Pretty much all auto makers are heading into the luxury crossover / hatchback segment. Everyone from Audi to BMW, Mercedes and possibly even Cadillac are getting in while shoppers are looking for these kinds of vehicles.

Buick’s answer is Encore, introduced at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. More of a European model (it’s based off an Opel design, and hatches are intensely popular overseas), Encore offers up “1,372 liters of storage space, and that’s more than what BMW X1 or Audi Q3 offer.”

Powering the 2013 Buick Encore is Ecotec’s 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, attached to a six-speed automatic transmission. This powerplant makes 140 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque.

As a smaller vehicle, 2013 Encore is well-equipped for its class. The cabin is luxuriously trimmed with leather and wood, full-color seven-inch LCD display for IntelliLink voice-activated system, and a slew of other standard or available features:

Remote start
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Rainsense wipers
Bose premium sound system
Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls
10 standard air bags, plus
Available front and rear park assist
Available rear vision camera.

Source: Motorward

Possibly based off of the Envision concept (seen above, and earlier this year at the Shanghai Auto Show), the auto maker said this will not be a North American-only vehicle, rather it will be constructed on a global platform.

Reports say Buick’s crossover is going to be built ‘on the long-wheel-base Theta platform,’ currently used on Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.

GM will show the concept to the media at 2012 NAIAS on January 9th-10th, with public viewings the following weekend.

Source: WCF

With the days of “rebranding” cars throughout GM’s line up apparently over, Buick takes its glorious next stride towards automotive awesomeness. Unlike Regal GS and LaCrosse, this sedan is all new, without a past (good or bad) to back it up. This fresh start is exactly what the auto maker needs.

The small, Michigan build sedan from Buick will start to grab attention from those younger car buyers stopping into dealer lots. Anyone looking for an economic ride that won’t kill their car loans, and is easy to parallel park, will be fulfilled. Aside from its large grille, Verano looks like someone shrunk a 2012 Regal. But inside, there’s plenty of room for those over 6 ft, and enough tech gadgets (BlueTooth, iPod integration, navigation, infotainment and OnStar) to please those who live out of their vehicles.

Performance specs on 2012′s Verano are as equally impressive. With a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, along with front-wheel-drive, Verano easily produces upwards of 180 horsepower, with rumors that a 250-hp bump up is coming in 2013.

The auto maker claims Verano can hit the 0 to 60 mark in 8.9 seconds. EPA fuel economy ratings are also estimated at 21 mpg city, 31 highway.

Starting with a base price of $23,470, drivers will get themselves a manual transmission and comfortable cloth seating. The top trim price of $26,850 will add in luxurious leatherette and a bigger boost in engine, as well as matting it to an automatic tranny.

We can’t wait to see what direction this powerful little Buick heads towards as the years go on. GM is predicting big things for the Buick Verano, and so are we.

According to China Car Times, “The Envision SUV will have its official global unveiling on the 18th April, the below renderings appear to show a two door coupe style SUV, which honestly looks closer to the Opel Astra sports model than a new crossover model. Reports indicate that the Envision SUV will be a mixture of US and European styles meeting together, from the sports doors you can see subtle nods to the Corvette and Camaro styling, other parts of the car hawk back to sleek European styling.”

Recent reports suggest that while GM is not going ahead with their Volt convertible drop-top, they are looking towards a more luxurious Buick Volt-style electric car. Several immediate questions are raised – Will this be a rebranded Chevy? What features can be added to make it ‘luxury’? Will the already pricey Volt go up even more with a Buick logo on it?

Chevrolet Volt’s ‘Voltec’ technology, developed by General Motors, was designed to underpin more than one vehicle. One Voltec concept GM unveiled was the Cadillac Converj, which was given the green light then quickly canceled.

It makes sense that GM would look towards Buick, their once almost extinct brand that has been making a huge comeback, thanks to the likes of Buick Regal. GM already debuted its ‘eAssist’ mild hybrid tech on the Buick Regal and Lacrosse.

A Bloomberg report suggests this ‘Volt’ will be a re-badged Opel Ampera. That vehicle is already built alongside the Volt in Warren, Michigan. It would receive a Buick-styled front end and grille, and a slew of unconfirmed add-ons. But the Ampera costs around $60,000 USD in Europe. Being Green and Luxurious can get costly.

There’s also the question of power. Buick cars are known to have a little more speed and horsepower then their Chevy siblings. Will the same go for Buick’s EV? Maybe they’ll reach out for a greater driving-before-recharge range.

Via: Gas2

via Jalopnik

Why the shift? We could easily point to the recalls, but Toyota’s sales were strong in February, up 48% from the same month in 2010, at the height of the recalls. Lexus’ gain? Just 0.2% year over year. Lexus spokesman Bill Kwong also cited supply issues. “We thought the market was going to be soft in January and February. The market exceeded our expectation. We did not have enough inventory,” he said.

Lexus had about a 15-day supply of vehicles on its lots in February, compared with a 77-day supply of Buicks. Many industry experts quote a 50- to 60-day supply as being healthy. This means that many potential Lexus customers either couldn’t find the trim or color they wanted, and with such short supplies, perhaps even the whole nameplate was missing. While that may be a reason for the sales issues, it certainly keeps the finger of blame pointed at Lexus for not planning properly.

“Auto Motor und Sport” Magazine calls the new Opel Zafira Touring Concept an “Oasis.” We think it might be a “Baby Enclave” that’s been rumored. The Truth About Cars say the short answer is “no,” as “the next Buick MPV will be a full class smaller than this Opel Astra-based compact 7-seater, based on the next Aveo platform and boasting suicide doors.”

TTAC continues: With gas prices rising, and CAFE standards possibly headed towards 60+ MPG, there’s certainly a chance that the next-gen Zafira could eventually end up in the US with Buick badges:

Source: TTAC

Luckily, Star Trek Creator Gene Roddenberry (Or, as we call him around the Buickpedia offices, GOD) did not go in for such corporate hype.

But CBS tried like hell. Executives attempted to get some sponsorship money by having stars of the greatest science fiction franchise of all time endorse products, like this 1960′s Buick Riviera. Maybe that’s the story behind this picture of Uhura riding a bicycle:

Source: Jalopnik