Category: Buick News

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2012 Buick Verano Starts at $23,470

New addition to portfolio expected to attract new customers to luxury brand

DETROIT – The all-new 2012 Buick Verano luxury sedan, which goes on sale later this year, will have a starting price of $23,470 including $885 in destination charges.

The Verano offers more passenger and cargo volume than the Acura TSX sedan or Lexus IS 250.

“Verano is a great new addition to Buick because it expands the brand’s reach,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. “With Verano, we’re inviting new customers into the Buick family, giving us the opportunity and privilege of building longtime Buick loyalty.”

Verano is Buick’s third all-new model in the past three years and the first in the compact segment, delivering the premium features and luxury characteristics that have helped make Buick one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in North America.

The car will be offered in three models, with the top model carrying a suggested retail price of $26,850, including destination charge. All models are powered by a fuel-efficient 2.4L four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that delivers 180 hp at 6,700 rpm with 171 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,900 rpm.

The Verano’s exterior is distinguished by sleek lines, blue translucent projector beam headlamps and standard fog lamps and 18-inch multi-spoke, forged alloy, silver-finish wheels, with a premium 18-inch split spoke wheel design available on certain models.

The Verano interior is designed for exceptional seat comfort and support, and contains Buick’s signature acoustic refinement and premium soft-touch materials inspired by the award-winning Buick LaCrosse. A dozen noise-reducing and noise-cancelling technologies are used in more than 50 areas of Verano’s body structure for increased cabin isolation and quietness.

“Rich leather appointments, warm wood tones, metallic accents, soft ambient lighting and intelligent technologies make the cabin an inviting environment,” said David Lyon, executive director of Verano’s design.

Verano standard features include leatherette seating, high-resolution 7-inch diagonal LED backlit color-touch radio display with IntelliLink technology and 10 standard air bags. Automatic climate control, remote start, power windows and steering wheel radio controls are also standard.

The up-level model features the same leather materials used in the LaCrosse.  The Verano’s seat heaters automatically activate in temperatures below 45 F (7 C) when using the remote start function, along with rear defogger on all models and heated outside mirrors.  Verano also features an available heated steering wheel – an option not found vehicles like the Lexus IS250 or Infiniti G25. Push-button engine start is available on lower-level models, and is standard on the up-level model.

The standard all-new Buick IntelliLink system uses Bluetooth or USB to connect a driver’s smartphone to the touch-screen display radio. IntelliLink expands on Buick’s current Bluetooth and USB capabilities to allow smartphone control via voice activation and steering wheel-mounted controls. It also enables streaming stereo audio from the phone through services like PANDORA® Internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio®. Full functionality requires a compatible Smartphone and data plan rates apply.

In addition to Buick IntelliLink, a nine-speaker Bose sound system specifically engineered for the Verano’s interior is available on all trim levels.

OnStar is standard for six months on all Verano models. It uses GPS and cellular phone technology to call for help in the event of a collision. OnStar subscribers also can use the service to send help to other motorists and to call for help in other non-collision emergencies.

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Regal on Track to Deliver Best Retail Sales Month

Hot-selling sport sedan spurs Buick’s 23rd straight month of retail sales gains

DETROIT – Phillip Barr of Gilbert, Ariz., describes himself as a “car junkie.” The 26-year-old executive assistant has owned at least 10 cars, including two BMWs, two Mercedes-Benzes and a Porsche. He recently sold his Toyota Prius to buy a 2012 Buick Regal Turbo at Henry Brown Buick GMC outside of Phoenix.

“Regal Turbo had all of the options I wanted with a luxurious interior and smooth ride comparable to a Mercedes,” Barr said. “Honestly, I’d be the last person you’d think would buy an American car, but GM has really stepped up its game with the Regal Turbo to compete with the imports. It’s just as nice to drive as the BMWs and Mercedes I’ve owned for a fraction of the cost with a lot more options.”

Regal sales in August are on track to be the best since car launched in spring 2010. Approximately 45 percent of Regal buyers are coming from non-GM brands. In July alone, Regal outsold other similarly sized sport sedans, including Volkswagen CC, Lexus IS 250/350, Audi A4 and Volvo S60. Regal’s steady month-over-month gains have helped Buick glide through recent turbulence in the luxury vehicle segment.

Regal Turbo has accounted for a third of the sport sedan’s retail sales since its launch this past spring. The turbo’s 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivers better horsepower and torque than the Acura TSX and Volkswagen CC, and with its manual six-speed transmission, it also delivers better fuel economy, with an EPA-rated 32 mpg highway.

