Recounting the biggest, the fastest and most significant from Buick history

DETROIT – Buick vehicles today are built in state-of-the-art facilities around the world. The Enclave luxury crossover’s Lansing Delta Township plant was the industry’s first LEED Gold-certified manufacturing facility. The brand has evolved in many ways since 1903, when the first Buick was hand-built in a small barn behind David Dunbar Buick’s Detroit home. Here are 11 top highlights from Buick’s first 11 decades:

• Through the end of 2012, Buick has sold more than 43 million vehicles. That’s the equivalent of every vehicle sold in the United States over the past three years.
• The 1938 Buick Y-Job, credited to famed designer Harley Earl, is regarded as the first concept car ever built. Its waterfall grille is still used on Buicks today, and it featured futuristic technologies like power windows. Earl drove the car himself for more than a decade.
• The 1963 Riviera, often regarded as one of history’s most beautiful cars, celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. The powerful sport coupe was said to be inspired by a Rolls-Royce that Buick design boss Bill Mitchell saw through a fog in London.
• Buick has a deep motorsports history, proving its performance on race tracks as early as 1908. A Buick has served as Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 six times, and the brand also won two NASCAR Manufacturer Championships, in 1981 and 1982.
• After just over three decades of engineering progress, the first production Buick topped 100 mph. It was the appropriately named 1936 Buick Century.
• The fastest production Buick in history is today’s Buick Regal GS luxury sport sedan. At the 2012 Nevada Open Road Challenge, it recorded a top speed of 162 mph.
• Buick’s quickest car was also one of the brands rarest. Car and Driver magazine recorded 0-60 mph acceleration for the 1987 Buick GNX at just 4.6 seconds. Just 547 were built.
• Powertrain innovation is a Buick hallmark. Today, the company’s turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0L delivers 259 hp, but displacement was king in the 1960s and ‘70s. Buick’s largest engine, a 455-cubic-inch (7.5L) V-8, was introduced in 1970.
• The Buick Electra 225 nameplate was introduced in 1959, with the “225” referencing the model’s overall length in inches. By 1975, the Electra grew to become the longest vehicle ever produced by Buick. It measured 233.7 inches from bumper to bumper.
• Buick’s first vehicle, the 1904 Model B, was also the shortest, riding on an 83-inch wheelbase. The 2013 Encore luxury small crossover isn’t quite as small, but it does have the shortest wheelbase (100.6 inches) since the 1912 Model 34 (90.7 inches.)
• Buick has made many models with seating for two, four, five or six passengers. But only twice in 110 years has the brand produced vehicles with seating for up to eight: the 2008-2013 Enclave and the 1991-1996 Roadmaster Estate.

Buick is a modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors with thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models, including the Enclave crossover, LaCrosse sedan, Regal sport sedan, Buick Verano sedan and the all-new 2013 Encore crossover. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick, on Pinterest or at www.facebook.com/buick

GMC Pickups 101: Busting Myths of Truck Aerodynamics

DETROIT – The all-new 2014 Sierra full-size pickup truck spent more development time in a wind tunnel than any GMC pickup before it, resulting in design changes that benefit both fuel efficiency and interior quietness.

To achieve improved airflow, aerodynamic engineers like Diane Bloch examined every millimeter of the truck to find areas of improvement, debunking some popular myths along the way.

To study the way air passes over, under and around the Sierra, engineers used General Motors’ state-of-the-art Aerodynamics Lab, a 750-foot-long tunnel through which a 43-foot-diameter fan powered by a DC electric motor with the equivalent of 4,500 horsepower can generate winds of up to 138 mph. Aerodynamic advancement is one reason why the 2014 Sierra will be the most fuel-efficient V-8 pickup on the market.

“We can’t stop air; we can only guide it through the path of least resistance. It’s like electricity, without the shock,” said Bloch, GM aerodynamic performance engineer. “The biggest misconception is that it’s all about single components. But a certain side mirror design doesn’t create a certain amount of drag, its interaction with the rest of the vehicle does.”

