1962 Buick Electra 225 6.6l on 2040-cars

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First 2013 Buick Encore TV ad features... dinosaurs

The whole "SUVs as dinosaurs" trope has become something of a threadbare cliché among auto writers, but that doesn't mean the wider world of consumers has caught on to the Jurassic nature of our line of thinking. That's what General Motors appears to be betting on, at least. Just check out Buick's first television spot for its 2013 Encore, the tiny crossover that is pushing the Tri-Shield into territories unknown while looking to outrun the brand's reputation as a refuge for elderly clientele.
Set to air this weekend on ESPN during the NCAA college basketball tournament, the ad plays up the Encore's maneuverability and surprising interior space by setting the baby Buick amongst a herd of lumbering CG dinosaurs created by Tippett Studio, the folks behind Hollywood blockbusters like Jurassic Park, Ted, and the Twilight series of films.
We can't help but snigger a little - while the Encore is indeed surprisingly roomy, nimble, and composed, our first drive found it to be glacially slow, too... not unlike a certain prehistoric race of animals. Check out the commercial below and judge for yourself.

Ford GT, Buick Avenir and Audi Q7 take 2015 EyesOn Design awards

The annual EyesOn Design Awards at the Detroit Auto Show allows some of the greatest designers in the world to weigh in on the best production and concept debuts at the big event each year. For 2015, the large panel of judges included luminaries like Frank Stephenson of McLaren, Ralph Gilles from FCA and Moray Callum of Ford. Apparently the editors at Autoblog had a good eye because the winner of 2015's Best Designed Production Vehicle award went to the Ford GT, which was also our favorite debut from the show. The new supercar beat the Acura NSX and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe for the honor. The judges described the Blue Oval's shape as "capturing the original GT40 in a modern interpretation," according to EyesOn Design. The Buick Avenir was also a big winner in the awards this year and received the nods for both Best Designed Concept Vehicle and Innovative Use of Color, Graphics and Materials. In the concept category, it beat out the Chevrolet Bolt and Mercedes-Benz F 015, and in the latter group, the sedan triumphed over Audi Q7, Mercedes F 015 and Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE. The Q7 received its own accolade for Best Designed Interior, and it beat the Avenir and Infiniti Q60 for the honor. This year's Lifetime Design Achievement Award went to former Renault designer Patrick le Quement, and Bob Lutz received the EyesOn Design Catalyst Award for the second time. The honor is for an executive "who has empowered great design," according to the organization, which describes Lutz perfectly. Scroll down to read the announcement with more comments about the winners. Related Video: Ford, Buick, Audi recipients of EyesOn Design Awards at North American International Auto Show EyesOn Design Awards for Design Excellence for 2015 were revealed today at the North American International Auto Show. The awards honor the most significant automotive designs revealed at NAIAS as determined by the North American and global leaders of design from automotive manufacturers, along with academic chairs of transportation design programs and design leaders from other fields.

Buick envisioning a refreshed Envision crossover

Buick's first fully Chinese-built vehicle in the U.S., the Envision crossover, is now getting its very first refresh. Cars grow up so fast, don't they? There's no time to be wistful, though, so we need to take a look at this prototype. It looks like the Envision refresh is going to be very mild and focuses on strengthening the family resemblance between it and other Buicks. The waterfall grille now has a horizontal bar that intersects with the badge, as seen on every new and updated Buick since the latest LaCrosse. And although that badge is covered, we wouldn't be surprised if it changes from the all-silver design to the classic red, white and blue version that was reintroduced on the LaCrosse. The lower grilles have been changed, too. The outboard grilles that house the fog lights look smaller and less pronounced than on the current model, and the center piece appears to be thinner and wider. It also more naturally merges into the plastic air dam. The tail of this Envision, though more heavily camouflaged, also shows some minor updates. The most significant of them are the new taillights. They appear to have a similar boomerang shape as those on the LaCrosse, a distinct change from the ovular units of the current model. The lower edge of the bumper seems to have more of a faux diffuser look, and the exhaust tips now blend into the shape of the bumper, rather than ending in simple round shapes. Since this update is clearly a mild one, we would expect to see the new Envision on sale sometime next year, probably as a 2019 model. It will join a rather fresh Buick lineup alongside the new Regal and Enclave. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2019 Buick Envision Spy Shots View 11 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Buick Crossover Luxury buick envision