While the booth had many of the cars you would expect to see like the Regal and Enclave, the big star of Buick’s booth was its new small CUV, the 2013 Encore. It looks good in the flesh and promises to give a Buick a larger foothold in the small crossover market. We look forward to getting the chance to drive it.

Another key piece of Buick’s booth was the focus on technology and interior. There were multiple locations set up where show goers could sit and experience new technology in the Buick line-up while also getting a chance to experience the great strides made recently in interior comfort and luxury.

Click through to the gallery below to see all of our shots from the show floor in high resolution.

Photos Copyright Christian Moe © 2012

“Buick is building state-of-the-art crash protection into every model from the ground up,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund.  In 2010, the safety evaluation group threw the automotive industry a curve ball by adding extra crash testing to their routine.  With a total of four tests, any new vehicle must earn a “good” score in the Front, Side, Rear and Rollover assessments in order to receive a Top Safety Pick.  On top of that, each vehicle must come with a form of stability control to even be considered.  Packed with 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, a collapsible pedal assembly for reduced leg injury, four wheel disk brakes with ABS all wrapped in a structure made up of more than 60 percent high-strength steel, the Verano passed each test with flying colors.  It now joins the rest of the line up which includes the Regal, LaCrosse and Enclave to become a member of one safe family. 

Source: Buick

The recall started on March 12 and notifications to owners should be issued out currently.  In order to remedy the problem, certified GM and Buick dealers will reprogram the body control module of the affected Regals.  When this takes place, it will happen at no extra cost to drivers.

Source: NHTSA

“Consumers want fewer visits to the gas pump, but they don’t want to compromise either,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC Marketing.  Those fewer visits come by way of a hybrid drive system that isn’t necessarily a hybrid.  Though the LaCrosse and Regal eAssists use a compact lithium-ion battery pack, electric motor and conventional 2.4 liter inline four cylinder engine, it does move solely on electric power.  In the Buicks, the system aids the gasoline burning mill so that it can operate at its most efficient capacity.  At stop/start feature also allows the eAssist to use zero fuel while waiting for a traffic light to change green. 

”The eAssist technology is bringing in buyers from premium brands like BMW, Lexus and Audi,” said Greg Anderson, sales manager at Casa de Cadillac Buick GMC in Sherman Oaks, California. “These new Buick customers are interested in technology and fully loaded models. One came off the truck on Sunday that we had already sold on Thursday. The eAssist story is getting out, and buyers are interested.”

Source: Buick

What Buick has actually given us is a shadowy rendering of the new vehicles cabin.
If you are hungry for more details, fear not! Buick has promised more information will be coming in the following weeks, and we will be live at NYIAS to bring you all the action from the show floor.

In the mean time, here is a gallery of the current Enclave for you persusal.

“Like the other Buick classics listed here, the 2012 Regal GS will be remembered more than most of its peers for many years down the road,” said Hagerty Insurance, the classic car insurance firm responsible for the warehouse’s collection.  The 270 horsepower turbocharged Ecotec-powered sports sedan was included in Hagerty’s ”2012 Hot List” that recognizes future classics with prices under $100,000.  The availability of a six speed manual transmission and a clutch pedal played a large role in the GS’s landing on the list.  Being able to control all of the Regal’s power is a major purist plus, especially in today’s premium segment.  GM’s North American President Mark Reuss is very pleased with how the GS turned out; and this is from a man who has owned some of the greatest Buicks of all time.

“As someone who drove a classic Skylark to prom and owned other incredible Buicks like an ’87 GNX, I can say it deserves to be viewed among the best Buick has built.” 

Source: Buick

The Verano also features one very trick item that not one of its competitors offers: a heated steering wheel.  Cars such as the Audi A3, Acura TSX and Lexus IS250 do not have this feature available and for under $30,000, its surprising that the Buick even offers such a luxury item.  “We wanted to go the extra mile to give Verano that ‘wow’ factor,” said product Buick Verano manager Michael Danowski. “Everyone has heated seats, but no one in the segment has a heated steering wheel or our remote start and automatic-warming features. If you park outside in the winter like me, you’ll start wondering how you ever lived without them.”

Source: Buick

“The turbocharged Ecotec 2.0L belongs on the list this year because it makes an outrageous 135 hp per liter in the Regal GS, and it’s a blast to drive,” said WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter. “This engine delivers a level of power and sophistication that redefines Buick.”

Source: Buick

With an EPA highway fuel economy average of 36 mpg, the eAssist is also managing to convert a few hardened hybrid owners.  “When you do the math, it’s an obvious choice. And my LaCrosse is working as advertised,” said California native and former Toyota Prius owner, Steven Radomski.  “For the space in this car, 30 mpg is amazing.”  Using the 2.4 liter direct injected DOHC Ecotec four cylinder, GM’s six speed automatic and a small electric motor for regenerative braking and acceleration assist, the eAssist LaCrosse isn’t a full-blown hybrid.  Thus, a lower price compared to other luxury hybrids can be found for the Buick.  Starting MSRP is under $30,000.

Source: Buick

Finishing the challenge with only a .019 second difference in the set-forth time, the Regal GS and its drivers earned the “Most Accurate Rookie” award.  They were up against 34 other rookies and in their class, were not allowed to travel any faster than 140 mph.  “The Regal GS did extremely well at course speeds, delivering stable, balanced performance throughout the run,” Rietow said. “Our racing experience prepared us for the challenge of maintaining a high average speed over a long distance.”

“While our maximum allowed speed in this class was 140-mph, we only needed to push it to 137-mph to maintain our course speed average,” Townsend said.  “This car has a top speed of more than 150 mph and we had plenty of power in reserve.”

Source: Buick