Buick Grand National 1987 on 2040-cars

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2018 Kia Stinger vs. other luxury hatchbacks compared by the numbers

Ten years ago, if you had told us that one of the many new luxury segments to develop would be sedan-style hatchbacks, we'd have said you'd lost your mind. And yet, here we are today with not one, but four cars competing in just such a niche upscale segment: The Kia Stinger, Buick Regal Sportback, BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and Audi A5. That's just in one size and price bracket. Two of the manufacturers listed here make larger versions of each luxury hatchback. We aren't entirely sure how it happened, but we're not going to complain, because we love the idea of a car with almost no compromise: luxury features, sporty performance, and plenty of practicality. Try Autoblog' s Car Finder to search for your next new vehicle. One of the reasons we're taking a look at these cars right now is that Kia has recently released pricing for its entry in the segment, the Stinger and Stinger GT. Buick wasn't far behind with the Regal Sportback and Regal GS, nor was Audi with the A5 and S5. So it seemed like an appropriate moment to look at the numbers and see which come out ahead or behind, with victors in each category highlighted with bold and underlined text. What we found when comparing these cars' statistics is that each one has a clear area of expertise. For performance, it's hard to beat the four-cylinder Kia Stinger and the V6 Stinger GT. The four-banger has the most horsepower of the four cars, and is just behind on torque. The V6 has the most power and torque among the six-cylinder versions. The Stingers are also the second lightest of the group when equipped with rear-wheel drive, though they fall to third with all-wheel drive. Space is a split between the Buick Regals and BMW 3 Series Gran Turismos. The Buicks have the most cargo space with the rear seats up or folded by a significant margin. The BMW on the other hand generally offers more space for passengers. It's up to you what's most important. Compare these and other potential new vehicle purchases using our tool. When it comes to cost, nothing can beat the four-cylinder Regal's base price of under $26,000. But if a V6 is what you're after, the Stinger GT is the cheapest. Neither matches the Audi A5 and S5 for fuel economy, though. Both Audis have the highest numbers for city, highway, and combined EPA estimates. Related Video:

First 2013 Buick Encore TV ad features... dinosaurs

The whole "SUVs as dinosaurs" trope has become something of a threadbare cliché among auto writers, but that doesn't mean the wider world of consumers has caught on to the Jurassic nature of our line of thinking. That's what General Motors appears to be betting on, at least. Just check out Buick's first television spot for its 2013 Encore, the tiny crossover that is pushing the Tri-Shield into territories unknown while looking to outrun the brand's reputation as a refuge for elderly clientele.
Set to air this weekend on ESPN during the NCAA college basketball tournament, the ad plays up the Encore's maneuverability and surprising interior space by setting the baby Buick amongst a herd of lumbering CG dinosaurs created by Tippett Studio, the folks behind Hollywood blockbusters like Jurassic Park, Ted, and the Twilight series of films.
We can't help but snigger a little - while the Encore is indeed surprisingly roomy, nimble, and composed, our first drive found it to be glacially slow, too... not unlike a certain prehistoric race of animals. Check out the commercial below and judge for yourself.

Buick Enclave gets continental makeover with Tuscan trim

Buick is trying to lend an air of Italian elegance to the Enclave with its newly announced Tuscan Edition that's available on the crossover for the 2016 model year. Named after the famously hilly and fertile region of Italy, the package brings some bronze accents to the CUV. As the very specific trademark filing for the Tuscan suggests, the special edition adds bronze trim to the uprights in the grille, and the metallic color finds its way into the embellishments on the 20-inch chrome wheels, too. Buyers also get to choose from three shades when ordering the package: White Frost Tricoat, Dark Chocolate Metallic and Ebony Twilight Metallic. Beyond those trim upgrades, the Tuscan Edition is just like any other Enclave. The package can only be ordered on the Leather and Premium trims, and all of their features are still available including a power moonroof, park assist, HID headlights and many luxury features inside. As with the rest of the range, power comes from a 3.6-liter V6 with 288 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque that routes through a six-speed automatic. There's also a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. The Italian-inspired CUV makes its debut at the New York Auto Show in just a few days and brings its bronzer to dealers this summer. Buick Introduces 2016 Enclave Tuscan Edition Bronze accents distinguish crossover that ignited brand's renaissance 2015-03-26 DETROIT – Buick today introduced the 2016 Enclave Tuscan Edition – a more distinctive expression of the popular crossover, highlighted by a bronze-tone grille and 20-inch chrome-clad wheels with bronze accents. The Enclave sparked Buick's renaissance eight years ago and continues to fuel its momentum, with 2015 sales building on record sales of 62,300 in 2014. "Buick's quality, refinement and style continues to attract more customers and this modern resurgence started with Enclave," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. "It was a pioneer for three-row luxury crossovers and remains one of the segment's most popular. The new Tuscan Edition celebrates Enclave's achievement and rewards owners with a higher level of distinction." The 2016 Buick Enclave Tuscan will be on display at the New York International Auto Show and goes on sale this summer on the Leather (1SL) and Premium (1SN) trims. It is offered in three premium exterior colors: White Frost Tricoat, Dark Chocolate Metallic and Ebony Twilight Metallic.