For example, a new air dam below the 2014 Sierra’s front bumper successfully reduces drag because it directs air toward the ground and away from the truck’s rough underbody. And Sierra’s ducted flow path between the grille and radiator prevents air from swirling inside the truck’s front cavities.

Even the top of the Sierra’s tailgate and the center high-mounted stop light are optimized to guide air cleanly around the truck. And because Bloch’s team detected unwanted airflow between the cab and bed, new sealing has been added.

“We discovered that in the computational analysis we perform,” said Bloch. “The most harmful air between the cab and bed was coming over the cab and down through the gap, so we paid the most attention to that specific area.”

The pickup market has a great number of available aftermarket accessories, and Bloch says those have varying impact on aerodynamics.  Add-ons like bug deflectors on the hood, wider tires or aftermarket bumpers can raise the drag coefficient, which is the measure of how air pushes on a vehicle as it moves down the road. The result: added noise and increased fuel consumption.

A long-disputed topic among truck owners is whether a tailgate raised or lowered is better for aerodynamics, but Bloch says a tailgate in the up position is more aerodynamically efficient. As air flows over the truck, it falls over the cab and pushes forward on the rear of the truck. With the tailgate down, the benefits of that airflow are diminished.

“Replacing the tailgate with an aftermarket net is worse than having no tailgate at all,” Bloch said. “Imagine dragging a solid object and a fishing net through water. The net is going to require more muscle.”

So what accessories can truck owners add to help aerodynamics? Tonneau covers for the bed help smooth airflow over the truck, and Bloch says soft covers are more beneficial than hard covers because they form to how the air wants to flow. Running boards can also help air flow smoothly down the truck’s sides.

“Round, tube-style running boards can provide a minor improvement to the truck’s drag coefficient,” said Bloch, “Fully integrated, flush-mount running boards are even better.”

GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, and is one of the industry's healthiest brands. Innovation and engineering excellence is built into all GMC vehicles and the brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. The 2014Sierra half-ton pickup boasts all-new powertrains and design, and the Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks ever built by GMC. Every retail GMC model, including Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs, is now available in Denali luxury trim. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc. 

Source: GM Media

Buick Celebrates 110 Years of Building Cars Happy Anniversary from Borcherding Buick GMC!

DETROIT – The Buick brand celebrates its 110^th birthday this weekend. After a few years of experimenting with automobiles built at his home in Detroit, David Dunbar Buick – a former plumbing inventor and businessman – incorporated the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903. A State of Michigan historic site marker outside General Motors Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center commemorates the day.

The first production vehicle, the Buick Model B, was offered to retail customers the following year. Today, Buick produces a range of luxury vehicles including the Encore and Enclave crossovers and the LaCrosse, Regal and Verano sedans.

Source: GM Media

2013 GMC Terrain Boasts Denali Trim Level, Test Drive at Borcherding Buick GMC!

(2013 GMC Terrain Denali Shown Above)

The 2013 GMC Terrain will be offered in three different trim levels, including the SLE, SLT and Denali.
And they are all jam-packed with luxury-car worthy amenities that come standard with the vehicle.
Seventeen-inch alloy wheels, heated side-view mirrors, rear-view camera, OnStar, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system are just some of the features that come standard for the base SLE-1 trim level.
SEE PHOTOS OF THE NEW TERRAIN
And for the SLE-2 trim, an eight-way power driver seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, eight-speaker Pioneer audio system and upgraded cloth upholstery will be added to the package.
Heated front seats, remote engine start and leather upholstery are all offered up on the SLT-1 trim level, while 18-inch chromed wheels, sunroof, height-adjustable power liftgate and driver-seat memory functionality will be a part of the SLT-2.
The SLT-2 will also feature a safety package that includes a lane-departure warning system, forward-collision alert and rear park assist.
And for the highest trim level, the Denali model of the 2013 GMC Terrain, everything that comes standard with the SLT-2 will be a part of the top-level package as well as model-specific wheels, rear cross-traffic and side blind-zone alert systems, eight-way power passenger seat and unique exterior and interior trim detailing.
All trim levels, except the SLE, will have the option to add a navigation system, while a dual-screen DVD rear-entertainment system are available on the SLT-2 and Denali.
The 2013 GMC Terrain has also undergone some changes under the hood with the addition of a new 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine, for every model except the SLE-1, that pumps out 40 more ponies over last year’s 3.0-liter six-cylinder and features 272 pound-feet of torque.
Pricing for the 2013 GMC Terrain starts at $26,235.

