Buick Confirms New Models, Targets "Customers that Shop at Ikea and Drink Coffee at Starbucks"

The new Buick confirmed that it will be releasing a new compact sedan and small crossover as follow-ups to its mid-size Regal (pictured above in GS concept form). Well, at least now it's official.

The three new vehicles are expected to help it move into 47% of the market, which will help Buick in achieving its goal of doubling sales "in the next few years".

The brand will also cease using trim-level designations, continuing to shake things up. Why? "Trim levels imply there is a hierarchy of the premium vehicle," says Craig Bierley, director of Buick-GMC advertising/sales promotion director.

Now everyone's going to be the same on the outside, which is smart. Other than engine displacement designations (which can be deleted on most cars), none of the luxury automakers do it.

In addition, Bierley said that Buick is changing its marketing strategy. "In the past, Buick stood for one thing, we stood for quiet," he said. "At the time (before filing for bankruptcy), we had most of our budget slashed, so we kept the program that was successful," Bierley added. "So if you played golf or watched golf, you knew about Buick."

Now, Buick has "almost entirely dropped out of golf," he said adding that the focus now will be on more " grass-roots campaigns and search for customers who shop at Whole Foods and Ikea and drink coffee at Starbucks." In other words, buyers who want luxury without paying that much.

As a sign that things are looking up (i.e. working), Autodata Corp. says Buick's sales are up 36% for April, and 50% improved for the year so far.

Evidence comes in the form of a 214% increase in LaCrosse sales (now selling for "$8,000 to $9,000 more" that its predecessor); even Enclave buyers went up by 30%.

What's really impressive is Buick's bold claim that the upcoming Regal will be the oldest model in its lineup by 2013. That's what we call thinking ahead, or having a plan. Not something the old GM was too concerned with, but reassuring...most reassuring...to see under the new GM.

By Phil Alex

Via: Detnews

Buick's Current Range

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Baby Buick Enclave set to Join Reinvigorated Lineup

As we all know, Chevy recently decided not to distribute its Orlando mini-crossover in the States in order to concentrate on its current lineup. Looks like they might have had another reason.

According to the Associated Press, Buick will be continuing its barrage of new products with an Aveo-based crossover to be built in Orion Township, Michigan.

This is refreshing; the brand formerly known as OLD has not only reinvigorated its lineup, but will be releasing more products in the near future - the Chinese-market Excelle and this new mini-Enclave - to help pull in younger buyers (Lexus and Acura fans, too).

Let's recap: large, medium, and (soon to be) small cars? Covered. Full-size and (soon to be) small crossovers? Covered. All of the ones currently available on lots (barring the Lucerne)? Pretty good-looking. Above average, even.

The crazy thing is, now I wonder what's stopping them from doing a sports car down the line? Talk about a positive identity shift.

By Phil Alex

Via: AP / Yahoo (Photos: Buick Enclave)

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U.S. Patent Drawings of 2012 Buick Excelle Sedan

If these U.S. patent drawings of Buick's forthcoming entry-level compact sedan are anything to go by, then the North American version of the car will be identical to the China-market 2012 Buick Excelle that was recently caught on film without any camouflage whatsoever.

We don't know if GM will keep the 'Excelle' nameplate for North America, but we do know that the General is planning to bring the car to the States in 2011.

As you may recall, the Excelle or whatever else GM decides to name it, is based on the latest generation of the European market Opel Astra and as such, it adopts the Detroit automaker's Delta II small car platform that also underpins the new Chevy Cruze.

Specific details about the powertrain options remain scarce, however, we reckon that the front-wheel drive saloon will probably be offered with a similar engine range to the Cruze including a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, and quite possibly, the Astra's more powerful 1.6-liter turbo with 180 ponies.

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Buick's LaCrosse gets a Daewoo Badge, Heads to Korea

GM just announced that it will be bringing the Chevrolet brand to Korea, and now it looks like the General will be bringing Buick over as well in the form of a re-badged LaCrosse.

The Daewoo Alpheon, a LaCrosse in everything but name, recently debuted at at the Busan Motor Show. Powered by GM's 3.0 liter V6 and hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission, the Alpheon is meant to be "a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio".

