2004 Buick Century Custom Sedan 4-door 3.1l on 2040-cars

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2017 Buick Encore freshens up for the New York Auto Show

Buick is dressing up the 2017 Encore for spring – specifically the New York Auto Show – where the compact crossover is expected to strut its stuff. The freshening follows the playbook of the Chevy Trax, which was also updated with a light hand. Though it keeps its familiar shape, sort of like an oversized Pontiac Vibe, the Encore gets Buick's new grille. It's a simple look with the wings bisecting the brand's tri-shield, and it calls to mind Buick's iconic front ends from yesteryear. You might remember it from the Avenir and Avista concepts. There are also new headlights. They look stolen from Audi, and it's an attention-getting gaze for the new face of the Encore. There will likely be new wheel packages, too. We can't see inside the Encore. Spy photographers couldn't get close enough to this Buick shoot in Southern California. But, we expect the interior to also mirror the Trax enhancements, which included a new instrument panel, gauges, materials, and infotainment. The Encore shares underpinnings with the Trax and Opel Mokka. We expect the Encore to arrive in late summer. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Buick Encore Spy Shots Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Design/Style Spy Photos New York Auto Show Buick Crossover buick encore

2024 Buick Encore GX spy photos reveal Wildcat-based design

After the reveal of the Buick Wildcat concept car, the company made it clear the styling would appear on many upcoming cars. We've seen it on the recently revealed Envista for China and the U.S., and it will appear on the first Electra electric SUV. But apparently the design language will be adapted to current Buick models, too, as evidenced by the spy photos of the new Encore GX shown above. This is clearly a refreshed Encore GX, as it's mostly the same from the A-pillars back. But the whole front end has been given a radical makeover with the Wildcat's basic looks. There's one large grille placed low in the fascia with horizontal slats. It has a pointy nose and angry headlights. It's a much more aggressive design compared to the borderline cute look of the current Encore GX. The only other significant change to the Encore GX, at least from the outside, is the use of the new Buick badge. It has the three new shields placed at the same height and without the circle. At the back, the word "BUICK" is spelled out in chrome lettering below the new badge. Since this car is completely uncovered and in production-ready guise, we're betting the refreshed Encore GX will launch sometime next year as a 2024 model. Being a refresh, it will likely have the same turbo 1.2- and 1.3-liter three-cylinder engines with front- or all-wheel drive and either a CVT or nine-speed automatic transmissions. Related video: Buick Wildcat EV Concept Walkaround

GM cutting production at two plants

General Motors is continuing to adjust to excess supply of some of its brands' models. To get production more in line with the vehicles' actual demand, the automotive giant is idling two of its factories in North America in the coming months. The Orion Assembly plant is going to be down from March 9-13, according to an anonymous plant worker and another insider speaking to Automotive News. The factory builds the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano, but there are plenty of both models sitting on dealer lots, including 216 days worth of Sonics, according to AN. The factory already had two idle periods announced to reduce the excess. In addition, downtime is scheduled at GM's "Flex" line at the Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, plant from April 13-17. This affects supply of the Chevrolet Camaro, Impala, Buick Regal and Cadillac XTS. Among them, the automotive giant has the largest supply of Regals ready for dealers with 213 days worth of them, according to AN. The future for the whole Oshawa factory is cloudy in general, though. There are rumors that it could close entirely in the future because the Camaro is leaving and the Regal and XTS might not last much longer than 2017. The Canadian government and the labor union there intend to put up a fight, though. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM orion assembly oshawa plant idle