General Motors' efforts to revitalize its Buick passenger and GMC truck divisions are not only limited to updating each brands vehicle lineup but also extend to refreshing their joint dealerships across the country. The program includes a new exterior façade with updated signage, brighter and more comfortable showrooms with a customer greeting station as well as a lounge with free WiFi, while some dealers plan to go the extra mile and add a café or salon into the mix. Global architecture firm Gensler is responsible for the styling while it also helps Buick and GMC dealers incorporate the changes to their existing facilities. "The changes are important because both Buick and GMC currently attract more than 40 percent of their buyers from brands outside General Motors," the automaker said in a statement. According to GM, more than 80 percent of eligible Buick and GMC dealers (about 1,900 showrooms) have enrolled in the dealership update program, with 170 having already completed the makeover. The automaker estimates that more than 2,000 Buick and GMC buildings across the States will be fully revitalized by the end of next year. One of the first to complete the architectural updates is Paul Masse, owner of two Buick-GMC stores in New England. “The design group from Gensler did a great job with the colors and appearance,” Masse said. “It really does bring in a new type of customer.”
Car manufactures always try to devise new ways to get the most publicity out of launching a new product. Sending a press release and some images, or pulling the wraps off at a motor show, is simply not enough. For the all-new Buick Encore, GM chose to reveal pieces of a puzzle that completed an image of the vehicle. Yet, even though we could see most of it, the final piece that was missing fell into place today at the Detroit Auto Show. Based on a modified version of GM's Gamma II platform architecture that underpins the Chevrolet Spark / Sonic and the next Opel Corsa, the Encore measures 4,278 mm (168.5 inches) in length, 1.774 mm (69.9 inches) in width and 1.646 mm (64.8 inches) in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,555 mm (100.6 inches) and its trunk volume ranges from 533-1.372 lt (18.8-48.4 cubic inches), depending on whether the rear seats are in place or completely folded. Even though it's roughly the same size as the Nissan Juke, Buick prefers to position it against two more luxurious crossovers that are not sold in the U.S., the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. Buick’s new small crossover is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 140HP and 148 lb-ft (200 Nm) of peak torque delivered at just 1,850 rpm. It is available with a six-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive, both of which feature a McPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension. “The Buick Encore is a great-looking, smart choice for those who want luxury crossover amenities in a more maneuverable and agile vehicle”, said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. “It represents a luxury alternative for a new audience of Buick customers, and delivers features and flexibility not typically found in vehicles of its size today.” Depending on the trim model, the Encore will be offered with 10 airbags, electronic stability control, voice-activated Bluetooth and USB smartphone connection, a seven-inch LCD display, remote engine start, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers, heated, leather-covered and power front seats and 18-inch alloy wheels. Sales of Buick's new small crossover will start in the first quarter of 2013, while Opel will also offer its own version of the Encore named Mokka. PHOTO GALLERY
The one thing we knew for sure after the manufacturing disruptions in Japan caused by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami was that Lexus wasn’t going to top the premium segment in the U.S. market for the first time in a decade. In fact, we also knew something else, the two contenders to the throne: BMW and Mercedes-Benz. What we didn’t know up until Thursday is which of two brands was going to win, since both were caught in a neck-to-neck sales race. Going into December the gap was so small - less than 1,600 cars- that the win could go either way. In the end, both German carmakers increased their 2011 sales by 13 percent compared to 2010, but the winner was BMW, which sold 247,907 units, leaving Mercedes-Benz in second place since with 245,231 sales. According to Edmunds.com, BMW raised its incentives by more than US$200 per vehicle in December, while Mercedes’ incentives remained flat. Lexus saw its sales fall by 13.4 percent, to 198,552 vehicles, which relegated Toyota’s luxury brand to third place. Nevertheless, on Wednesday, company officials estimated that Lexus’ sales in the U.S. will rise by more than 20 percent this year, putting it back in the race for the top spot. The two other Japanese luxury brands, Honda’s Acura and Nissan’s Infiniti, also suffered from supply problems and the strong yen, recording an 8 and 4.8 percent drop which placed them in sixth and eighth place respectively. General Motors performed quite well, with Buick finishing fourth with a 14.3 percent increase to 177,633 units, and Cadillac right behind with a growth of 3.7 percent and sales of 152,389 units. While Audi managed to increase its sales by 16 percent, it couldn’t manage anything better than seventh place and 117,561 units, less than half of its leading compatriots. The U.S. luxury segment top 10 is rounded off by Lincoln with 85,643 units that amount to essentially flat sales, and Volvo which, despite ending last with just 67,240 sales, recorded a 25 percent increase compared to 2010.
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General Motors has just announced that its new Buick crossover model that will debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month will be named Encore, confirming previous speculations. The company also published a cropped image of the 2013 Buick Encore giving us a glimpse of what’s to come, with the promise to release more photos over the next few weeks. GM didn't share many details on the five-seat crossover model other than that it will offer "contemporary styling, signature QuietTuning technology, and a host of features and amenities customers expect from Buicks today". Our sources state that the new Enclave's little brother will be based on Opel's upcoming small crossover model, spy pictures of which, you can check out here.
