Autoblog

2012 Buick Regal eAssist [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Buick, New Car Reviews, Luxury

Jump-Starting An Already Solid Sedan

Hybrids only account for about two percent of annual U.S. auto sales, yet there is a huge push by most automakers to incorporate the green tech into future product. The reasons for this are many, and they include improved public perception, better Corporate Average Fuel Economy numbers and a push to continually improve the technology. The craze really caught on with the Toyota Prius, though it was started in the U.S. by Honda and Ford got in the game with the Escape Hybrid.

General Motors has taken a different approach to hybrid tech with a combination of technologies that includes the Voltec system used in the Chevrolet Volt and the Two-Mode Hybrid system that has been relegated to GM light-duty trucks and large SUVs. The third and most affordable option is eAssist, which utilizes a small, 65-pound 115V lithium-ion battery and a 15-horsepower electric motor to improve fuel economy by up to 25 percent.

We spent a week in a well-heeled 2012 Buick Regal with eAssist to gain a better understanding of the technology and to see how well GM's Gen II mild hybrid tech works in the real world.

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2012 Buick Regal eAssist [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick recalls 2012 Regal over lighting concern

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Buick, GM

General Motors is recalling 2012 model year Buick Regal sedans for, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 108: lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment." Specifically (and in layman's terms), it means that the Regal's parking lamps may be defective.

Vehicles affected by this recall were built between February 22, 2011 and February 22, 2012 - a grand total of 3,633 Regals.

GM will begin notifying owners about the recall this week, and dealers will reprogram the Regal's body control module (that controls the parking lights) free of charge. Follow the jump for the full details in NHTSA's official statement.

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Buick recalls 2012 Regal over lighting concern originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick Regal Wagon spotted naked and unashamed

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Buick, GM

Buick Regal wagon spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

One year ago, a Buick Regal wagon was deemed "unlikely." However, General Motors is reportedly looking to expand the Regal lineup, not just with a rumored coupe, but with the estate seen here. Sources within GM say that the Regal wagon could debut as early as the end of this year, making it a 2012 model year vehicle.

In addition to these live photos (note the "turbo" script on its rump), our spies are offering up a rendering of what the production version of the Regal Wagon could look like, complete with the larger 19-inch wheels from the Regal Turbo sedan. If produced, the Regal wagon would aim squarely at the recently introduced Acura TSX Sport Wagon.

If the Regal wagon is indeed set to debut this year, the Los Angeles Auto Show is probably a safe bet. We'll keep our ears to the ground for more details in the coming months.

Buick Regal Wagon spotted naked and unashamed originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet MyLink comes to Buick, GMC in IntelliLink form

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Crossover, Buick, GM, GMC, Infotainment

IntelliLink for Buick and GMC - Click above for high-res image gallery

As expected, General Motors will begin rolling out MyLink later this year, and GM has expanded
the connectivity system to include the 2012 Buick Verano, Regal and LaCrosse, along with the 2012 GMC Terrain.

GM has changed the branding of its SYNC competitor to IntelliLink for Buick and GMC models, although the features and functionality remain the same.

Voice commands - powered by Nuance technology - allow users to control phone functionality, radio stations and MP3 players through a natural language system, while Gracenote pulls in track listings and album art, Pandora, Stitcher and XM stream the tunes, and a standard rear-vision camera (on the Terrain) lets you keep tabs on what's coming up from behind.

Better iPhone and Android integration through a combination of USB and Bluetooth control is part of the package, and buyers of the youth-focused Verano will get IntelliLink as standard at first, with the system coming to the Regal and LaCrosse later this year. However, Enclave buyers will have to wait for its refreshening in 2013 before getting their hands on the system. Full details on both the Buick and GMC integration in the press release after the break.

Gallery: IntelliLink for Buick and GMC

Continue reading Chevrolet MyLink comes to Buick, GMC in IntelliLink form

Chevrolet MyLink comes to Buick, GMC in IntelliLink form originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, Cadillac, GM, Rumormill, Luxury

Cadillac's on-again, off-again plan to replace the aging DTS and STS with one flagship product - which may or may not be known as the XTS - is reportedly back on track. According to Motor Trend, the original plan to use the Zeta platform of the Holden Commodore and Pontiac G8 has been shelved in favor a stretched version of Cadillac's own Sigma chassis that underpins the smaller CTS. If there's any truth to these rumors, we should expect to see the new Caddy for the 2012 model year.

The demise of the DTS also spells impending doom for the Buick Lucerne since the two vehicles are built atop the same platform at the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant. MT reports that Buick will get two new models to replace the Lucerne, one of which may revive the old Invicta name from the 1960s. That mid-size sedan would replace the canceled Saturn Aura and be based on the Opel Insignia, which uses the same Epsilon II platform that's used by the 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

The second new Buick will reportedly be a notch smaller and will share its compact Delta guts with the Chevrolet Cruze but be fitted with the suspension adjustments pioneered on the Opel Astra. We'll just have to wait and see how that car goes along with Fritz Henderson's proclamation that he's 'not a fan of rebadging' if it ever sees the light of day.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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