2008 Buick Lucerne Super Sedan 4-door 4.6l on 2040-cars

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March Madness upsets good for auto advertisers

There are no Cinderella teams left in the NCAA men's basketball tournament - the fairytales ended with Georgia State's loss to Xavier over the weekend. And even though the Sweet 16 is composed of elite teams - at the time of writing the lowest-ranked squad is 11th-seeded UCLA, which has most championships of any school in the country - there are still underdogs and surprises, and they are good for NCAA business and advertisers. Last year the March Madness Live app, which allows users to watch games on the go, was downloaded 4.5 million times, a jump of more than 40 percent over 2013. Buick sponsors the iOS version of the app, but more than a million of those downloads were for the Android version, sponsored by Infiniti since 2011. Part of Buick's engagement is a "Boss Button" on the livestream sites that can quickly mask the page with something your boss won't question you over. It also sponsors a trick-shot competition for fans, has a display in Bracket Town during the Final Four, and its cars lead the team buses through the city. Infiniti said last year's tourney increased online searches for the brand by 25 percent in March, and things are going even better this year: it's round-by-round bracket game drew 477,859 total entries in 2014, this year's game has signed up 534,350 already and the tournament has another two weeks to go. The luxury brand is all over the event, promoting the QX60 through to the Final Four, then moving its efforts to the Q50. It sponsors the Coaches vs. Cancer charity and will have an Infiniti Lounge near the Final Four venue in downtown Indianapolis. So for the two automakers keeping their own scores... come on, Wichita State! Six brackets, six chances to win a trip to #FinalFour 2016. Official rules at http://t.co/4b9GyGJ4wP. #RoundByRound https://t.co/ZCsFatVlja - Infiniti USA (@InfinitiUSA) March 19, 2015 News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Marketing/Advertising Buick Infiniti app sports ncaa march madness

Buick shows US dealers 2016 Cascada convertible

The affordable four-seat convertible has become a largely forgotten genre in the States, especially with the death of the Chrysler 200 Convertible. Of course, there are still premium options from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz - not to mention more overtly performance-oriented droptop pony cars from Chevrolet and Ford - but if you want an affordable cruiser, you're kind of out of luck. That may be about to change, however, with renewed rumors of the Opel Cascada (pictured above) making it across the Atlantic wearing a Buick badge.
According to GM Inside News, Buick showed off the Cascada to US dealers last week, with renewed word that the company plans to bring it over from Europe for the 2016 model year. The US version will reportedly be practically identical to its German cousin in terms of styling, but the powertrain underneath is less certain. According to GMI, it may use the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that is available in Europe with either 168 horsepower or 197 hp.
The Cascada rides on GM's Delta II platform, which also underpins the Verano, and the latest rumor certainly provides even more evidence that the convertible is probably on the way. Speculation about the droptop started when GM CEO Dan Akerson said last year that the car was on his wish list to bring over. Then, the US trademark on the name was reserved earlier this year, and the release was speculated for sometime in early 2016.

Buick reveals wild GL8 minivan concept and Smart Pod concept in China

Buick, being the hit in China that it is, decided to unveil a couple of concept vehicles at the Guangzhou Auto Show. One is the GL8 Flagship Concept, and the other is the Smart Pod Concept. Since an actual minivan is far more interesting than any “Smart Pod,” weÂ’ll start with the GL8 Flagship Concept. The exterior is meant to be luxurious and “dynamic” looking with its mix of colors, glass canopy roof, wing-shaped headlights and highly-sculpted body. ThereÂ’s hardly a piece on the car that isnÂ’t making a statement, and the highlights continue when you open the doors. It becomes fairly clear right away that this minivan is not one for family use, as itÂ’s only rocking four seats. That said, everybody in those four seats is guaranteed to be comfortable. Buick says itÂ’s using “zero gravity” lounge seats inside, and the cabin as a whole is inspired by Chinese mountain and water landscapes. That could explain the multi-color floor, as the blue section looks like it could be the water at the base of a mountain, surrounded by a beach. Features include a tea tray, 30-inch driver display, touchscreen on the steering wheel, full windshield-width head-up display and a new audio system that features speakers in the headrests. Buick says all of the carÂ’s functions can be controlled by voice, too. Beyond the obviously futuristic touches, this Buick minivan is just plain gorgeous. Its gold, blue and cream color combo and various materials used throughout look like top-notch luxury. WeÂ’d love to see some of this attention to detail and luxury trickle down into some of BuickÂ’s production cars. Smart Pod Concept Buick Smart Pod Concept View 17 Photos Unlike the GL8, the Smart Pod was designed in the U.S. It uses the electric Ultium platform and what Buick is calling the VIP electric architecture. The exterior design is basically what Buick has called it — a pod. Its lights use micro-LED tech to make them as sleek as possible. On the inside, Buick designed the Pod to be as spacious and airy as can be. It has a glass roof, a fully reclining and dedicated sleep seat and a modular seating layout. Other features include deployable tables, noise-cancelation  tech, an air purifying system and a 50-inch LED screen. It is powered by an AI assistant that employs voice commands, eye-tracking technology, integration with your mobile devices and machine learning to adapt to the user.