Category: Buick Enclave

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Buick Retail Sales Rise 49 Percent in First Quarter

Regal, Enclave propel 18th straight month of retail sales gains in March

DETROIT – Buick, the fastest growing major automotive brand in the United States in 2010, finished the first quarter of calendar year 2011 with retail sales up 49 percent and total sales up 39 percent. March also marked Buick’s 18th straight month of growth with retail sales up 24 percent and total sales up 21 percent.

“Regal, LaCrosse and Enclave continue to attract new-to-Buick buyers seeking fuel efficiency, luxury and style in the midsize sedan, full-size car and crossover segments,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Buick & GMC Sales and Service. “We fully expect the arrival of the fuel-efficient LaCrosse with eAssist and all-new Verano luxury compact to attract even more new customers to Buick.”

Approximately 38 percent of Buick buyers come from non-GM brands and 17 percent come from imports.

Regal, which launched last April, continued to help Buick grow in March with demand for the sporty sedan accelerating thanks to increased availability of the all-new Regal CXL Turbo, which accounted for 30 percent of Regal’s retail sales in March. The turbo’s 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivers better horsepower and torque than the Acura TSX, and with its manual six-speed transmission, it also delivers better fuel economy, with an EPA-rated 32 mpg highway.

Retail sales for LaCrosse also were up in the first quarter by 4 percent. The 2012 LaCrosse will feature eAssist, which uses an electric motor and lithium-ion battery to capture energy created during braking. Electric power used for starts and stops and light power boost while cruising.

Enclave, which had the strongest sales in its four-year history last year, continued to grow in the first quarter of 2011 with retail sales up 24 percent and total sales up 17 percent. Enclave’s monthly total sales also were up 8 percent year over year. So far in 2011, Enclave has the highest conquest rate of any Buick at 46 percent. The crossover delivers better fuel economy than any eight-passenger crossover, with 24 mpg highway (2WD).

“Fuel efficient vehicles and positive word of mouth continue to draw new customers to Buick showrooms,” Sweeney said. “Consumer interest in the brand also is evident by a 31-percent year-over-year increase in traffic at Buick.com, which is an important sales generator.”

Some of Buick’s hottest markets in the first quarter included Miami, New York and Houston; the latter is hosting the 2011 NCAA Final Four® basketball tournament, of which Buick is a sponsor.

Buick’s new partnership with the NCAA started during March Madness® and continues to generate buzz online at www.ncaa.com/buick, the home of the Buick Human Highlight Reel. This collection of videos celebrates the achievements of former student-athletes who are making a difference in their communities. Buick also is the exclusive title sponsor of a 30-minute television show featuring select Human Highlight Reel stories airing prior to the 2011 NCAA Men’s Final Four® semifinal games on April 2.

 

 

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Buick Enclave Sees Future, Predicts Impact

Award-winning luxury crossover employs safety measures before rollover impact

DETROIT – Rollovers are among the rarest of vehicle crashes, but the 2011 Buick Enclave still provides maximum protection against them.

High-tech sensors designed to predict rollovers and help protect vehicle occupants before a crash occurs are part of the standard comprehensive safety package on the 2011 Enclave, recipient of NHTSA’s highest five-star overall vehicle safety score and recently awarded a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Enclave’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation, traction control, Panic Brake Assist and anti-lock brakes help drivers avoid such crashes. In addition, the luxury crossover’s new rollover sensing technology ensures timely deployment of occupant crash protection systems.

The sensors can predict in a fraction of a second whether a rollover is likely to occur. If it senses a rollover, the system sends a signal to deploy front seat safety belt pretensioners and head curtain side air bags to protect occupants. Pretensioners reduce safety belt slack, and load limiters moderate the load of the safety belt on the occupant in a crash. Both technologies work together to help keep occupants in place during a crash.

“It’s like we gave the Enclave special powers when it comes to rollovers,” said Bridget O’Brien-Mitchell, the General Motors engineer who led the team that developed predictive rollover sensing. “But we’re using technology as part of our commitment to protect customers and their families.”

According to the NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2009 annual report, rollovers accounted for 2.2 percent of all vehicle crashes, while fatalities from these crashes amounted to 35.4 percent of all traffic deaths.

Rollover sensing is part of a suite of Buick advancements that provide continuous safety before, during and after a crash. All Buicks, including Enclave, feature the safety and security of OnStar technology. In the event of a crash, OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response alerts first responders to get medical assistance on site as quickly as possible.

O’Brien-Mitchell, who has been working on vehicle safety for 20 years, began her career with GM as a co-op student at 16, working on designing cars and trucks just as she earned her driver’s license. She shares office space with her canine pal Curtis, a Future Leader Dog.

“Curtis helps keep the team in a cheerful mood,” said O’Brien-Mitchell. “When we’re tackling a tough engineering problem, it helps to have a furry friend to cut the tension around the office.”

While the Enclave is loaded with safety features, O’Brien-Mitchell reminds drivers that the best safety technology is still the safety belt: “The safety belt is the most effective safety system in a vehicle, so it’s important to always buckle up.”

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2011 Buick Enclave Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

Highest possible ratings achieved in all Insurance Institute safety tests

DETROIT – The 2011 Buick Enclave today received a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for all models built after January this year.

“Car buyers shopping for safety get a big head start with vehicles earning our Top Safety Pick designation,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “This award highlights the elite group of vehicles that earn top Institute safety ratings across the board, and that have electronic stability control.”

Vehicles named Top Safety Picks must achieve the highest possible IIHS ratings of “Good” in front, side, rear and rollover crash protection tests in addition to having electronic stability control.

The Enclave previously earned a 5-star overall vehicle score under the revised New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2011 Enclave has a comprehensive safety system designed to protect passengers – before, during and after a crash.  Before a crash, active safety features like StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation and Panic Brake Assist help drivers avoid crashes. When an emergency braking maneuver is detected, the Panic Brake Assist system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage antilock brakes, potentially reducing overall stopping distance by eliminating the delay that can occur if a driver does not brake hard enough and/or soon enough.

Technologies like rollover sensing, six standard air bags, front seat safety belt pretensioners and load limiters help protect occupants during a crash. Pretensioners reduce safety belt slack, and load limiters moderate the load of the safety belt on the occupant in a crash. Both safety belt technologies work together to help keep occupants in place during a crash.

All Buicks, including Enclave, feature the safety and security of OnStar technology. After a crash, OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response alerts first responders to get medical assistance on site as quickly as possible.

“The Enclave’s Top Safety Pick Award clearly demonstrates our commitment to protecting customers and their families,” said Jeff Boyer, General Motors executive director of vehicle safety. “We stand behind Enclave and the variety of active and passive safety technologies it offers – all engineered with precision to meet the high expectations of our customers.”

After posting its strongest sales in history in 2010, the Enclave is on its way to another strong year, with retail sales up 45 percent in February compared to the same period in 2010. Total sales for the luxury crossover were up by 38 percent for the month, outselling the Acura MDX and RDX combined.