1970 Buick Gs 350 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Buick Cascada marks the return of casual convertibles

Buick is reentering the convertible game after a 25-year absence with this, the long-awaited 2016 Cascada. Fans of General Motors' European operations will recognize this svelte, four-place droptop as a rebadged version of the critically well-received Vauxhall/Opel Cascada, a model that has been on sale to audiences across The Pond since 2013. The Cascada will once again give American car buyers the chance to buy a relaxed, affordable two-row convertible without sporting pretensions, an option that arguably hasn't been available since the demise of the Chrysler 200 droptop. For US duty, the softtop Cascada will arrive with a 1.6-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder that churns out 200 horsepower. That figure is paired up with 206 pound-feet of torque, which can be bumped to 221 lb-ft via an overboost function. A six-speed automatic will dispatch that power to the front wheels, which are managed courtesy of a HiPer strut front-suspension system. While the Cascada might share its front suspension with the setup found on the Regal, its torsion-beam rear suspension has more in common with the Vauxhall/Opel Astra (and Buick Verano) on which it's based. 20-inch wheels and an electric power-assisted steering system round out the convertible's handling hardware. Of course, we doubt most Cascada customers will care about such oily and unseen things. Instead, they'll be more focused on the droptop's sheetmetal, which, considering it's basically a convertible version of the extremely handsome Astra, should win the car at least a few fans. While we only have so much detail to work with in the images that have been released so far – we'll be seeing the Cascada firsthand this evening (Sunday), so check back tonight for additional live images later today. Naturally, the Vauxhall/Opel grille will be replaced by Buick's trademark waterfall grille, although the company's other big styling calling card, portholes, are absent from our current pair of shots. A wide chrome strip stands out on the rear, tying the taillights together and increasing the Cascada's resemblance to the Regal sedan. A single oval exhaust tip juts out from the driver's side rear bumper. In terms of its actual dimensions, the Cascada's wheelbase is less than half an inch longer than the Verano, while the droptop is an inch longer than its four-door counterpart overall. At only an inch wider, meanwhile, the Cascada will enjoy the same easy to manage footprint as Buick's entry-level sedan.

Buick Electra E5 interior debuts with a 30-inch, 6K OLED display

After a Chinese ministry outed the Electra E5 two months ago, Buick China officially revealed the exterior about a month ago. Now it's time for the five-seat battery-electric crossover's interior. Buick's first ride on the Ultium platform not only looks good, it's full of tech. Those aspects come together in the cabin's biggest lure to the eye, the Virtual Cockpit and its 30-inch EyeMax curved LCD screen. The manufacturer says that in addition to 6K resolution, the screen can display one billion colors — a chromatic range that every mantis shrimp with a driver's license will appreciate. The tech continues in premium touches like the 12.6-inch heads-up display, 121 colors of ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless phone charging. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip provides faster processing, enables 5G connectivity, and can manage OTA updates for multiple in-car modules simultaneously. Comparing the Electra E5 interior to our flagship Enclave Avenir, it's easy to make connections in the design language. Still, there's no question the Electra represents a big evolution. The steering wheel design, sculpted seat bolsters, and floating headrests are edging toward racy. The arbitrary curves that create layers of instruments in the Enclave are gone, the Electra using each input zone naturally carve out its own space on the IP. And with Buick describing this as a large mid-sizer, the floating center console gives front occupants plenty of cubby room, rear passengers enjoying the 40.5 inches of rear legroom. Remember, this sits on the same wheelbase as the imminent 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, but stretches about two inches longer in overall length. The Buick's materials are expected to make an upgrade as well, with micro-perforated leather, soft-touch plastics, and brushed aluminum accents. The Electra E5 should hit the Chinese market before the middle of the year. There's a version coming for the U.S., expected to arrive in time for the 2024 model year. We're not sure how much of what we see here will carry over. We know we're looking for something more potent than the 241-horsepower, single-motor powertrain which is the only one we've heard about for the Chinese-market Electra E5 so far. But assuming it is as nice as it looks, that cabin can come as-is. Related video:

GM sees 'strong year' in 2018, then gold in Chevy Silverado for 2019

DETROIT — General Motors said on Tuesday it expects earnings in 2018 to be largely flat compared with 2017, but that profits should pick up pace in 2019 as its revamped line of high-margin pickup trucks hits the U.S. market. The 2018 earnings outlook was above market expectations, sending GM shares up more than 3 percent in premarket trading. "GM had a very good 2017 as we continued to transform our company to be more focused, resilient and profitable," GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said in a statement. "We are positioned for another strong year in 2018 and an even better one in 2019." GM and its Detroit rivals, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, are bringing on new trucks at a time when overall U.S. new vehicle sales have been falling, but truck sales continue to grow as consumers abandon passenger cars in favor of pickups, SUVs and crossovers. GM on Saturday fired a new round in the battle for profits from one of the U.S. auto industry's most lucrative segments when it showed a new generation of its Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at the Detroit auto show. The new Silverado, a highlight of the event, is the successor to GM's best-selling vehicle in North America. Sales of the current Silverado rose nearly 2 percent to 585,000 vehicles in 2017. In the coming months, the company will also reveal a revamped GMC Sierra pickup truck. U.S. new vehicle sales fell 2 percent in 2017 after hitting a record high in 2016, and are expected to drop further in 2018 as interest rates rise and more late-model used cars return to dealer lots to compete with new ones. GM said on Tuesday that while it retools a factory in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, to make the new pickup trucks, it will shift some production to an Oshawa, Ontario, plant in order to avoid missing sales in a hot market for the vehicles. The No. 1 U.S. automaker said it will record a $7 billion non-cash charge for its fourth-quarter 2017 earnings related to deferred tax assets. GM said it expects capital expenditure in 2018 of around $8.5 billion, about $1 billion of which will go toward funding self-driving car technology. Last week, the company said it is seeking U.S. government approval for a fully autonomous car — one without a steering wheel, brake pedal or accelerator pedal — to enter the automaker's first commercial ride-sharing fleet in 2019. GM said it expects 2017 earnings per share at the high end of its previously forecast range of $6 to $6.50.