2003 Buick Century Custom on 2040-cars

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Buick lowering base prices on Regal, Verano

Buick might have two new options for buyers in the market for an inexpensive luxury sedan. In a move similar to the introduction of the LaCrosse 1SV base trim a few months ago, the brand is ready to offer cheaper, entry-level versions of the Regal and Verano. Like the LaCrosse 1SV, the Verano 1SV mostly cuts dealer margins to reduce the cost for customers. The small sedan is priced at $21,065, plus $925 destination, which is a significant $2,315 drop compared to the next higher trim. The powertrain is still a 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 180 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque and a six-speed automatic, but buyers lose out on satellite radio. According to CarsDirect, dealers are making just $106 on this model, versus $935 on the higher grade. Meanwhile, the Regal 1SV charts a slightly different path to a lower price. The trim starts at $27,065, which is a $2,925 savings over the next trim. Buyers still get leather seats too, but the powertrain here is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder without eAssist that makes 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed automatic. That's a 77 hp deficit compared to the turbocharged Regal, and combined city/highway fuel economy dips to 23 miles per gallon combined, compared to 24 mpg with forced induction. Buick is introducing the 1SV models in hopes of grabbing more attention for the brand. "We added this new base level to some models as a means of expanding the opportunity for more customers to experience Buick vehicles. The addition of these trims will create an increased awareness and consideration of these vehicles when being compared to the competition," said company spokesperson Nick Richards to Autoblog. However, you might not see many of these inexpensive Buicks on the road. "On the Verano, we suspect dealers will opt to stay away from a car with around $100 between invoice and MSRP - that's the pattern we've been seeing on the LaCrosse 1SV, which is practically impossible to find," said CarsDirect Senior Pricing Analyst Alex Bernstein to Autoblog. Also, the Regal 1SV's switch to a less powerful, naturally aspirated engine "could be a turn-off for some shoppers," he said. Related Video:

GM applies to trademark Buick Envision GX

GM Authority found a GM application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reserve the name Buick Envision GX. We can't be certain, but it seems this all but confirms that the three-row Buick Envision, which debuted a year ago in China as the Envision Plus (pictured), will sell here as the Envision GX. Doing so would reinforce the naming convention established in the U.S. with the Encore and slightly larger Encore GX. Adding a third row to the compact two-row Envision extends three of of four dimensions. According to specs the Chinese transport ministry put online last year, the three-row Envision will be 190.7 inches long on a 111.5-inch wheelbase, increases of 8.2 and 2.1 inches, respectively. Height grows by 2.7 inches as well, only the 74.1-inch width holding steady.   That length has been utilized to make life easier for second- and third-row passengers. The Envision Plus in China comes with 2+3+2 seating, the second-row bench able to slide 9.8 inches. Behind that, cargo volume with the second and third rows stowed climbs from 52.7 cubic feet to 58 cubic feet. The sole engine will be the current Envision's 2.0-liter four-cylinder, making 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, sent to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic. Power gets sent to the front wheels as standard, and all-wheel drive will be an option.  On top of the extended rear overhang on the seven-seater, GM designers slipped in a few cosmetic changes to set it apart from the five-seater. A new horizontal trim piece connects the headlights, the lower bumper getting a pair of larger, reshaped intakes. A complementary horizontal slash connects slimmer taillights, the license plate surround squared off instead of trapezoid-shaped.  Related video:

Looking back at how and why GM saved Buick

Still uncomfortably fresh in our collective minds is 2008, the year when the US economy tanked, auto sales collapsed, and both General Motors and Chrysler endured federally managed bankruptcies. Then 2009, when, among other draconian measures, the government task forces dictating what they were compelled to do to earn taxpayer financial support ordered thousands of dealers cut and GM to discontinue four of its eight US brands. Three of those chosen for GM's axe were fairly obvious: off-road icon Hummer had become politically incorrect, Swedish-born Saab was a perennial money loser, and product-starved Saturn had sadly sagged after its strong early start. On the other hand, high-volume value brand Chevrolet, luxury Cadillac, and high-profit GMC seemed clear keepers. That left Pontiac and Buick, both boasting strong brand heritage and histories but both languishing at the time with lackluster image and sales. Most believed that "old man's car" Buick would be killed and once-youthful Pontiac and its performance image would be revived. So few understood why when exactly the opposite happened: Buick lived, Pontiac died. One key factor was Buick's long, distinguished history in China. In the early 20th century, many of that country's most influential citizens owned, drove, or were driven in Buicks. By 1930, one out of every six cars on the roads in Shanghai was a Buick. So when GM launched vehicle production at a Shanghai joint-venture plant in 1999, the chosen brand was Buick. Today it remains GM's best-selling brand in that fast-growing market. Another was an appealing new design direction that began with a shapely 2006 three-row crossover concept called Enclave. Inspired by the Buick Velite concept convertible of 2004, its curvaceous "form vocabulary," GM Design vice president Ed Welburn said at the time, previewed coming Buick production car and CUV design. "The body shape flows, like there's wind blowing over it," he enthused, adding that the Enclave concept's richly trimmed cabin foretold "a renaissance in interior design for GM." And when the production Enclave arrived for 2008, followed by platform siblings from Saturn and GMC (and later Chevrolet), it indeed caught the public's eye and started selling well. And once past GM's painful and embarrassing bankruptcy, Buick has been on a major roll. Continuing to sell strongly in China while growing substantially in the US, it has enjoyed four straight years of global sales records.