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2018 Buick Regal GS is the best Regal since the GNX

The 2018 Buick Regal GS, the third and final variant of the all-new Buick Regal, was revealed this morning. At the event, we were given a brief chance to drive the Regal Sportback, the Regal TourX, and the Regal GS at GM's proving grounds in Milford, MI. Buick has been working hard to shed its image as the brand that comes with an AARP membership card in the glovebox, and this handsome trio is definitely on the right path. With a solid list of features at competitive prices, it's now going to be up to Buick's marketing division to get customers into showrooms. We should say right off the bat that while the old G-Body Grand National and GNX were hardcore giant slayers, the new Regal GS isn't intended to be so sharp edged. Those '80s machines were focused on 0-60 times, and looking as sinister as possible. The new Regal is far more civilized that its forebear. They may share a name, but the purpose has changed. The standard Regal Sportback starts at $25,915 - that's $2,470 less than the outgoing model. It might be the most attractive Buick in decades, at least on the outside. The interior is typical GM, meaning lots of colors and textures without a defining theme. It's powered solely by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four making 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic. From behind the wheel, the Regal Sportback is quiet, comfortable, and generally relaxed. The 2.0-liter turbo makes a decent amount of power, but the steering and handling remind you that this isn't a sport sedan. That's not a fault, simply a conscious design choice. Despite what some enthusiasts would lead you to believe, not everything needs to be set up for the N urburgring. The Regal Sportback soaks up bumps fairly well, though the car felt light going over some larger bumps on GM's handling course. The steering is completely dead, but it doesn't feel loose or sloppy. There's simply no feedback from the tires. On the other hand, the brakes were surprisingly good. The pedal was firm and confidence-inspiring. Stopping quickly from 60 mph provided no drama. View 12 Photos The $29,995 Regal TourX is a high-riding wagon in the vein of the Subaru Outback, Audi A4 Allroad, and Volvo V60 Cross Country. Like those three, the Regal TourX comes standard with some beefy plastic cladding and all-wheel drive, giving some pretense of off-road capability.

2016 Buick Cascada marks the return of casual convertibles

Buick is reentering the convertible game after a 25-year absence with this, the long-awaited 2016 Cascada. Fans of General Motors' European operations will recognize this svelte, four-place droptop as a rebadged version of the critically well-received Vauxhall/Opel Cascada, a model that has been on sale to audiences across The Pond since 2013. The Cascada will once again give American car buyers the chance to buy a relaxed, affordable two-row convertible without sporting pretensions, an option that arguably hasn't been available since the demise of the Chrysler 200 droptop. For US duty, the softtop Cascada will arrive with a 1.6-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder that churns out 200 horsepower. That figure is paired up with 206 pound-feet of torque, which can be bumped to 221 lb-ft via an overboost function. A six-speed automatic will dispatch that power to the front wheels, which are managed courtesy of a HiPer strut front-suspension system. While the Cascada might share its front suspension with the setup found on the Regal, its torsion-beam rear suspension has more in common with the Vauxhall/Opel Astra (and Buick Verano) on which it's based. 20-inch wheels and an electric power-assisted steering system round out the convertible's handling hardware. Of course, we doubt most Cascada customers will care about such oily and unseen things. Instead, they'll be more focused on the droptop's sheetmetal, which, considering it's basically a convertible version of the extremely handsome Astra, should win the car at least a few fans. While we only have so much detail to work with in the images that have been released so far – we'll be seeing the Cascada firsthand this evening (Sunday), so check back tonight for additional live images later today. Naturally, the Vauxhall/Opel grille will be replaced by Buick's trademark waterfall grille, although the company's other big styling calling card, portholes, are absent from our current pair of shots. A wide chrome strip stands out on the rear, tying the taillights together and increasing the Cascada's resemblance to the Regal sedan. A single oval exhaust tip juts out from the driver's side rear bumper. In terms of its actual dimensions, the Cascada's wheelbase is less than half an inch longer than the Verano, while the droptop is an inch longer than its four-door counterpart overall. At only an inch wider, meanwhile, the Cascada will enjoy the same easy to manage footprint as Buick's entry-level sedan.

GM cutting Chevy Sonic, Buick Verano production [UPDATE]

UPDATE: A previous version of this story indicated that Orion Assembly would be idled for seven weeks, from February 16 through April 6. This was incorrect. The factory will instead only be idled for the weeks of February 16 and April 6. The story has been edited to reflect this. General Motors has announced that the factory responsible for the Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic will be idled for the weeks of February 16 and April 6, with blame being placed on excess supply. The Orion Assembly plant, about 45 minutes north of GM's Renaissance Center headquarters, employs about 1,800 people, but they'll be given a pair of furloughs as inventories of the sub-compact Sonic and premium compact Verano reach 127 days and 84 days, respectively. That works out to 26,600 Chevys and 9,800 Buicks waiting for buyers. According to Automotive News, the compact Chevy sales bested the industry average in 2014, jumping up nine percent versus the the overall segment's eight-percent gain, while the Buick sedan's sales were down four percent. When asked about the shutdown, a GM spokesman told AN that it will "build to market demand," while also pointing out that the company did not comment on production plans. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Buick Chevrolet GM buick encore orion assembly