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

Convenience Comes Standard on Every Buick Model Brand offers hands-free connectivity with Apple Siri Eyes Free, Text Message Alerts

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Being able to stay connected, even while in the car, is a high priority for many drivers and passengers on the road today. That’s why every 2015 Buick model will come standard with Apple Siri Eyes Free and Text Message Alerts. Most 2015 Buick models will also come standard with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, powered by OnStar with 4G LTE.

“People have become accustomed to having their mobile devices with them wherever they go, and that includes their vehicle,” said Roger McCormack, Buick product director. “With standard technologies like Siri Eyes Free and Text Message Alerts, Buick provides drivers with a convenient and safe way to stay in touch while on the road.”

According to a recent Kelley Blue Book survey, 39 percent of consumers choose a vehicle to buy based on its available in-vehicle technology, including infotainment and navigation.

“Today’s shoppers are more influenced by technology and infotainment systems than ever before,” said Arthur Henry, analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “With Buick’s IntelliLink now including these standard convenience features, the brand will further be in the forefront of consumers’ minds when shopping for their next vehicle.”

Buick IntelliLink’s enhanced connectivity and convenience for 2015 includes a new Text Messaging Alerts feature for smartphone users with Bluetooth profile (M.A.P.), which reads incoming texts through the vehicle’s speakers. It also includes Siri Eyes Free for iPhone 4s or later, with iOS 6 or later. With Siri Eyes Free, customers can ask Siri to call people, select and play music, hear and compose text messages, get directions and more. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity, to help keep phones safely stored and hands on the wheel.

In addition to icons covering everything from navigation to phone to a Pandora, internet radio interface, IntelliLink is designed to accommodate new features and enhancements and be highly customizable. It also incorporates natural language voice recognition that allows customers to safely place calls, enter destinations, browse media, play music and control other functions simply by telling the vehicle what to do.

Complementing these IntelliLink features is OnStar with 4G LTE, which brings a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot into the vehicle. It provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected. The hotspot is accessible whenever the vehicle is on or in accessory mode and comes with a three-month/three-gigabyte data trial, after which the owner can purchase additional data.

OnStar’s 4G LTE will be available on the Buick LaCrosse, Verano, Regal, and Encore for the 2015 model year and will be available on all Buick products for the 2016 model year.

Source:  http://media.buick.com/

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

Buick Encore blitzes first-year sales predictions

With its first full year of sales in the bag, it's safe to say that Buick has a hit on its hands with the Encore. US buyers have snatched up 31,046 of the small, premium crossovers since the Encore went on sale in January of 2013, while 97,311 were sold globally (not counting its counterparts from Opel and Vauxhall).

While we liked the Encore when we first drove it, we'll admit, we weren't sure how the tiny CUV would do. In fact, the first thing Executive Editor Chris Paukert wrote about the Encore was, "We admit it. We have no earthly idea how this whole thing is going to shake out." But it's done well, and has been subject to heavy demand over the past year, blowing away the estimates of analysts, who, according to an August story fromAutomotive News, projected no more than 18,500 units would be sold in 2013.

"Right out of the gate, demand for the Encore was high," Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick marketing said in a statement. "It accounted for most of the segment's growth last year and that's because it offers the right safety, technology and features in the right-sized vehicle for many customers."

By Brandon Turkus
Courtesy of http://www.autoblog.com/2014/03/01/buick-encore-sales-success/