2014 Buick Verano Convenience on 2040-cars

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GM cars and SUVs recalled for leaking transmission fluid

General Motors is recalling more than 194,000 vehicles from 2018 to 2020 due to transmission fluid leaks. The leaks stem from an auto stop-start component that may have been installed with loose or missing bolts. The leaking fluid can affect the transmission's performance, and if it leaks onto a hot exhaust component, could potentially cause a fire. GM says that to date, it knows of no accidents or injuries related to the defect. The issue affects models from all four GM divisions. From Chevrolet, the affected vehicles are: 2018 Malibu, 2018–2019 Cruze, 2018–2020 Equinox, 2018–2020 Traverse, 2019–2020 Blazer At Buick, the following models are included: 2018–2019 LaCrosse, 2019–2020 Encore, 2019–2020 Enclave, At GMC, the recall includes: 2018–2020 Terrain, 2019–2020 Acadia Cadillac has two affected vehicles: 2019–2020 XT4 and 2020 XT6 The recall is scheduled to begin in mid-December. Owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted. Dealers will inspect the transmission accumulator, and replace those with loose or missing bolts.

The UAW's 'record contract' hinges on pensions, battery plants

DETROIT - After nearly four weeks of disruptive strikes and hard bargaining, the United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three automakers have edged closer to a deal that could offer record-setting wage gains for nearly 150,000 U.S. workers. General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis have all agreed to raise base wages by between 20% and 23% over a four-year deal, according to union and company statements. Ford and Stellantis have agreed to reinstate cost-of-living adjustments, or COLA. The companies have offered to boost pay for temporary workers and give them a faster path to full-time, full-wage status. All three have proposed slashing the time it takes a new hire to get to the top UAW pay rate. The progress in contract talks follows the first-ever simultaneous strike by the UAW against Detroit's Big Three automakers. The union began the strike on Sept. 15 in hopes of forcing a better deal from each major automaker. But coming close to a deal is not the same thing as reaching a deal. Big obstacles remain on at least two major UAW demands: restoring the retirement security provided by pre-2007 defined benefit pension plans, and covering present and future joint- venture electric vehicle battery plants under the union's master contracts with the automakers. On retirement, none of the automakers has agreed to restore pre-2007 defined-benefit pension plans for workers hired after 2007. Doing so could force the automakers to again burden their balance sheets with multibillion-dollar liabilities. GM and the former Chrysler unloaded most of those liabilities in their 2009 bankruptcies. The union and automakers have explored an approach to providing more income security by offering annuities as an investment option in their company-sponsored 401(k) savings plans, people familiar with the discussions said. Stellantis referred to an annuity option as part of a more generous 401(k) proposal on Sept. 22. Annuities or similar instruments could give UAW retirees assurance of fixed, predictable payouts less dependent on stock market ups and downs, experts said. Recent changes in federal law have removed obstacles to including annuities as a feature of corporate 401(k) plans, said Olivia Mitchell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and an expert on pensions and retirement. "Retirees want a way to be assured they won't run out of money," Mitchell said.

Buick Envision Plus is a seven-seater tweener developed for China

Buick has filled the gap separating the Envision and the Enclave with a new crossover named Envision Plus. Launched at the Shanghai auto show, the three-row people-mover is scheduled to go on sale in China later in 2021. The plus-sized Envision stretches 190.7 inches long, 74.1 inches wide, and 66.7 inches tall, figures that make it around eight inches longer and two inches taller than the regular Envision. It's also a full 14 inches shorter, four inches narrower, and three inches lower than the Enclave, which is the biggest crossover in the Buick range. Designers didn't settle for stretching the Envision's wheelbase. They gave the Plus a more upright front end characterized by a taller grille, a flatter and longer roofline, and a redesigned rear end accented by a strip of bright trim that connects the lights. Only photos of the upscale Avenir trim (shown above) have been published so far. Images of the cabin are not available yet. We expect the Plus offers an interior close to the standard Envision's — from the driver's point of view, at least. The biggest difference is that the longer Envision lives up to its name by letting motorists take more gear or kids along for the ride thanks to a more spacious trunk and third-row seats. Power for the Envision Plus comes from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter EcoTec four-cylinder engine fitted with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. Bolted to a nine-speed automatic transmission, the turbo-four is the same basic engine found in the American-spec Envision, where it develops 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but figures for the Plus weren't released. Front- and all-wheel-drive models will presumably be available. Buick will release pricing information closer to the model's on-sale date. As of writing, the Envision Plus has only been announced for China, where it will be built, but unverified reports claim it will arrive in American showrooms before the end of 2021. We've reached out to the company, and we'll update this story if we learn more. 2021 Buick Verano Pro GS View 5 Photos What else did Buick show in Shanghai? Buick no longer sells sedans in America, but it remains present in that segment on the Chinese market. In addition to the Envision Plus, it unveiled a model named Verano Pro developed specifically for China, built locally, and aimed at relatively young buyers. At launch, motorists will be asked to choose between the regular sedan and a sportier-looking variant that wears the storied GS emblem.