GM Daewoo President and CEO Mike Arcamone said, "With the introduction of the all-new Alpheon luxury sedan, we have added another attractive model to our product portfolio and our first entry in the fast-growing upper-midsize segment in Korea. I am confident that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury sedan buyers in Korea."

The Daewoo Alpheon is expected to launch in the second half of 2010.

By Phil Alex

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New Buick Excelle Compact Sedan Scooped Totally Undisguised

New photos of the upcoming Chinese / North American market baby Buick have surfaced in China (courtesy of Autohome), and it doesn't look too bad. The small, 2010 Opel Astra-based sedan will be a fitting bookend to what may become the most attractive Buick lineup ever.

The worst view by far has to be the red profile shot (anyone else think it looks like a Neon?) with the car sporting a very un-sporty wing. Let's hope that doesn't make it over to the states. Same goes for the gaudy chrome eyebrows over the tail lamps.

Being a higher-end Chevy Cruze, expect similar engine/transmission choices but with an "upscale" feel inside. If we're lucky, it may even score the turbocharged 180-horsepower 1.6 liter from the current Astra or whatever the upcoming GSI/OPC model will be packing.

From what we gather, we'll probably see the Chinese version of the car named the Buick Excelle making its world premiere this year, with the North American version to follow sometime in 2011.

By Phil Alex

Via: Autohome.com.cn

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Porsche and Lincoln Top J.D. Power's 2010 Dependability Study, Cadillac DTS Has the Fewest Problems in the Industry

J.D. Power & Associates' latest vehicle dependability study says most cars are getting better. In fact, J.D. Power tests showed that 25 of 36 brands (69%) improved their long-term durability. Reported problems decreased from an industry average of 167 per 100 vehicles last year to the current 155 (+7% in reliability).

The study, which measures problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2007 model year) vehicles, said that Porsche was the highest-ranking brand with 110 problems per 100 vehicles followed by Lincoln (114 problems) and Buick (115 problems).

The Cadillac DTS is the model with the fewest problems in the industry, with just 76 issues per 100 vehicles. This marks the first time in more than a decade that a model from a domestic automaker has achieved the lowest PP100 score in the Vehicle Dependability Study.

Interestingly, seven of the 10 models with the lowest incidence of problems in the industry are from Ford and General Motors, including the 2007 model-year Buick Lacrosse, Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS, Ford Five Hundred, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan, and Mercury Montego.

The biggest losers in terms of increases in problems per 100 vehicles are: Land Rover (+27), Audi (+25), Mitsubishi (+20).

The brands with the most problems per 100 vehicles in the industry are: Volkswagen (225), Suzuki (253) and Land Rover (255).

Source & Charts: J.D. Power & Associates

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Baby Buick Sedan Based on New Opel Astra Scooped Inside and Out in Germany

We still don't know the name of Buick's all-new small sedan that will take its place right under the 2011 Regal in the carmaker's line up, but these latest spy shots from Germany give us our best look to date of the upcoming compact-sized model's exterior and interior design.

And if the styling looks familiar that's because Buick's baby sedan is in essence the North American version of the upcoming Opel Astra sedan.

From what we gather by looking at these revealing spy shots, the only differences worth mentioning aside from the badges concern Buick's signature waterfall grille and possibly, the styling of the tail lights.

As with the 2011 Buick Regal and the Opel Insignia, the small sedan's interior is identical to that of the recently revealed Astra hatchback.

There are no surprises under the sheetmetal as Buick's Opel-sourced model uses the same Delta II platform found on the Chevy Cruze.

Even though it's too early to know specific details about the powertrain options, we reckon that Buick's compact sedan will probably be offered with a similar engine range to the Cruze including a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot, and quite possibly, the Astra's more powerful 1.6-liter turbo with 180 ponies.

The big questions, is how U.S. consumers will receive Buick's smallest proposal that will compete head on with the VW Jetta and its like, especially after the failure of Saturn's version of the Astra.

Of course, the are many significant differences between Buick's and Saturn's Astra, the most important being that the Buick is based on the new and not the previous generation Astra, it will come with more powerful and modern engines and that it's a four-door sedan and not a five-door hatchback.

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