Making its way on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for 2012 is the all-new Buick Verano. This raises General Motors IIHS Top Safety Pick award count to 14 in 2012 – not too shabby.

Equipped with 10 standard air bags, the Verano came out with a good score in the IIHS tests for front and side crash tests, roof strength test, and rear impact test. The Verano also features standard electronic stability control, which the IIHS requires for Top Safety Pick designation.

“GM set a goal that every new product would be designed to meet or exceed the third-party metrics that IIHS and others use to communicate crash worthiness to consumers,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “We are now seeing the results from that commitment.”

Of the GM vehicles that made it to IIHS’s 2012 Top Safety Pick award list, 13 models had previously qualified for the 2011 award. These vehicles were carried over to 2012 because its structure is substantially the same as the IIHS tested for 2011. Carrying over for 2012 awards are the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave; the Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt, Equinox, Malibu and Traverse; the Cadillac CTS (sedan) and SRX, and GMC Terrain and Acadia.

After growing rumors that the Buick Regal GS might be joined by a larger sporty sibling, GM has finally gone on the record and quashed any notion of a LaCrosse Gran Sport model.

Given that the upcoming Cadillac XTS (which shares architecture with the LaCrosse) was slated to receive a version of GM’s twin-turbo V6, it was a logical step, say some to place a version of this motor in the Buick.

That said, with the LaCrosse having already received more power for the 2012 model year, in the shape of the 303 hp LFX 3.6-liter bent six engine, perhaps the idea of a GS model with a turbo motor seems a bit superfluous, at least for the time being. Further adding to that notion is the recently unveiled LaCrosse GL concept (shown above), which hints that the plans for Buick’s largest new generation car are slanted more towards luxury than performance (it’s certainly been that way in the past, even during the T-Type era).

That said, General Motors plans to revamp the LaCrosse for the 2014 model year, so it will be interesting to see if a Gran Sport model makes the cut sometime after then. For now however, if you fancy the idea of a twin-turbo V6 premium sedan from General Motors, your best bet will likely be the XTS.

[Source: GM Inside News]

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse will start at $29,960 plus an $860 destination charge, when it goes on sale later this year. The eAssist, which features a 2.4L four-cylinder and a mild-hybrid system, is priced identically to a V6 powered model, but can get 37 mpg on the highway, an impressive figure for such a large car.

Fuel economy in the city is estimated at 25 mpg, helped in part by regenerative braking and a start-stop system (the latter will be standard on all 2012 LaCrosse models), as well as low rolling-resistance tires, a 6-speed automatic gearbox and special aerodynamic modifications. The hybrid motor itself can produce 15 horsepower and 79 lb-ft of torque on its own.

On the downside, trunk space for the eAssist is reduced due to the trunk-mounted hybrid components, and weight is up by 65 pounds.

[Source: Left Lane News]

General Motors is recalling 10,179 Buick Lacrosse sedans and Cadillac SRX crossovers due to a fault defroster. The problem is actually a software glitch rather than a physical defect, but one that prevents the unit from properly clearing the windshield.

Should the windshield fail to be clear, visibility problems could arise and result in a crash. While GM claims that they haven’t heard of any accidents or injuries related to the issue, they will fix the problem free of charge. Only a third of the affected vehicles are said to be in customers hands, and the majority (around 8,000) are said to be SRXs.

[Source: Detroit News]

It’s not too hard to remember the days when Buick was the butt of jokes, with many suggesting that Buick be killed off during the General Motors bankruptcy in 2008, rather than Pontiac.

In a few short years, the fortunes of Buick have reversed spectacularly, and the brand is now the second most popular luxury car maker after BMW. Only the new X3 helped push BMW over Buick, and the margin was only 800 units. In 2010, Lexus was the number one luxury car maker and outsold Buick by a 70,000 unit margin. An article at the KickingTires blog also analyzes a number of other factors, including an undesirable product supply and slow vehicle turnover for Lexus and increased conquest sales for Buick.

General Motors will reportedly unveil a Buick Regal Hybrid at the Chicago Auto Show that uses similar eAssist technology seen on the its Lacrosse stablemate.

With the Lacrosse capable of returning 25 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, a 25 percent boost in fuel economy. eAssist also provides an extra 15 horsepower and 79 lb-ft of torque to GM’s 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft 2.4L 4-cylinder. While the Lacrosse has eAssist as standard, the Regal’s Hybrid model will likely be a flagship, along with the upcoming Regal GS for customers who want something a bit spicier.

[Source: Ward's Auto]

For more information on the Buick Regal, such as specifications, news, prices, safety information and more, please see http://www.regalforums.com/.

These spy shots of a purported 2012 Buick Lacrosse GS struck us as a tad strange, but hey, GM did make a Cadillac CTS-V Wagon, so why not do another niche performance luxury vehicle?

The most obvious visual difference are the Opel Insignia OPC wheels, which make the Lacrosse’s dowdy sheetmetal look pretty mean. The rotors and calipers are supposedly larger than stock, giving us hope that this is the real deal and not a GM employee vehicle customized by someone with good taste.

No word on engine choices, but with the demise of the Cadillac SRX Turbo, maybe GM’s supply of 2.8L V6 twin turbo engines will head to Buick. We can only hope.

[Source: Autoblog]

The Buick Regal will get GM’s eAssist mild hybrid system next year, according to rumors on GM Inside News. The eAssist system will debut on the Buick Lacrosse 4-cylinder, an engine shared with the Regal. It is also expected to appear on thew upcoming Chevrolet Malibu, though eAssist is expected to remain exclusive on Buick products for some time.

GM formerly offered a mild hybrid system on the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Saturn Vue, but the models enjoyed limited popularity and a brief production run. The eAssist system is designed to use a much more powerful battery pack and other technologies derived from the Chevrolet Volt.

General Motors is looking to expand the Buick lineup to between 6 or 7 vehicles from its current 4. Buick is looking to add product as it attempts to lure buyers away from import luxury brands and attract a much younger audience as it shed its image as a car for retirees.

Among the products Buick is looking to introduce are the Chevrolet Cruze-based Verano compact, a hybrid version of the Lacrosse and a small crossover below the Enclave. Buick is also reportedly looking at introducing a full-size rear-drive sedan that may revive the Park Avenue nameplate.

The decision to jettison the Pontiac nameplate over Buick, which was perceived as a brand thats customer base was literally dying off, but Buick’s incredibly strong image in China, as well as their infusion of new product has led many to feel that the General made a smart choice.

[Source: Automotive News]