2013 Buick Verano gets five star crash test rating, NHTSA and IIHS impressed

"The 2013 Buick Verano compact was named a 2012 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earlier this year, and added another safety accomplishment earlier this week. The luxury sedan received a 5-star Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after achieving passing marks in all three tests.

General Motors released the news in a press release today.

 

Since the beginning of the year, every new Buick car released has received the highest possible rating from the IIHS and NHTSA.

The new Buick was tested under the most recent NHTSA Assessment Program and achieved the highest possible score based on frontal and side crash tests. The test also includes rollover resistance according to the NHSTA website.

Testers put each vehicle through three test segments and afterword they add up the numbers from each test to determine the Overall Vehicle Score.

"New car customers leaving a Buick dealership can drive away knowing they are in a vehicle with superior crash protection," said Gay Kent, GM General Director of Vehicle Safety in the press release. "The brand's long-running record of five-star overall vehicle scores and Top Safety Picks is a testament to our commitment to exceptional vehicle crash performance."

The 2013 model comes with standard Rear Camera that shows a view from the car's rear bumper when the vehicle is in reverse according to the press release. Available features also include Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone.

The Verano is made up of 60 percent high-strength steel that allowing drivers and passengers to feel safer than ever. Other developments the company made for the 2013 model includes four-wheel disc brakes, a collapsible pedal system that reduces the chance of getting a leg injury and a panic brake override. "

 

Courtesy of Auto World News

Buick rumored to be working on new Grand National

"Introduced in 1982, the Buick Regal Grand National began life as a special edition honoring Buick’s back-to-back titles in NASCAR’s Grand National series. However, delivering just 125 horsepower, these race-inspired models left a lot to be desired.

Just two years later, the car received an engine transplant that would eventually see it become one of the fastest models money could buy. Now, it looks like the Grand National is set to return, though this time it won’t be based on the Regal, and it won’t be a coupe.

Citing an inside source, Edmunds is reporting that Buick is looking to launch a new Grand National sedan as well as new versions of the T-Type and GNX variants.

Instead of using the Regal as the basis of its new Grand National range, Buick engineers would likely go with the Alpha rear-wheel-drive platform currently underpinning the highly praised Cadillac ATS sedan. The overall size of the cars should be similar to that of the ATS, even though the Alpha platform can spawn bigger models.

All three variants are said to share basic powertrains and suspension, though with different settings. It’s not clear what powertrains would be used, though GM’s upcoming twin-turbocharged V-6 is a likely candidate. This could allow an output of between 300 and 400 horsepower.

The GNX, however, would likely feature GM’s new LT1 V-8 engine, which is set to debut in the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette. This engine would be good for about 450 horsepower. Note, the addition of the LT1 V-8 would also mean that the upcoming Cadillac ATS-V will likely adopt V-8 power as well.

Note, there’s another twist to this story. One of the key people behind the project, GM’s North American boss Mark Reuss, is a previous GNX owner. He also happened to be the boss of GM’s Australian division Holden during 2008 and 2009, which has led to speculation that a version of the new Buick Grand National may serve as the Holden Commodore that’s due after the upcoming VF Commodore (nee Chevy SS) has run its course, which is currently scheduled for some time in 2018.

Holden is an expert in the development of rear-wheel-drive cars at GM and may end up developing the new Grand National alongside its next Commodore. Holden has been appointed the task of developing two new models for China based on global GM platforms and it’s possible the new Grand National could be one of them."

Courtesy of Fox News

Buick May Redesign Logo

The General Motors restructuring left only four brands still standing in the United States: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC. Years ago, it seemed unlikely that Buick would be one of those four. Thanks to the Chinese market and a brilliant partnership with Opel, Buick is doing very well here and abroad.

The line-up has been completely revamped, beginning with the Enclave, and continuing with the Regal, Verano and the Encore. This revamp has worked; sales are up, transaction prices are on the rise, and the average buyer age is down. Ten years ago Buick redesigned its logo to project a more modern image.

 

Included in that was a thick new chrome design that abandoned the red white and blue colors always present in the logo. Curiously, those colors have been kept for the Chinese market. Many have wished for

a return of those classic colors. The Detroit Free Press reports that Buick may freshen its logo. And the news comes from GM North America President Mark Reuss.

He was speaking with a group of journalists as part of the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards. While the brand may be getting new logo, there were no details available beyond that. Most likely the logo update will not be a radical change, as Buick’s logo is recognizable all over the world (for better or for worse…). Buick sales should get a nice boost next year from the Verano Turbo. After that, we aren’t sure what is next for the brand. But, a sports car or rear-wheel drive flagship model would be a perfect addition.

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Check out this 5-star review for Beck & Masten Buick GMC!

"Mike Sharaf made buying a car easy, and he followed through with everything he promised me. I would recommend him as a sales representative to anyone and I will request him in the future when buying a car. Thanks Mike for all your hard work in making my car sale as easy as possible." - John

 

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