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Buick resurrects the Electra nameplate on a science fiction-like electric concept

Buick plans to broaden its range of electric cars in the coming years, and it still owns the rights to the heritage-laced Electra nameplate, so it was only a matter of time before the past and the future met head-on. Buick resurrected the name it used between the 1959 and 1990 model years on a futuristic, battery-powered concept car. Created by a Shanghai-based design studio, the Electra concept takes the form of either a tall sedan or a low crossover, depending on your perspective. While it's not officially a preview of an upcoming production model, it ushers in a design language named Potential Energy that will permeate most of the electric cars the firm will release during the 2020s. It's inspired by a space capsule, according to Buick, so its greenhouse was drawn to resemble a glass pod. Its surfaces are sculpted but not chiseled, and its front fascia wears LED lights with a three-dimensional effect. Fear not: Stylists didn't forget the seemingly obligatory back-lit emblem. Butterfly doors provide access to the cabin, where the space capsule theme continues. Buick packed the Electra with cutting-edge technology features, but it concealed them rather well to avoid a tech overload. The driver faces a rectangular steering wheel that retracts when it's not needed, behind which is a wide, curved screen that replaces all of the buttons, knobs, and switches normally found in a car's interior. An electric motor is far more compact than a comparable four- or six-cylinder engine, so designers were able to carve out a generously sized interior. Engineers embedded technology into the Electra from the project's earliest stage. It's equipped with software named eConnect that supports over-the-air updates, provides on-demand information about a specific trip, and gives details about the various electronic driving aids. An artificial intelligence-powered assistant lets users perform various tasks, such as setting the air conditioning or controlling home devices, with voice commands. Buick noted the Electra offers about 410 miles of driving range thanks in part to the Ultium battery technology developed by General Motors to power a wide selection of electric models, including the Cadillac Lyriq, the GMC Hummer, and a pair of Honda-badged models scheduled to go on sale for the 2024 model year.

KBB 2013 Brand Image Awards has some obvious and oddball winners

The sixth edition of the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards have crowned a wide range of winners - in a couple of cases the recipient of the laurels might say more about KBB users than they do about the actual winner. Compiled from the responses of more than 12,000 shoppers on KBB.com over the past year, there are 13 categories broken into non-luxury, luxury and truck segments "representing the combined wisdom of the American car-buying public."
The award categories have been revamped this year, with some dropping off, some new ones appearing and at least one other given a new term. What isn't surprising is that Honda won Most Trusted Brand for the second year running, Best Value Brand for the third year in a row and took Best Overall Brand, which wasn't on last year's list of awards.
On our own shores, in the non-luxury categories Chrysler got Most Refined Brand and Buick took Best Value Luxury Brand. Neither one of those marques won anything in last year's Brand Image Awards, while Cadillac, which won Best Interior Design Brand and Best Comfort Brand last year - those awards disappeared this year - went home without a single accolade.

2024 Buick Encore GX refresh adds Wildcat looks, Avenir trim

Buick made it clear with the Wildcat EV concept that styling cues from it would start appearing on future products. It turns out the first of them is the refreshed 2024 Encore GX subcompact crossover. And that may seem a little odd to start a revamp of the lineup with the entry-level model, but there is some logic to it. According to Buick representatives, the Encore GX made sense for a few reasons. It was due for a refresh regardless, but also it's the brand's best seller, one that's growing and attracting younger buyers. And as far as refreshes go, the Encore GX's is pretty substantial. The front end is completely redone with the low, frowning grille of the Wildcat and the glaring LED daytime running lights high up. The rear has been updated with new LED taillights and rear bumper design, too, plus the new Buick logo and word mark placed prominently in the middle of the hatch. There are unique features for two new trim levels. The ST, which has been promoted to a full trim instead of just an add-on appearance package, gets gloss black body cladding and other trim such as on the mirrors. It gets unique wheels, ST badges in the grille, and a flat-bottom steering wheel inside. The Avenir, a first for the model and an addition that makes the Avenir trim available on every Buick, features bright grille inserts, body color trim, clear taillight lenses and unique interior upholstery. All Encore GXs benefit from interior updates. Almost the entire dash has been redesigned, mainly in service of the new instruments and infotainment. Every trim gets an 8-inch digital instrument cluster and 11-inch infotainment touch screen. Other details such as the climate control buttons and dials have been revamped as well. The screen can be used to access wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Avenir trim sweetens the interior with unique leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats (10-way for the driver, 8-way for the passenger), a heated steering wheel, air ionizer and auto-dimming rear mirror. Things are mostly the same under the skin, though. The base engine is a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder making 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. The optional turbo 1.3-liter three-cylinder makes 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet. They're basically carry-over, as are the drivetrain combinations. Front-wheel-drive Encore GXs get a CVT, and the all-wheel-drive ones get a nine-speed automatic. Pricing is quite reasonable. The base model starts at $26,895.