Borcherding Kings Local Food Pantry a Success, Thank You!

Borcherding and The Kings Local Food Pantry Success, Thank You!

Borcherding teamed up with the Kings Local Food Pantry who is an integral part of the community by serving those in need of food and/or temporary financial assistance last month.
We had food barrels located in our used and new car showrooms as well at the collision center. A food barrel was also  offsite at our partner Napa Store in Mason. Everyone was so generous and we are so thankful to everyone that made it out.

Although we no longer have the barrels in our showrooms and other locations you can always donate at their location.
While their main focus is to provide food temporary relief of food items, they also provide personal care items for those in need. All to often they find their shelves empty of certain items that their constituents use on a regular basis. Below is a list of items that are in immediate need by the Kings Local Pantry.

• Paper Towels & Tissue Paper
• Deodorant & Bath Soap
• Toothpaste & Toothbrushes
• Shampoo & Hand Sanitizer
• Diapers & Baby Wipes
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Dish Soap & Laundry Detergent
• Cleaning Supplies

What do you think the Audience will be for the 2013 Buick Encore?

                   2013 Buick Encore Expected to Attract Young Buyers, Empty Nesters

Birmingham — General Motors Co.’s all-new 2013 Buick Encore — which the automaker expects will win young professionals and empty-nesters as customers — has begun shipping to U.S. dealers.
The company began shipments of the luxury small crossover last week to about 2,200 U.S. Buick dealers, who sold eight in the first weekend. The vehicle is built only in South Korea and inventory is expected to be tight, Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick and GMC marketing said during an event Tuesday.
“We would expect this vehicle to turn very quickly on dealer lots,” he said.
U.S. Buick dealers have asked for six times the supply of Encores than the company had anticipated.
“The dealer enthusiasm is very, very strong,” DiSalle said.
The Encore, powered by a 1.4-liter turbo engine, starts at $24,950 and has a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway. The small vehicle with plenty of storage space that can carry an eight-foot ladder, comes standard with 10 air bags and a rear vision camera.
The smaller crossover, which GM expects may compete with the Volkswagen Tiguan, BMW X1, Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman, gives the Buick brand five vehicles in its portfolio.
The brand is expected to roll out refreshed LaCrosse and Regal sedans in the next 12 months.
Buick officials would not comment on anticipated sales for the U.S. and DiSalle would not comment when asked if the company is considering building the Encore in the U.S.
Buick’s U.S. sales of 180,408 in 2012 were up 1.6 percent over 2011 totals. The company sold 41,042 of its new Buick Verano sedans, but sales of the Enclave SUV, LaCrosse and Regal were down compared to 2011.
But Buick said its retail sales — or those to individual customers — were up 6 percent in 2012, the highest level in six years.
DiSalle expects the Encore will help GM and Buick win customers from other automakers. The overall Buick brand’s conquest rate — or those who turn in a non-GM brand when buying a Buick — has risen from 28 percent in 2007 to more than 43 percent in 2012,and continues to climb, he said.
“I think the Encore is going to drive down the average age of Buick,” said Lloyd Biermann, marketing manager for the Buick Encore.

Source: [Detroit News]

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]