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2017 Buick LaCrosse gets Avenir-inspired tease

Stylish touches from the beautiful Buick Avenir Concept are actually hitting the road on the front end of the new 2017 LaCrosse. The brand is showing off this single teaser of a more angular grille surround than what is currently seen on its lineup. In the center there's a three-color version of the well-known Tri-Shield badge. Chrome wings meet at the logo, and vertical chrome bars lead the eye up over the body. A version of this design is eventually becoming part of the entire Buick lineup by 2018. Debuting at the 2015 Los Angles Auto Show in November, the future LaCrosse rides on stronger, lighter underpinnings than the current model. It also gets a five-link rear suspension. The company promises that the changes mean a more engaging drive from the sedan. "The Avenir concept shattered expectations of what a Buick could be and the 2017 LaCrosse promises to do the same," Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick, said in the release of the teaser image. The show car's look was highly praised by critics when it debuted at this year's Detroit Auto Show. The Avenir even won Eyes on Design awards for Best Designed Concept Vehicle and Innovative Use of Color, Graphics, and Materials. Related Video: Buick Previews All-New 2017 LaCrosse Expressive, Avenir-inspired design cues introduce the new face of Buick DETROIT – Buick today confirmed the all-new 2017 LaCrosse, with a preview of its Avenir concept-inspired design cues. A striking evolution from current Buick models, LaCrosse features a grille design that puts a new face on the brand, including a new, three-color tri-shield insignia set on a wing-shaped element. Contrasting with darkened waterfall grille bars and spanning the width of the opening, it connects the grille and headlamps, and emphasizes LaCrosse's new sculptural surfacing. The design was introduced on the Avenir concept and was inspired by the 1954 Wildcat II concept. It's a face all Buick models will adopt by 2018. "The Avenir concept shattered expectations of what a Buick could be and the 2017 LaCrosse promises to do the same," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. "Its expressive design represents a break from convention and highlights the progressiveness in all new Buick models." The next-generation LaCrosse's design is framed on an all-new chassis that is stronger yet lighter than the current model and serves as the foundation for a more dynamic driving experience.

Buick lowering base prices on Regal, Verano

Buick might have two new options for buyers in the market for an inexpensive luxury sedan. In a move similar to the introduction of the LaCrosse 1SV base trim a few months ago, the brand is ready to offer cheaper, entry-level versions of the Regal and Verano. Like the LaCrosse 1SV, the Verano 1SV mostly cuts dealer margins to reduce the cost for customers. The small sedan is priced at $21,065, plus $925 destination, which is a significant $2,315 drop compared to the next higher trim. The powertrain is still a 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 180 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque and a six-speed automatic, but buyers lose out on satellite radio. According to CarsDirect, dealers are making just $106 on this model, versus $935 on the higher grade. Meanwhile, the Regal 1SV charts a slightly different path to a lower price. The trim starts at $27,065, which is a $2,925 savings over the next trim. Buyers still get leather seats too, but the powertrain here is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder without eAssist that makes 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed automatic. That's a 77 hp deficit compared to the turbocharged Regal, and combined city/highway fuel economy dips to 23 miles per gallon combined, compared to 24 mpg with forced induction. Buick is introducing the 1SV models in hopes of grabbing more attention for the brand. "We added this new base level to some models as a means of expanding the opportunity for more customers to experience Buick vehicles. The addition of these trims will create an increased awareness and consideration of these vehicles when being compared to the competition," said company spokesperson Nick Richards to Autoblog. However, you might not see many of these inexpensive Buicks on the road. "On the Verano, we suspect dealers will opt to stay away from a car with around $100 between invoice and MSRP - that's the pattern we've been seeing on the LaCrosse 1SV, which is practically impossible to find," said CarsDirect Senior Pricing Analyst Alex Bernstein to Autoblog. Also, the Regal 1SV's switch to a less powerful, naturally aspirated engine "could be a turn-off for some shoppers," he said. Related Video:

Opel to be shuttered in China, but will restart Buick production in Germany

Opel, General Motors' troubled German brand continues its quest to reinvent itself and find solid profitability. In the course of that metamorphosis, the company has a bit of good news/bad news today. The good news is, it will once again begin screwing together Buick models for the American market. The bad news, though, is that it's being shut down in yet another country, China.
Let's start with the good news. The last vehicle Opel's Ruesselsheim factory built for the North American market was the early run of the then-new Regal, which is based heavily on the Opel Insignia. Production ran for just over two years, from 2009 to 2011, before moving production to Oshawa, Ontario.
Now, thanks to a 245-million-euro investment (just over $336 million), Opel will kick off production of a unspecified model for the US in the "second half of the decade," according to Automotive News. According to Opel, the new model will be announced before the end of 2014. You can begin your speculation about this new model down in Comments (we're wagering it'll be the Cascada convertible, sold here under the Buick umbrella).