Tag: buick

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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.

 

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

LaCrosse with eAssist Delivers Fuel Economy of a Small Car

Buick uses electrification and other improvements to get estimated 37 mpg highway

DETROIT – As gas prices go up, so does purchase consideration for more fuel-efficient cars.  And the new 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist™, a luxury sedan that comfortably seats five adults, delivers highway fuel economy on par with compacts like the Mini Cooper.

LaCrosse with eAssist, which goes on sale this summer, uses a variety of technological advances and body enhancements to deliver estimated segment-leading fuel economy of 37 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in city driving without sacrificing passenger comfort. The fuel economy ratings await EPA certification.

Not only is the luxury sedan expected to be more fuel efficient than competitors like the Acura TL, Lexus ES350 and Lincoln MKS, it also expects to beat smaller hybrids, including the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid and Lexus HS Hybrid on the highway, while offering more rear leg room than any of them.

Buick LaCrosse with eAssist Acura TL Lexus ES350 Lincoln MKS Lexus HS Hybrid Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Toyota Camry Hybrid
MPG 25 city / 37 hwy 18 city / 26 hwy 19 city / 27 hwy 17 city / 24 hwy 35 city / 34 hwy 41 city / 36 hwy 31 city / 35 hwy

LaCrosse is the first in its segment with a four-cylinder, six-speed powertrain, the first with HiPer Strut suspension for improved ride and handling, and is now has the new standard eAssist technology.

“LaCrosse with eAssist is the smart choice for those who want great fuel economy and performance in a luxury vehicle,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president, Buick marketing.  “LaCrosse with eAssist is an excellent value, costing thousands less than competitors with similar technologies, and its fuel-efficient powertrain comes standard on four-cylinder-equipped models.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUnI6pMwqLA

Program engineers improved the fuel economy of the outgoing four-cylinder, six-speed 2011 model by 25 percent by implementing a number of improvements.  Chief among them was the introduction of the electric assist (eAssist) system that is mated to a 2.4L Ecotec direct injection four-cylinder engine and a next-generation six-speed automatic transmission.

The eAssist system uses a state-of-the-art 115V lithium-ion battery system and latest-generation 15-kW electric motor-generator to enable regenerative braking, which takes place anytime the driver is off the throttle. Regenerative braking provides up to 15 kW of electricity to charge the battery to power all of the vehicle’s electrical systems with recaptured energy instead of fuel, which dramatically reduces the need to load the engine with the generator.

The system uses power stored in the battery to provide 15 hp of electric power assistance in various driving scenarios, delivering more than three times the power provided by the previous-generation belt-alternator-starter system.

“The additional 15 hp provided by electric assist allowed us to lower LaCrosse’s gear ratio without sacrificing reserve acceleration and performance,” said Steve Poulos, global chief engineer of the eAssist system. “For example, when climbing the grade of an overpass, a normal vehicle will downshift and lose some fuel efficiency, but LaCrosse with eAssist maintains gear for improved performance and increased efficiency.”

eAssist also enables LaCrosse’s Ecotec engine to shut down fuel delivery in certain deceleration conditions, which saves additional fuel. While in fuel shut-off mode, the motor-generator unit continues spinning along with the engine to provide immediate and smooth take-off power when the driver presses on the accelerator. Then, as the vehicle comes to a stop, the motor-generator unit spins the engine, bringing it to a smooth stop – properly positioned for a smooth restart.

“All Buick automatics do some deceleration fuel cutoff when the driver is not on the accelerator,” said Daryl Wilson, LaCrosse lead development engineer. “But eAssist allowed us to take the decel fuel cutoff all the way down to zero speed, which resulted in a significant fuel economy increase.”

Program engineers also improved LaCrosse’s underbody aerodynamics by strategically placing underbody aero panels.  Tires were optimized for performance and fuel economy, and electronically controlled shutters in the lower grille close at higher speeds to push more air over the vehicle, which increases aerodynamic efficiency to enhance fuel economy and engine warm-up.  All of these technologies increase the effectiveness of the eAssist system’s regenerative braking capability, while also improving the vehicle’s efficiency while driving.

LaCrosse with eAssist includes an ECO gauge on the instrument panel that continuously responds to driving behavior, helping the driver attain maximum efficiency. It also features a hill-assist system that captures brake pressure to help the driver more comfortably accelerate from a stop on a moderate or steep grade. It does this by greatly reducing the tendency of the vehicle to roll backward with the engine in shut-down mode.

“All of these improvements deliver significant fuel-efficiency gains Buick customers will appreciate,” DiSalle said. “With eAssist, Buick customers don’t have to trade a premium driving experience for efficiency.”

The eAssist system also comes to Buick Regal in late 2011.

 

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

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.”