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2014 Buick Regal gets the party rolling in NY

Although the first day of the 2013 New York Auto Show kicks off bright and early this morning, Buick got a jump on the competition by unveiling the 2014 Buick Regal lineup last night. While the Regal received many upgrades for the 2014 model year, most of our attention was focused on the sedan's drivetrain.
When the new Regal hits dealers this fall, buyers opting for the new Regal Turbo will be welcomed by an additional 39 horsepower and 35 pound-feet of torque from the 2.0-liter turbo engine; the 2014 Regal GS now features the same output of 259 hp and 295 lb-ft, meaning that it has actually lost 11 hp over the 2013 model year. Buick says the reason for the GS' power loss comes from the fact that the newly available all-wheel-drive system forced the car to use a smaller diameter exhaust system, but representatives on hand assured us that the reduction of horsepower won't affect the car's performance and could even help improve fuel economy. And who knows? Maybe downgrading the power of the Regal GS also helps create a little breathing room for a future Grand National or GNX model...
Although the power under the hood is now the same, it is still impossible to confuse the two cars from the outside. Minor updates give both a fresher look, but the Regal GS has an unmistakeable aggression to it. The GS' interior also helps it stand apart from lower Regal trim levels with an eight-inch configurable gauge cluster similar to what is offered in the 2014 LaCrosse. The cabin of the Regal wasn't given an extensive makeover like the LaCrosse received, but the upgraded IntelliLink infotainment system and the cleaner center stack and steering wheel controls are appreciated changes.

General Motors shaking up its marketing... again

One of the things that dogs the full comeback of General Motors is the instability of its marketing. That part of the automaker got yet another big shakeup today when GM confirmed what I have been tweeting for a few days - strong rumors that the Chevrolet and Cadillac ad accounts are walking to new ad agencies.
Cadillac, GM's luxury brand, is going into review from Fallon Worldwide, Minneapolis and the indications are that Campbell-Ewald, Chevy's old ad shop, will end up with most or all of it. C-E just announced that it was moving from its long-time home in Warren, MI to a new downtown Detroit office next to Ford Field, just blocks from GM.
The other shoe to drop shortly will be the shift of GM's most important brand, Chevy, from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco to McCann-Erickson of Troy, MI. McCann used to be the agency for Buick and GMC, as well as GM's corporate advertising, and has retained some pieces of business over the last few years. Sources have even told us that it was McCann that did a lot of the creative work on Chevy's new ad platform, Find New Roads. (Not to be confused with a former McCann tagline for Saab, "Find Your Own Road.")

Updated Buick LaCrosse, Regal to debut at New York Auto Show

Judging by the spy shots we saw last week for the 2014 Buick LaCrosse and 2014 Buick Regal, we knew it wouldn't be much longer until we saw both sedans receive a grand debut. Today, Buick confirmed to Autoblog both cars will be introduced at the New York Auto Show next month, but no further information has yet been released about either model.
Having been on the market for an extra couple years, the changes to the LaCrosse appear to be more significant than those coming for the Regal, but both will be getting refreshed exterior designs as well as updated interiors. The Regal's new face brings it more in line with the all-new Encore and the restyled Enclave, while the LaCrosse should get a more distinctive, upscale appearance.
Both cars will be introduced exactly a month from today, and we'll be there to bring you all the coverage.