Buick will double its Regal lineup this fall with the introduction of the performance-oriented 2012 Regal GSand the fuel-efficient 2012 Regal with eAssist™.

U.S. News & World Report recently named Regal the Best Upscale Midsize Car for Families for 2011, ranking it No. 1 out of 21, based on analysis of 27 published reviews; test drives of Regal, and analysis of reliability and safety data. The magazine said that “Among midsize cars, the Regal shines with performance that balances fuel economy and power, handling and ride comfort.”

Rachel Hayes of Phoenix said she “fell in love” with the Regal when she saw it on the showroom floor at Liberty Buick in Peoria, Ariz.  The 29-year-old social worker said she’s received nothing but compliments for it.

“The new Regal is way more stylish and sexy than the old Regal, and it has a great sound system,” said Hayes who previously owned a 2008 LaCrosse. “Buick is the new Lexus. Everyone I’ve shown my Regal to is completely surprised by it.”

 

 

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Verano Takes Quiet Tuning to New Level of Refinement

Newest Buick designed to deliver quietest performance in segment

DETROIT – The all-new 2012 Buick Verano luxury sedan, which goes on sale later this year, is expected to deliver one of the quietest driving experiences in the industry – better than key competitors Lexus IS 250 and Acura TSX.

Buick noise and vibration engineers fine-tuned Verano to the highest standard of quietness by replicating the hushed interior of another luxury sedan – the Buick LaCrosse.

“By positioning the Verano against the very best, our noise and vibration team went above and beyond to deliver the quiet driving experience for which Buicks have become known,” said Chuck Russell, Verano vehicle line director. “Quiet-tuning components and systems are built into every facet of the Verano’s architecture.”

Vehicles generate noise in a number of ways, including the transmission and gears, air induction and exhaust, electro and electromechanical parts, fuel delivery and brake function, as well as road and wind noise.

A dozen noise-reducing and noise-cancelling technologies are used throughout Verano’s body structure for increased cabin isolation and quietness – all without adding net weight to the car:

  1. A 5.4-mm-thick acoustic-laminated windshield and 4.85-mm-thick acoustic laminated side glass that minimizes wind noise
  2. Acoustic insulation material on both sides of the front steel dash panel and under the hood that reduce engine noise
  3. Five layers of acoustic insulation material in the headliner, including a premium fabric on the visible outer layer that muffles wind noise
  4. Triple-sealed doors that keep out exterior noise
  5. Three layers of acoustic insulation material in the doors that reduces the sound of wet-road sizzle
  6. Dual-density carpet on the floor that block coarse road and tire noise
  7. Underbody paneling that lowers wind and low road-surface noise while improving fuel economy
  8. Liquid-applied sound deadener that supports a solid body structure
  9. Specially tuned air intake and exhaust systems that enable pleasing engine sound quality without sacrificing engine performance
  10. Isolated chassis components that reduce vibrations over irregular road surfaces for a solid road feel
  11. A patented rear suspension that enables crisp road feel and superior ride and handling performance without sacrificing quietness
  12. Hydraulic suspension bushings and an isolated engine cradle that reduces or eliminates vibrations.

In addition, Verano uses heat-activated baffles in various pillars, crossbars and other structural members to seal and close sections of the body structure that could transmit noise or allow water leaks. The heat-activated baffles are inserted at strategic areas of the body structure and expand in paint ovens to fill the structural cavities.

The sound of silence in the Verano resulted from hundreds of virtual and physical tests on the car’s body structure, tires, chassis, interior and powertrain under a variety of conditions to eliminate or reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Road noise was measured on a variety of surfaces and in a wind tunnel, as well as in thermal and cold chambers. A four-post shaker rig was used to evaluate squeaks and rattles.

Among the 200 parts that typically come under scrutiny during noise analysis is the air induction system, which helps engine efficiency and performance. Special tuning elements were made to Verano’s clean air duct to remove harsh frequencies during vehicle acceleration.

Verano’s acoustic engine cover, alternator and refined engine accessory drive system are designed for quiet operation, and its six-speed automatic transmission allows the engine to operate at lower – and less noisy – speeds on the highway.

The use of more than 60 percent high-strength steel in Verano’s structure helps eliminate squeaks and rattles because the body is stiffer.

“Verano was held to the highest standards, as accomplished on Buick Enclave, LaCrosse and Regal, and it achieves a new standard for interior quietness,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. “We’re confident that luxury car shoppers will be hard pressed to find a quieter car at any price point on the market today.”