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Buick struggling to keep up with Encore demand

Buick is having a hard time keeping up with demand for its all-new Encore mini-CUV, according to a report from Automotive News. The stylish, lifted five-door went on sale in January, but dealers have reported that supplies have dwindled after the initial high demand, taking the proverbial "wind out of the sails."
General Motors admits that it underestimated demand for the diminutive Buick, which is built in Korea and sold as the Opel Mokka in Europe, where it's also seen success. Buick spokesperson Nick Richards told AN, "We increased production, so there have been a lot more landing within the last month."
Buick has done a booming business, though, even with its limited supply of Encores. With over 12,000 units sold in the first half of 2013, the small CUV is on pace to annihilate industry analysts' estimates, which predicted no more than 18,500 units in 2013. We're not entirely surprised. When we first drove the Encore late last year, Autoblog professed that we had no idea how sales would turn out, as the Encore wasn't really entering into an established segment. Even so, wefound a surprising amount to like in the Encore, enough that we "wouldn't bet against it" being a major success.

The last Buick Cascada unceremoniously rolls off the assembly line

Motorists in the market for a new Buick Cascada need to act fast. Peugeot-owned Opel has built the last example of the drop-top model in its Gliwice, Poland, factory, and there's no replacement in sight. Buick announced the Cascada's demise in early 2019, and GM Authority learned the model went out unceremoniously. There's no indication that the final example received a commemorative plaque on its dashboard, or is headed to a private collection; photos of it aren't even available. The dealership who ordered it might not know it's about to receive the last specimen of the breed. As a non-luxury, front-wheel-drive convertible, the Cascada was marooned on an island that Buick's rivals abandoned halfway through the 2010s. The Chrysler 200 Convertible and the Volkswagen Eos were discontinued after the 2014 and 2015 model years, respectively. Landing in a class of one likely raised more than a few eyebrows in Buick's product planning division, but it was a semi-enviable position that helped the firm sell about 17,000 units of the Cascada between the 2016 and 2019 model years. It proudly pointed out about 60 percent of buyers were new to General Motors. Left-hand-drive examples of the Cascada were sold under the Buick and Opel banners. Right-hand-drive models joined the Vauxhall range in the United Kingdom, and they wore a Holden emblem in Australia. The four flavors were identical with the exception of some brand-specific trim pieces and powertrains. None will get a successor; the aforementioned carmakers are no longer operating under the same roof, and the global convertible segment is steadily shrinking.  The Cascada's multinational provenance made more sense before General Motors sold its Opel and Vauxhall divisions to PSA Groupe, the Paris-based carmaker that owns Peugeot, Citroen and DS. The French firm pledged to keep producing cars for Buick for as long as necessary, but the former sister companies tacitly agreed to stop co-developing vehicles. The sedan and station wagon variants of the Regal are now the only Opel-designed, PSA-built model left in the the Buick portfolio.

OnStar RemoteLink mobile app coming standard on all new GM vehicles

As an evolution and improvement of its OnStar technology, General Motors has announced that it will be expanding the RemoteLink Mobile App on most 2014 model year Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles. The new, aptly named RemoteLink Key Fob Services will allow users to remotely operate all of the same systems as the car's key fob, including locking and unlocking the doors and remote starting (on vehicles equipped with a factory remote starter) using a smartphone.
These Key Fob Services will be free for five years - starting from the vehicle's delivery date - but the full suite of RemoteLink features will continue to be offered only with a subscription (trial or paid). These premium features include contacting a live adviser, getting turn-by-turn directions and remotely monitoring the vehicle's diagnostic systems.
Scroll down below for the complete press release with all the details.