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Buick IntelliLink Coming to 2012 Regal, LaCrosse and Verano

Hands-free, voice-controlled interface helps drivers safely use mobile electronics

NEW YORK – Buick, the fastest-growing major automotive brand in the United States in 2010, will bring a higher level of in-vehicle wireless connectivity and customizable infotainment options to its 2012 Verano,Regal and LaCrosse models. The upgraded capability will enhance the luxury vehicle experience that Buick buyers have come to know and love.

Buick IntelliLink uses Bluetooth or USB to connect the driver’s smartphone to a new 7- or 8-inch, high-resolution, full-color 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 andStitcher SmartRadio®.

Most importantly, Buick IntelliLink enables seamless integration of stowed portable devices with each vehicle’s infotainment system, allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

“Today’s tech-savvy consumers expect more from their cars’ infotainment systems,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. “They want a system that allows them to customize their in-vehicle experience with smartphones and other portable media devices. The availability of IntelliLink on every Buick sedan in 2012 and every Buick model in 2013 takes connectivity and media personalization to a new level.”

Consumer interest in onboard connectivity is rising with smartphone sales. Apple sold 16.2 million iPhonesin the fourth quarter of 2010, and Android sales jumped 886 percent from 2009 to 2010. By the end of 2013, there will be 1.1 billion smartphones with annual sales of 300 million units, according to the research firm Parks Associates Industries.

“About 70 percent of all new car buyers want some form of connectivity,” said Micky Bly, executive director leading GM’s infotainment engineering efforts, citing GM research. “Whether it’s because they want to listen to their favorite music or explore local restaurants on a Friday night, today’s car buyer expects so much more out of their time in a car.”

One doesn’t need a smartphone to benefit from IntelliLink. The system works with a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, USB flash drive or digital audio player. Even without a mobile device, Buick owners will benefit from IntelliLink’s enhanced voice recognition technology and OnStar’s on-screen turn-by-turn directions.

IntelliLink’s voice activation capability benefits from Buick’s library-quiet interiors. Quiet Tuning systems, processes and components are built into every facet of the vehicle’s architecture to block or absorb sound and dampen or eliminate vibrations. Quiet Tuning also calls attention to the audio fidelity of Buick’s Bose®and harmon/kardon® sound systems.

Additional benefits provided by IntelliLink include:

Enhanced hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance®, which allows simple voice commands to initiate phone calls and select radio stations or media from portable MP3 players and smartphones. A tap of a button on the steering wheel enables intuitive verbal control of many radio features like “play (artist name)” or “call (name of contact)”. When a smart phone is connected you can say “tune (Internet radio, station name).”

PANDORA Internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio allow users to create personalized radio stations based on favorite artists or genres and enables access to thousands of audio programming choices, allowing customers to build a personalized listening experience. IntelliLink integrates control of both of these apps for a driver-directed listening experience.

Gracenote® identifies the music collection on the driver’s USB device, MP3 player or smartphone and presents information such as artist name, genres and album cover art on the IntelliLink screen and enables users to select similar music to the tunes they love. Gracenote also improves the accuracy of IntelliLink’s voice activation system by allowing users to access music using artist nicknames, such as “The Boss,” “The Stones,” or “Snoop” using IntelliLink’s voice control interfaces activated through the touch-screen or steering wheel buttons.

Upgraded USB connectivity adds the ability to play music files directly from flash memory devices and gives the customer the ability to update IntelliLink with future feature enhancements.

Buick IntelliLink’s designers drew inspiration from the intuitive, easy-to-use interfaces found on many popular consumer electronics. The influence can be seen on the home page with application icons that animate when activated. The touch screen’s fluid, contemporary graphics and elegant color palette evoke Buick’s “inviting luxury” aesthetic and advance the sophisticated design language established in the current LaCrosse’s navigation system.

The debut of Buick IntelliLink extends the OnStar experience from safety and security to information and entertainment by seamlessly integrating the capability of a smartphone into the vehicle so that hand-held phones may be safely stowed while driving.

When OnStar debuted in 1996, it pioneered in-vehicle connectivity with the auto industry’s first embedded telematics system. It has grown from primarily offering automatic crash notification and security features to include remote vehicle diagnostics, turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to slow down stolen vehicles. In November 2010, OnStar released a smartphone application for all 2011 Buick vehicles that incorporated remote start, lock/unlock, and vehicle status checks.

 

 

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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.

 

 

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Buick Retail Sales Swell 90 Percent in February

Regal Posts Best Month since Launch as Fuel-Efficient Turbo Attracts New Buyers

DETROIT – Buick, the fastest growing major automotive brand in the United States in 2010, delivered its 17th straight month of retail sales gains with a 90 percent increase over last February. The brand’s total February sales also improved 73 percent year-over-year, thanks in part to the increased availability of the new fuel-efficient Regal CXL Turbo.

“Buick is gaining great traction in the midsize sedan, full-size car and crossover segments, thanks in part to very positive word of mouth,” 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 the brand.”

Approximately 38 percent of Buick buyers come from non-GM brands, including nearly 18 percent come from imports, calendar year-to-date.

Regal, which has the highest conquest rate of any Buick calendar year to date at 46 percent, enjoyed its strongest sales month since its launch last spring. Regal’s retail sales in February were 55 percent higher than in January.  Regal’s total sales were up 59 percent compared to the same period – 21 percent higher than its previous highest month (December).

Regal’s recent sales gains are fueled in part by the increased availability of the all-new Regal CXL Turbo, which accounted for approximately 25 percent of Regal’s sales in February. On the open road, Regal Turbo’s 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivers 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, better than Acura TSX. Regal Turbo, which is now available with manual six-speed transmission, also delivers better fuel economy, with an EPA-rated 32 mpg highway.

“Regal sales are expected to grow even more with the arrival of the new Regal with eAssist and high performance Regal GS later this year,” Sweeney said.

After enjoying its strongest sales in history in 2010, Enclave is on its way to having 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.

LaCrosse, which Car & Driver magazine recently honored with a 2011 Editor’s Choice Award, also had a strong February, with a 28 percent increase in retail sales and a 7 percent increase in total sales.