Category: Buick Enclave

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Expanded Crossover Lineup Drives March Sales Growth

Enclave sales remain strong as Encore deliveries ramp up

DETROIT – Buick sales were up 26 percent retail and 37 percent total in March. Combined with sales growth in January and February, the brand’s sales in March and for the first quarter were the best since 2006.

Enclave luxury crossover sales, up 38 percent to individual buyers and 55 percent total in March, have increased year over year every month since a 2013 redesign was introduced in November last year. Four in 10 used Enclaves traded in this year have been from drivers buying the new model and year-to-date retail sales are up 37 percent.

In late January, Buick’s crossover lineup grew with the addition of the Encore luxury small crossover. It arrived at dealers two months ago with a starting price of $24,950, including a $750 destination charge. Standard features include IntelliLink connectivity and a rear vision camera.

So far, more than 4,953 total Encores have been delivered, including 3,003 in March, the first full month of sales across the dealer network. Dealers like Autumn Henderson, general manager at Liberty Buick in Peoria, Ariz., are seeing a lot of new customers coming in.

“We sold our first three Encores on the day they arrived,” she said. “We’ve seen customers of a wide variety of age and background, with trade-ins like a Nissan Maxima, a Ford Edge, and other crossovers and sedans.”

The Encore’s combination of luxury, space and efficiency is the subject of media coverage. Autotrader.com named Encore to its list of “Top 10 Must Test Drive Vehicles for 2013,” and About.com included Encore among its “Best New Cars for 2013.” An EPA estimated fuel economy of 25 city/33 highway also earned the Encore a place on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy list of “Greener Choices 2013.”

Last month, Buick received a 2013 Brand Image Award from KBB.com for being the “Best Value Luxury Brand.”

“Luxury customers want the space and high seating position of a crossover, but they don’t want to sacrifice quietness, luxury and efficiency,” said Brian Sweeney, vice president of Buick Sales and Service. “With the redesigned Enclave and new Encore, our dealers have a complementary set of vehicles that cover a wide range of needs while offering great standard and optional luxury features.”

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Four in 10 Buick Enclave Owners Returning for New Model

New and returning customers opting for more luxury amenities

DETROIT – The redesigned 2013 Buick Enclave luxury crossover is the brand’s best-selling model through the first quarter with retail sales up almost 40 percent. And it is a second-time-around choice for nearly four in 10 owners trading in a first-generation Enclave.

As it builds Buick brand loyalty, the Enclave also continues to pull in first-time Buick buyers as it has since being introduced in 2007.

“The new Enclave is the first model in the second generation of the modern, rejuvenated Buick brand,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick Marketing. “In previous years we’ve talked about the new, younger, luxury-minded buyers coming to Buick for the first time. With the redesigned Enclave, we’re still seeing those new buyers, but we’re now also seeing the buyers who gave us a try with the first Enclave stay with us.”

When the Enclave launched in 2007, customers taking surveys gave reasons like “value/price” and “familiarity with dealer” among their top reasons for buying the brand’s other vehicles.  Enclave owners consistently list things like “overall quality of vehicle,” “ride comfort” and “overall exterior styling” as their top reasons for purchase.

First time and repeat Enclave buyers are choosing more luxurious amenities. In fact, 8 percent more owners select the top-level Premium Group.  And standalone options like 20-inch wheels, Rear Seat Entertainment, Bose audio, sunroof and navigation are more popular. For example, 15 percent more Enclave have been ordered with navigation so far in the 2013 model year.

Since the new model arrived at dealers in November, Enclave had its best retail sales month on record in December, followed by year-over-year retail growth of 57 percent in January and 22 percent in February.

“If you want a bellwether for the where the Buick brand is heading, look no further than the Enclave,” said DiSalle, “It’s a very modern, very smart crossover that delivers what our luxury-minded customers want.”

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Front Center Air Bag Helps Enclave Achieve Five-Star Safety

Buick’s luxury crossover SUV is also IIHS 2013 Top Safety Pick

DETROIT – The 2013 Buick Enclave, equipped  with a standard front center air bag, has received the highest possible five-star overall vehicle score for safety as part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.

Previously, the luxury crossover SUV was also named a 2013 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“Safety is a key consideration for all car buyers, and particularly when it comes to family-oriented luxury vehicles,” said Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “The Enclave is designed to provide excellent crash safety, and goes one step further by offering a front center air bag – an industry first in crash protection.”

The front center air bag is an inflatable restraint designed to help protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle. When a severe impact occurs, the air bag deploys in milliseconds from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and inflates between the driver and front passenger, providing added protection for both front occupants.

Other Enclave safety features include:

  • Available Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems use radar to watch spots the driver may not see – and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.
  • Standard head curtain side air bags with rollover protection for outboard occupants in all seating rows. In addition to providing protection in moderate-to-severe side crashes, the roof-mounted head curtain air bags will deploy in a rollover to help provide increased occupant protection and containment.
  • StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology is standard on all models and incorporates full-function traction control.
  • Standard rearview camera system is designed to provide the driver with added capability to view what is in the rearward path of the vehicle.
  • Standard four-wheel-disc brake system with ABS featuring smooth, quiet operation, longer pad life and more resistance to brake pulsation.
  • Safety belt pretensioners reduce forward movement during a collision, and are standard on the front safety belts, along with load-limiting retractors that help limit the belts’ impact on the occupants’ chest. The dynamic locking latch plate locks to hold the occupants’ pelvis in place.
  • LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) child seat attachment system is included in outboard second-row seating positions.
  • Tire pressure monitoring system is standard on all models.
  • Strong body structure to absorb crash energy and provide a protective “safety cage” around occupants.
  • Standard hill start assist brakes help reduce the tendency of a vehicle to roll forward or backward on a hill after the brake pedal is released by momentarily retaining pressure on the brake discs.
  • Standard OnStar uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash. OnStar subscribers also can use the service to be Good Samaritans by sending help to other motorists, and to call for help in other non-crash emergencies.

Starting with 2011 models, NHTSA introduced tougher tests and more rigorous requirements for its five-star safety ratings program that provide more comprehensive information about safety performance and crash-avoidance technologies. Changes include a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

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