coupled with lane-departure warning for $295. Starting in Spring 2012, GMC's new Intellilink infotainment system will be an option. Terrain sales were up 47.3 percent through November.

"Acadia and Terrain are industry leaders in both design and technology," said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC Sales and Service. "Consumers are taking notice, as evidenced by each model's sales increases through the first 11 months of 2011." 

After being redesigned for the 2011 model year, Sierra HD pickups are also ending their first full calendar year on a high note. Total sales were up 30.7 percent in November, and retail sales of ¾-ton extended-cab models were up 74.2 percent.

Retail sales of all Sierra pickups - ½ ton, ¾ ton and one ton - were up a combined 22.4 percent in November.

Like GMC's full-size pickups, the Yukon and Yukon XL full-size luxury SUVs had a strong month, with retail sales up 25.7 percent and 27.7 percent, respectively, year over year.

All of these vehicles helped GMC increase its retail sales by 19.1 percent - the 26^th consecutive month of retail sales gains. Total sales for November were up 6.8 percent and total sales for the first 11 months of 2011 are up 21.6 percent compared with the same period last year.