2012 Buick Verano Pricing Estimates, Preliminary Engine Specs and Trim Levels Leaked

The last time we heard about General Motors' forthcoming Buick Verano was back in October when the company teased the U.S. version of the already revealed in China, Excelle GT, with a single cropped picture. Now, the folks over at GM Inside News forum managed to get their hands on the car's preliminary specs through a leaked online order study destined for Buick dealers.

According to the official document, the Verano will be available with the 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine, coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. Peak output will be 180 hp and 172 lb-ft (233 Nm) of torque. Customers will have the option to choose between four trim levels, each building up on the previous version.

The base version is codenamed “1SB Cloth Base” and comes with a cloth interior. It has an estimated MSRP ranging from $20,900 to $21,500.

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Categories: Buick, Buick Scoops, Buick Verano, GM, New Cars, Reports, Scoops

U.S. Patent Drawings of 2012 Buick Excelle Sedan

If these U.S. patent drawings of Buick's forthcoming entry-level compact sedan are anything to go by, then the North American version of the car will be identical to the China-market 2012 Buick Excelle that was recently caught on film without any camouflage whatsoever.

We don't know if GM will keep the 'Excelle' nameplate for North America, but we do know that the General is planning to bring the car to the States in 2011.

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Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Excelle, Buick Scoops, Opel Astra, Scoops

New Buick Excelle Compact Sedan Scooped Totally Undisguised

New photos of the upcoming Chinese / North American market baby Buick have surfaced in China (courtesy of Autohome), and it doesn't look too bad. The small, 2010 Opel Astra-based sedan will be a fitting bookend to what may become the most attractive Buick lineup ever.

The worst view by far has to be the red profile shot (anyone else think it looks like a Neon?) with the car sporting a very un-sporty wing. Let's hope that doesn't make it over to the states. Same goes for the gaudy chrome eyebrows over the tail lamps.

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Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Excelle, Buick Scoops, Scoops

Baby Buick Sedan Based on New Opel Astra Scooped Inside and Out in Germany

We still don't know the name of Buick's all-new small sedan that will take its place right under the 2011 Regal in the carmaker's line up, but these latest spy shots from Germany give us our best look to date of the upcoming compact-sized model's exterior and interior design.

And if the styling looks familiar that's because Buick's baby sedan is in essence the North American version of the upcoming Opel Astra sedan.

From what we gather by looking at these revealing spy shots, the only differences worth mentioning aside from the badges concern Buick's signature waterfall grille and possibly, the styling of the tail lights.

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Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Scoops, Opel, Opel Astra, Saturn Astra, Scoops

Buick's VW Jetta-Fighting Small Sedan Realistically Rendered

Using an official sketch that was revealed at Buick's Los Angeles Auto Show conference last December as a canvas, GMI (GM Inside News) forum member "Mr. Burns" created a fairly realistic rendering of the firm's forthcoming small sedan that's expected to be heavily based on the Opel Astra.

The new four-door saloon that will make use of the same Delta II platform as the Chevrolet Cruze, will take the place of the Opel Insignia-based 2011 Regal sedan as Buick's entry-level offering in North America while it is also expected to replace the current Excelle in China.

The VW Jetta sedan should be considered one of the most closest rivals to the as of yet unnamed "baby" Buick model.

Though details still remain scarce, it is believed that the engine range will include the same 140HP 1.4-liter turbo four found in the Cruze while it's also possible that GM may add the Opel Astra's more potent 1.6-liter turbo with 180HP in the mix.

Chances are that we'll get to see the new Buick model arriving in the States sometime next year.

Renderings: GMInsidenews

Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Scoops, Buick Video, Renderings, Scoops

Buick's "Premium" Compact Sedan Spied with Less Camouflage in China

Last week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, General Motors gave us a sneak peek of its, as yet unnamed, baby Buick sedan through a teaser sketch. And while we've already shown you spy pictures of the new Buick, which is poised to take the role of the firm's new entry-level model in the North American market, the compact-sized saloon has been caught again, this time with less camouflage in China.

The baby Buick is expected to be heavily based (if not just rebadged, remasked and retrimmed) on the next Opel Astra sedan which is also currently under development and shares its Delta II platform with the Chevy Cruze.

We suspect that the North American version of the Buick won't differ much from its China market sibling seen in these photos. Hopefully, one of the cosmetic changes will concern the removal of those ridiculous chrome "eyebrows" on the tail lights...

Photos: Sohu

Categories: Buick, Buick Scoops, Scoops

Buick Previews Official Sketch of Premium Compact Sedan [With Video]

During Buick's Los Angeles Auto Show press conference for the unveiling of the Opel Insignia-based 2011 Regal saloon, the company's product marketing director, Craig Bierly, showed a teaser sketch of the next addition to the Buick range, a premium compact sedan.

"And now, I have more exciting news to share with you; the first public showing of a rendering that includes our entire future sedan portfolio," Bierly said at the presentation.

"In addition to the new Regal, which you see on your right, you see our LaCrosse in the center and at the far left, an all-new premium compact sedan with the styling and craftsmanship of Enclave and LaCrosse plus the European-inspired driving dynamics of the Regal - and at a price that will make this Buick our new entry point to the brand.

"Is Buick's transformation complete? No … but we believe we're making steady progress," Bierly added.

While Bierly did not give out any specific details on the car, it's safe to assume that, like the Chinese market 2011 Buick Excelle hatchback, the four-door saloon will also be based on the new Opel Astra (sedan version), which shares the same Delta II platform with the new Chevrolet Cruze.

