1970 Buick Riviera Base Hardtop 2-door 7.5l on 2040-cars

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Buick Electra-X SUV Concept is a sporty-looking electric crossover

We all saw the gorgeous Buick WIldcat EV concept yesterday, but slipping under the radar was another Buick concept revealed in China: the Electra-X Concept SUV. Buick is planning on using “Electra” to name its future EVs, and this is our first look at a concept with the name attached to it. Specifically, Buick says that this concept “previews the production version of BuickÂ’s new generation of electric vehicles in China, underpinned by GMÂ’s revolutionary Ultium platform.” Nowhere in BuickÂ’s announcement does the brand say this concept will transfer to future Buicks in the U.S., but itÂ’s an interesting thought to entertain. The Electra-X Concept SUV looks like a fastback SUV, or crossover coupe, which is already a common bodystyle here in North America. Seeing that BuickÂ’s intention is to use the Ultium platform, that gives even more reason that something along these lines could find its way into U.S. showrooms. This specific concept is all about design, and itÂ’s easily the most attractive Buick SUV weÂ’ve seen. Buick says the carÂ’s “fresh and youthful” expression is meant to appeal to younger customers. It certainly looks far more sporty than what weÂ’re used to seeing from Buick, which is a good thing. YouÂ’ll notice itÂ’s wearing a new Buick badge up front. The light design in front and back is meant to resemble what weÂ’ll see on future production cars, and like many lights these days, they flash an animation at you as you approach the car. The four-seat interior is meant to look sporty and clean. Plus, it shows off the flat floor capabilities of the Ultium platform. It has an airy feel thanks to a wraparound windshield and glass roof. The seats are wrapped in fabric made from recycled water bottles. YouÂ’ll also see “GS” etched inside the cabin meant to hint that there will be electric GS models in the future. Its main display is a 30-inch 6K screen, and the car features 5G connectivity for the speediest-possible connection to the internet. Super Cruise in its most advanced, current form is also onboard, which is great to see for the Buick brand. Related video:

2013 Buick Encore nets strong IIHS, NHTSA safety scores

After being crushed from every which way and rolled over like a labrador, the 2013 Buick Encore has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To earn the accolade, a vehicle must achieve the highest rating of "Good" in each of the institute's four main crash tests: Front Moderate Overlap, Side, Rollover and Rear. The Encore aced those four tests with "Good" ratings, but missed out on the coveted Top Safety Pick+ designation by receiving a Poor rating in the institute's new Front Small Overlap test. To be named a Top Safety Pick+, the Encore would need to score at least an "Acceptable" rating in the new test, as well as "Good" in all four original crash tests.
Despite the miss, the Encore joins the Enclave, LaCrosse, Verano and Regal as Top Safety Picks all. If you count only the Encore with all-wheel drive, then all five Buicks have also earned five-star overall ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration, making Buick one of the few manufacturers to offer a full lineup with high scores from both safety rating organizations.
The front-wheel-drive Encore, despite performing equally as well as the all-wheel-drive version in NHTSA's crash tests, only earned four stars overall. As far as we can tell, the discrepancy between the two is because some safety equipment, like Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Assist, are optional features on the FWD Encore and standard on the AWD model.

Junkyard Gem: 1983 Buick LeSabre Estate Station Wagon, Rocky Mountain High Edition

If you live in Colorado and want an affordable chariot to haul you and your snowboarding droogs to the slopes, you could get one of the obvious cheapskate choices, e.g., a Tercel 4WD, a Corolla All-Trac, or an 80s 4WD Subaru wagon. However, if you want to channel the spiritual forefathers of early-1980s punk rock (and you do), you'll need a big, battered, Detroit bomb. This '83 LeSabre, spotted in a Denver self-service wrecking yard, is such a car. As you can see in 1984's Suburbia, you're pretty much halfway to being a member of The Vandals when you drive a couple of tons of once-luxurious Detroit Iron. 1983 was the final year of the Malaise Era, and so you didn't get much power from the V8s back then. The standard engine for the LeSabre that year was an Olds 307 generating a mere 140 horsepower. The only way to get a burnout out of this setup was to pour a case of Lucky Lager over the right rear tire, then neutral-drop the transmission while floating the valves. Chrysler and Nissan dominated the Whorehouse Red car interiors during the 1980s, but GM made a respectable showing with this scratchy, velour-influenced stuff. When you know you're a car's last owner, nothing holds you back from decorating it to suit your tastes. Ron Paul, the Snowboarders + Skiers For Christ, and many other icons of Buick-driving snow enthusiasts are represented upon the ample flanks of this wagon. How many miles are on it? With a five-digit odometer, there's no telling. The Colorado sun is rough on interiors, but this car may have spent its first couple of decades parking in a garage, or maybe it came from cloudy Oregon. Advertising for this generation of LeSabre emphasized fuel economy, which may have been a less-than-convincing approach. Related Video: