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Little-bit-bigger 2020 Buick Encore GX gets two three-cylinder engines

Ford broke the ice on selling three-cylinder engines in the U.S. with the 2014 Fiesta, then followed up with the EcoSport. Buick is about to widen that supermini-sized crack in the ice with the 2020 Encore GX. The semi-subcompact crossover will come in three trim levels that mix-and-match two turbocharged three-cylinder engines, two transmissions, and two drivetrains. The smaller engine is a 1.2-liter three-pot with 137 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque. This comes in one horse and 18 lb-ft of twist beyond the 1.4-liter four-cylinder in the smaller Encore. This engine will only be paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive in the Preferred, Select, and Essence trims. The meatier motor is a 1.3-liter three-cylinder with 155 hp and 174 lb-ft. That's down on the 163 hp and 177 lb-ft that the same engine produces in the Chinese-market version of the Encore GX. However, it gets buyers close to the 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that used to be optional on the smaller Encore, producing 153 hp and 177 lb-ft. This engine can be optioned on the front-wheel drive Select and Essence trims, where it would be mated to the CVT. The 1.3-liter three-cylinder is standard on all trims optioned with all-wheel drive, where it gets paired with GM's nine-speed automatic. GM does say the horsepower figures are estimates at the moment, so don't be surprised at any slight changes before deliveries begin next year. The Encore GX will serve buyers who would love it if the Encore had a bit more room but don't want to step up to the Envision. For a price GM hasn't announced yet, the Encore GX will reward those buyers with five more feet of cargo space, and some extra power for all those who decide to level up further. The junior Encore weighs just over 3,200 pounds, it's likely the Encore GX will shade that some. The Encore GX does ride on GM's new VSS-F platform, though, so the advanced architecture could provide an overall superior experience even with the lesser three-cylinder. GM has also said that the Encore GX will come standard with safety kit like forward collision alert and lane keep assist with a lane departure warning, features that are cost extras on the Encore. The Encore GX will also include automatic emergency braking, which can't be had on the Encore at any price.

This 1988 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon looks like a boxy, wood-sided bargain

The growing interest in 1980s cars has meant that General Motors' full-size B-body station wagons of the era are now attracting the interest of collectors as well as iconoclasts seeking an SUV alternative. This 1988 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon for sale right now on eBay Motors, looks to be a tempting example of the genre. It has covered just 72,000 miles and is described as a "rust-free southern car." The A/C is said to be cold, and it's equipped with power windows, a split-bench front seat and a rear-facing third seat. Whereas the Electra was the wagon for the finest estates, the LeSabre presumably was for those that were one rung down, so it has a slightly more downmarket maroon cloth interior where the Electra would have velour. Yet this LeSabre Estate Wagon is still slathered in a full complement of woodgrain siding, and this car sports a factory set of wire wheel covers. We're told the 5.0-liter V8 sound great, while the paint is said to be "a little tired" and one headlight looks like it needs to be replaced. The "Buy It Now" price is $8,500, and the seller is also inviting offers. Plus, 1% of the sales price benefits St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, so there's a feel-good factor. For comparison, this wagon's Oldsmobile twin currently being auctioned on Bring a Trailer already has been bid past $8,900 for four days still to go in the auction. This '83 Custom Cruiser has 74,000 miles and looks maybe a little spiffier, but not a lot more so. The seller of this Oldsmobile includes a video in his listing, and in it he appears to be not wearing pants. Sometimes it's all about presentation. Related Video:

Movie Review: Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary

As Buick currently claws and scratches its way back into relevance to compete against luxury brands like Lexus and Acura, it's hard to believe that not too long ago, the brand had a car that was mentioned in the same breath as Corvette, Lamborghini and Ferrari. That car? None other than the Buick Grand National. All black with a turbocharged V6 and some of the quickest acceleration of its time, the Grand National, in today's standards, is along the lines of a 2013 Shelby GT500 with both cars essentially being a working man's supercar.
The last Grand National rolled off the assembly line in Flint, MI on December 11, 1987, and to mark the silver anniversary of that somber occasion, Black Air is a documentary of the Grand National from the perspective of the enthusiast, the collector, the media and even from those at General Motors responsible for creating such a sinister legend. Like the car itself, Andrew Filippone Jr. shoots the documentary in a raw fashion, and it definitely helps to show why a low-volume muscle car from the 1980s is still the object of obsession for many automotive enthusiasts to this day.