1986 Buick Regal Grand National Turbo 3.8 Engine on 2040-cars

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Buick Enspire EV crossover concept claims 370 miles of range

For the Beijing Auto Show, Buick is showing yet another crossover, this one in concept form. It's called the Buick Enspire, and unlike the rest of the brand's crossovers, this one is all electric. It's more than just a repurposed Bolt EV, too. Instead of the Bolt's 150 kW and 200-horsepower motor, the Buick has a 410 kW motor, which equates to 550 horsepower. Buick claims the motor will get the crossover to 60 mph in just 4 seconds. The Enspire isn't all about performance, though. It would also have a very healthy claimed range of 370 miles, topping that of the longest-range Tesla. Fast charging is supported, with Buick saying it can recover 80 percent of its charge within 40 minutes, though the company doesn't say how potent the charger used for that number is. It also apparently has support for wireless charging. This Enspire concept is rather pleasant looking, too. It has smooth, elegant curves draped on a body with a very wide, aggressive stance. The grille is an interesting evolution of Buick's current design, exaggerating the current crossbar into large wings that spread into the lights, and trading the vertical slats of the main grille for a solid illuminated insert. The rear taillights are also distinctive in how they comprise one long, slender line that form a pseudo spoiler in the rear hatch. The interior is plenty swoopy, too, with a number of futuristic touches. It has an OLED touchscreen for infotainment, and the windshield features augmented reality capabilities displaying road information and navigation routes. Luxury touches include real wood arm rests and center console. Whether we'll see a production Buick with the capabilities of the Enspire is anyone's guess. Surely to have that level of power and range would make it immensely expensive, similar to or surpassing the Tesla Model S and the Jaguar I-Pace. That would be rarefied air for Buick. But we wouldn't be surprised to see either an all-new crossover, or a redesigned current model, sporting the designs seen on this concept. And many of the cues will likely spill over to other Buick products. And while the performance seen in this concept might not reach production, we also wouldn't rule out an electric Buick of some sort, probably a crossover in the near future. General Motors has made it very clear it's going to push electric vehicle development, and a Buick crossover would be a good choice for a few reasons.

Buick Envision arrives in US next year

In a detailed piece on what General Motors has planned for the Buick brand stateside, Automotive News reports that the Envision will finally come to the US a little more than a year from now, in the latter half of 2016. The size gap between the small Encore and the large Enclave is a perfect fit for the Chevrolet Equinox-sized Envision. Assuming this actually happens, it should excite both customers and Buick dealers. In China, the Envision uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 256 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed transmission. Before then, dealers sales forces will be preparing for the Cascada convertible, expected in Q1 next year. Later in 2016, around the same time as the Envision gets here, we can expect a redesigned Verano sedan. AN says it "should grow in length and interior roominess, similar to the Chevy Cruze," but the Verano already roughly matches or exceeds many Cruze dimensions. The Chinese-market Verano that premiered at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year probably holds some clues to what we'll see, but our version might not be an exact copy. A redesigned, lighter, and slightly larger LaCrosse will be right there with it. In 2017 the redesigned Regal appears. Following the trend, it also gets larger, but that's required because it needs to be more distinct from that larger Verano. AN suggests a new base engine will go in the Regal, perhaps something as small as the 1.5-liter turbo being lined up for the 2016 Chevy Malibu. At the other end, executives are said to be considering importing the diesel Opel Insignia wagon for the Regal lineup. If they bring the manual over, auto scribes will probably take the day off when the first one arrives, and make it an industry holiday.

2024 Buick Envision debuts with family styling, massive interior screen

Buick showed us the 2024 Envision in a single image nearly a year ago, and while the wait’s been a long one, we now have all the details on this crossoverÂ’s thorough refresh. And yes, even though weÂ’re already rather deep into 2024, this refresh is indeed for the 2024 model year Envision. The big changes outside are plenty visible at first glance as you see the Wildcat EV-inspired front end thatÂ’s been splashed across BuickÂ’s SUV lineup. The Envision looks largely similar to before around back, though Buick notes itÂ’s using new badging on the rear fascia. Plus, new 20-inch wheels are standard on both the ST and Avenir trims, while the base Preferred trim makes do with 18s. Its powertrain is all carryover, which means the only engine option is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that sends 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque through a nine-speed automatic transmission. One difference for 2024, though, is that all-wheel drive is made standard, eliminating the cheaper FWD versions. BuickÂ’s most substantial changes are inside the 2024 Envision. It features a standard 30-inch display that stretches across the dash encompassing the instrument cluster and the infotainment screen. This also means it has a new center stack and center console design that better fits this massive display. Many of the hard climate control buttons are eliminated from the center stack, but some key, often-used toggles remain for easy use. The button-operated “shifter” layout on the center console is gone, too, replaced by GMÂ’s column shifter slowly making its way across the entire General Motors lineup. In its place is a massive, shiny volume knob and additional storage capacity. As for luxuries and styling, the Envision adds new red/black and gray/blue interior color combos, and the front seats themselves are new to be more comfortable than before. Ambient lighting is added to the cabin, and Buick says itÂ’s upped the trim quality on the center console. If you opt for the ST, you get a flat-bottom steering wheel for a sportier appearance, too. More driver assistance features are being made standard for 2024, though Super Cruise is not one of them despite it being initially touted as one of the new technology items coming to the Envision this year. When queried about its absence, a Buick spokesperson told us this: “The 24MY Envision will no longer debut with Super Cruise, but we plan to bring it to Buick vehicles soon.