Our spies have already captured Buick's compact sedan testing in Germany, though at the time, it wasn't clear if GM was developing the car exclusively for China or also for the North American market.

In the States, the new Buick compact sedan will most likely be offered with a similar engine range to the Cruze including a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot, and quite possibly, the Astra's more powerful 1.6-liter turbo unit with 180 ponies.

Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Scoops, Buick Video, LA Auto Show, Scoops, video

2011 Buick Regal Photographed During Testing in Germany, Sales to Start in the U.S. in Spring 2010

As well as releasing two pictures of a camouflaged 2011 Buick Regal Sedan on an engineering validation test drive that took place in Germany earlier this month, General Motors also announced that Buick's new entry-level saloon will come to the U.S. in the second quarter of 2010, which is earlier than most anticipated. Destined to slot in below the new 2010 LaCrosse, the newest member of the Buick family is a re-grilled and rebadged European 2010 Opel Insignia.

General Motors has been keeping most details under wraps, but U.S. buyers should expect to see the 2011 Buick Regal being offered with a variety of 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines as well as a larger-displacement and smoother in operation V6 that can be combined with all-wheel drive.

The recent introduction of the Opel Insignia OPC that packs an all-wheel drive system and a 325HP turbocharged V6 also leaves the door open for a sporty version of the Buick Regal in the future that could revive the GNX nameplate.

Categories: Buick, Buick Regal, Buick Scoops, GM, New Cars, Opel Insignia, Reports, Scoops

2011 Buick Regal Spotted in Michigan During Photo Shoot

A few days after General Motors officially announced that it is planning to sell the Opel Insignia as the Buick Regal in the States, and a sharp-eyed FaceBook user spotted the mid-size sedan in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan as it was being photographed outside the Art Museum (or so the poster claims). The picture was then posted on Buick's official FaceBook page.

We can't be sure if this is the actual North American spec model that will go on sale within the next year or so, but we can say that it looks slightly different than the Chinese spec Buick Regal as this example is clearly based on the European Insignia featuring the same-shaped larger front grille and lower air inlets.

Although it is shares the same Epsilon 2 platform with the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse, the Regal is 7-inches shorter than the latter measuring 190-in. (4,830mm) in length meaning that when it goes on sale in the U.S. sometime towards the end of 2010 or early 2011, it will fit right under the LaCrosse in Buick's car range both size- and price-wise.

Source: Facebook , Via: Autoblog.com

Categories: Buick, Buick Regal, Buick Scoops, Opel Insignia, Scoops

Reader Scoops 2010 Opel Astra Test Car in Michigan

This past weekend, eagle-eyed Carscoop reader Thomas Czarny picked up these shots of a heavily disguised 2010 Opel Astra hatchback prototype in a shopping mall parking lot in Traverse City, Michigan. The test car was fitted with manufacturer license plates and sported a GMPT (General Motors Powertrain) Engineering Vehicle sticker on the front windshield.

We're fully aware of the fact that new cars go through all sorts of tests in various places around the world including markets where they will not be sold, but we also know that GM is preparing an Opel Astra based small sedan for Buick which is scheduled to go on sale in the States by the end of 2011.

Earlier this year, our spy photographers snapped the Buick four-door sedan along with a five-door Astra prototype sporting Buick's corporate waterfall grille while undergoing testing in Germany.

Although the five-door model is said to be under development for Buick's Chinese market line-up, we can't entirely rule out the possibility that GM may also be considering the hatch for the U.S. where it would compete against the VW Golf and Mazda3.

This naturally brings us to the question, in addition to the sedan model, should GM also enhance Buick's U.S. range with a rebadged version of the 2010 Opel Astra hatchback?

Kudos to Thomas Czarny for the Scoop!

Categories: Buick, Buick Astra, Buick Scoops, GM, Opel, Opel Astra, Opel OPC, Opel Scoops, Scoops, U Spy

Spied: 2012 Buick 'Baby' Sedan Based on the Chevy Cruze

Now that General Motors has taken the decision to trim down its passenger car portfolio with the sale of the Saturn and Saab brands as well as the demise of Pontiac in 2010, there seems to be plenty of space for Buick to expand in new vehicle segments that would otherwise be considered a 'no-no'. How else would you explain this new Buick small sedan prototype that was caught by our spy photographers testing in Germany?

The answer to the question could be that the small Buick sedan is destined exclusively for the Chinese market where the American brand is quite popular. Still, we're pretty sure that Buick's U.S. dealers wouldn't mind adding a smaller and more fuel-efficient sedan in their arsenal, especially now that American consumer tastes are slowly shifting towards more compact and frugal vehicles.

But while at this point GM's full intentions on the small Buick sedan remain a mystery, what is certain is that the saloon is based on the same Delta II platform as the new Chevrolet Cruze and next-generation Opel Astra that will be revealed this fall at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

This means that it will be roughly the same size as the Cruze sharing the same engine options that will include numerous four-cylinder diesel and gasoline units, the later in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms.

But will this be enough for the small Buick sedan to be successful? Maybe in China, but in order for the car to make it in the U.S. and justify a higher price tag than its Chevrolet stablemate, GM will have to think out of the box and forget about its effortless badge-engineering techniques of the past.

Categories: Buick, Buick Scoops, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Cruze, Scoops