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Jay Leno finds no detail neglected on Icon's Derelict 1948 Buick Super

Jonathan Ward seems to have one of the greatest jobs in the world. As the CEO at Icon, he's in charge of not only the company's fantastic trucks but its Derelict series of semi-restored classics, as well. Ward's vehicles are no strangers to Jay Leno's Garage, but the latest guest on the show might be one of Icon's coolest yet. What looks like a 1948 Buick Super Convertible on the outside hides the supercharged heart of a Corvette ZR1 underneath. Like the rest of the Derelict series, this old Buick's toasted paint and pitted chrome are all part of the charm of the car, and it's really a case of beauty being more than skin deep. The Super rides on a custom chassis and suspension to make the convertible a far better driver than even a pristine original example. Plus, Ward hides all sorts of modern upgrades inside that are practically invisible until he points them out. Leno absolutely falls in love with driving the Derelict Buick. If his enthusiasm grabs you, the video below from Ward goes much deeper into the build process of this awesome project.

Ford Edge ST and Mercedes-AMG E 53 | Autoblog Podcast #557

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Reese Counts. They talk about driving the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe and Ford Edge ST. Then they run down the news: Lexus LFA prototype spy shots and the Buick Cascada's death knell. Then Green Editor John Beltz Snyder crashes the studio to talk about reducing your carbon footprint. Finally, the fellas help spend a listener's hard-earned money on a new car.Autoblog Podcast #557 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupe First drive of the Ford Edge ST Lexus LFA prototype spied at the Nurburgring with new body work Buick Cascada at death's door? Climate change sucks, but it doesn't have to Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Green Podcasts Buick Cadillac Ford Lexus Mercedes-Benz Car Buying Used Car Buying Convertible Coupe Crossover SUV Luxury Performance lexus lfa buick cascada

Nearly half of Buick dealers choose buyout over investing to sell EVs

In 2022, General Motors gave Buick dealers across the nation a simple choice: invest a significant amount of money to prepare for EVs or opt for a buyout. Over a year later, the brand has reportedly lost nearly half of its dealerships as it prepares to roll out its first electric cars. Trade journal Automotive News reported that the number of Buick dealers in the United States dropped by about 47% during 2023. At the beginning of the year, the network included 1,958 stores; fast-forward to December and that figure stands at approximately 1,000. More dealers could throw in the towel in the coming weeks, as the publication adds that the buyout program remains open and will continue. Dollar figures haven't been released, so we don't know precisely how much money a dealer who opts out can claim from General Motors or how much money a dealer needs to spend to stick with the brand. However, the latter figure falls somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000, Automotive News learned. Dealers notably need to invest in equipment (such as charging stations) and training. Buick doesn't seem fazed by the exodus. "I'm really pleased with where we are. The network, where we are now, is a good size. It's with dealers who are focused on the business, who've shown that they can recover the volume that the dealers who transitioned away were doing," company boss Duncan Aldred said. According to Automotive News, the dealers who chose to stop selling Buick models accounted for about 20% of the brand's sales in the United States. Buick told the publication that around 89% of the American population still lives within 25 miles of one of its dealerships. General Motors extended the same offer to Cadillac dealerships in 2020, and about 150 stores allegedly chose to leave. For context, the dealer network consisted of 880 locations in the United States before executives floated the buyout offer. The dealers who left received between $300,000 to $500,000, the report adds, while preparing to sell electric cars would have set them back by around $200,000. Related video: