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Buick Velite Plug-In Hybrid Concept debuts to little fanfare

Buick pulled the covers off its latest Velite Concept at the Auto Guangzhou 2016 show in China. We say latest because this is actually the second time Buick has used the Velite name for a concept, the previous having been shown at the 2004 New York Auto Show. The first Velite concept was a two-door convertible; the second Velite is a four-door crossover. Enough about the name, what about the concept? Well, it's very highly stylized, and we don't really mean that in a good way. There's nothing about the Velite that screams Buick, except for its badges, of course. At the front is a compressed version of Buick's traditional waterfall-like fascia. It's flanked by slit-like LED lighting elements. The rest of the face looks to our eyes like it draws inspiration from the latest Toyota Prius. There isn't a single flat element to the Velite Concept's bodysides, in a way that resembles recent concepts from Infiniti. The last bit of styling flourish are deep recesses just ahead of the rear wheels, a look that is reminiscent of BMW's i-series of vehicles. There aren't any images showing the Velite's hind quarters, but from what we can see, that also has a QX-ish look about it. There are no shots yet of the Velite's interior, but Buick says it's "elegant" and "includes recycled materials." We wish we could see what it looks like, because the automaker says it "[points] to design trends for upcoming new energy vehicles." So, the Buick Velite Concept is a nondescript mashup of design elements that we've already seen. Under the skin, however, things are more interesting. It's a plug-in hybrid with a modular lithium ion battery. That doesn't tell us much – it could be a variant of the Chevy Volt, or it could be a different system altogether. We look forward to finding out. In the meantime, have a look at the high-res image gallery up above. Oh, and if you're wondering, the word velite traces its roots back to a lightly armored military division in ancient Rome. Related Video:

2025 Buick Enclave revealed with new looks, technology

The 2025 Buick Enclave has been revealed, and as expected it combines Buick's current corporate styling with the new-generation three-row SUV platform shared with the Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia. It also gets plenty of standard features and technology, along with the first Buick implementation of Super Cruise. The design of the Enclave is much more boxy and upright than the extra-curvy model that precedes it. Even the wheel arches have been squared-up. It's coupled with the shark-nose front fascia taken from the Wildcat concept that has adorned every other vehicle in Buick's lineup. The whole thing is slightly larger than before, too, though Buick didn't specify by how much. And as is the case with most Buicks, there's a base Preferred model, as well as Sport Touring (ST) and Avenir trims that receive appearance tweaks in addition to different feature sets. The ST adopts black trim, including in the grille, whereas the Avenir uses bright metal trim and body color wheel arches, plus larger 22-inch wheels (Preferred and ST have 20-inch wheels). The interior is the biggest upgrade by far, though. Immediately obvious is the standard 30-inch combination instrument and infotainment display. It has a curvy, inverted trapezoid shape that has a slight retro-futurism vibe. It sits atop a low, wide and gently curved dashboard, one with a small set of physical short-cut buttons above the center air vents. A "floating" center console rises to meet the dash, though stops short of connecting to it. Adjustable ambient lighting is standard in here, along with power, heated seats, wireless device charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 12-speaker Bose sound system. Avenir upgrades the sound system to 16 speakers, adds a panoramic sunroof, front seat ventilation and massage function, rear seat heating and a head-up display. Mechanically, the Enclave is basically the same as the Traverse and Acadia. It uses the new platform and also gets the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder as the sole engine option. In the Enclave, it makes 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque, the same as the GMC, and a tad more than the Chevy. An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission offering, though both front- and all-wheel drive are available. Towing capacity is again mirrored at 5,000 pounds, and Super Cruise is available, making Enclave the first Buick with the hands-free driving assist system.

2018 Buick Enclave spied looking slim in Death Valley

The nine-year-old Buick Enclave is well past its prime, but this set of spy photos reveals that GM won't put the vehicle out of its misery, but will give the vehicle a large update instead. Our photographers managed to catch Buick testing a heavily-camouflaged 2018 Enclave testing below sea level near Death Valley. Buick was testing the prototype in Nevada earlier this year, but slapped a trailer onto the back of the SUV. Thanks to the camouflage that covers the badging, headlights, taillights, and hood, there's no way to confirm if the prototype is really a Buick or something from Chevrolet. But the circular outline on the grille has us leaning towards it being a Buick. Five LED running lights shine through the heavy camouflage, while Buick's iconic waterfall grille is prominently uncovered. The Enclave, which came out in 2008, shares the same platform as the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse. With the new Acadia slimming down and ditching the old Lambda platform in favor of the Chi platform, the Enclave will surely follow suit. The Enclave, though, is expected to get a stretched version of the Chi platform with three rows. While the entire body is concealed, the prototype's side profile looks to be slimmer than the current Enclave. With the addition of the new, lighter platform, the Enclave is expected to get GM's new 3.6-liter V6 with a nine-speed automatic transmission added later down the road. The new Enclave is expected to make its debut early next year as a 2018 model, which will be followed by the reveal of the Traverse shortly after. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Buick Enclave Spy Shots View 13 Photos Image Credit: Spied Bilde Spy Photos Buick GM Crossover SUV Luxury