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Buick applies the GS treatment to an electric Electra

A sporty Buick in the 21st century? A contradiction, some might think. But the product planners at Buick — usually the most conservative brand in General MotorsÂ’ stable — apparently think otherwise. Earlier this month, GM filed an application with the United States Patent office for the Electra GS nameplate, pairing the “Gran Sport” badge with a name that dates back to the first Electra model that debuted more than six decades ago. GM showed an Electra EV concept in 2020 in China and a sleek Buick Electra-X concept SUV this summer. As part of its plans to go to a fully electric lineup by 2030, Buick announced in June that an electric Electra — nice fit, no? — would be shown later this year and released in 2024. The addition of the prestigious Gran Sport badge refers back to the Buick muscle cars of the mid-Sixties, including the Skylark GS and the Riviera GS. It since has been applied to other Buicks, including the Regal GS. The brand has also indicated that it will launch at least two electric SUVs next year, but that plan might not entice some dealers to continue to sell and service Buicks: GM last month said it would offer dealerships in the United States buyouts if they balked at investing in the considerable upgrades required to service EVs. “Not everyone necessarily wants to make that journey, depending on where theyÂ’re located or the level of expenditure that the transition will demand,” Buick Global Vice President Duncan Aldred told the Wall Street Journal. “So if they want to exit the Buick franchise, then we will give them monetary assistance to do so.”       

2018 Buick Enclave launches luxury Avenir trim

Remember the shapely Buick Avenir Concept from the 2015 Detroit Auto Show? Well, this isn't that, even if they both share the same name. Meet the Buick Enclave Avenir, a new trim built atop Buick's redesigned 2018 Enclave seven-passenger crossover. Think of it as Buick's version of GMC's Denali trim and you'll be on the right track. As the brand's new top trim level, everything that's normally optional in the Enclave comes standard in the Avenir, along with a bunch of exclusive content. And this is just the first application of the Avenir package for Buick – expect the rest of the TriShield brand's products to get a similar makeover in due time. All Avenir models from Buick will get what the brand is calling a three-dimensional mesh grille with a new set of chrome wings. From there, the Enclave edition bundles unique pearl nickel 20-inch wheels, a Rear Camera Mirror like the one seen from Cadillac, and a new kind of LED headlamps that use something called Evonik Acrylite lighting technology. An in-car air ionizer promises to keep the cabin smelling fresh. The rest of the Enclave package sounds pretty good, too. It's got a standard 3.6-liter V6 engine with 302 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. A tow rating of 5,000 pounds is standard fare for this class, as are seven seats inside. A frameless eight-inch LCD screen and integrated 4G wireless connectivity are other family-friendly highlights. We expect more Avenir-branded models to make their appearance in the Buick showroom soon. In the meantime, check out the Enclave Avenir in the image gallery above, and stay tuned for more from New York. Related Video:

Buick unveils 2020 Encore and Encore GX in Shanghai

As expected, Buick pulled the covers off its refreshed Encore and brand-new Encore GX at the 2019 Shanghai Motor Show. It's not surprising that Buick would unveil these crossovers in China considering that's the automaker's largest market, but we expect at least one of these crossovers to come to the States to replace our current Encore, which has been Buick's best-selling model for the last three years. Buick hasn't yet release a whole lot of information about its new Encore twins besides coyly describing the GX as a longer-wheelbase version of the Encore. In reality, we think there's quite a bit of difference between these two Encores. The regular Encore is similarly sized to the current version, which is heavily based on the Opel Mokka, and it's probably based on an updated version of GM's Gamma II platform called GEM, which stands for Global Emerging Markets. 2020 Buick Encore for China View 2 Photos The larger Encore GX is likely sitting atop GM's newer VSS-F platform. We don't know exactly how much bigger the GX is than the regular Encore, but we wouldn't be surprised if it's this larger version that will be sold Stateside. An unknown range of four-cylinder Ecotec engines will be offered in China, paired to either a nine-speed automatic or optional continuously variable transmission. Regardless of what's underneath, these two Encore models share the same sense of style, and it's a look we can get behind. A wide winged grille is bisected by a chrome strip that carries the Buick Tri-Shield emblem front and center. The rest of the sheetmetal is taut and crisp, with concave bodysides and muscular flanks. We'll have to wait and see what tweaks are made to the American Encore, what powertrain it will feature, and when exactly it will go on sale. In the meantime, feel free to check out the gallery up above.