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2018 Buick Enclave: How engineers made it larger, lighter, more sophisticated

Buick used the unveiling of the 2018 Enclave at the New York Auto Show to introduce its new range-topping Avenir sub-brand to the world. With fancier interior finishes and exterior details, it's Buick's latest effort to make itself a proper luxury brand (or perhaps re-establish itself as such). However, lost in the Avenir song and dance is the fact that the 2018 Buick Enclave is a (very) long-awaited all-new model regardless of the trim level one selects. Like the Chevrolet Traverse upon which it is based, the new Enclave is bigger than the vehicle it replaces but considerably lighter, by about 400 pounds. "We told every engineer, 'get your job done, but then take the weight out,'" said engineer Rick Spina as we hovered next to his larger yet lighter creation. His team therefore set about taking a little bit of weight out from just about everywhere, from using additional aluminum in the suspension to varying the thickness of the frame (thicker in places that needed to be stronger, thinner and therefore lighter in places that didn't). Only about 100 pounds came out of the body with the rest coming from elsewhere. Not only will the reduced weight improve fuel economy (Buick-estimated at 19 mpg combined with FWD versus 18 for the 2017 model) and presumably the old Enclave's rather ponderous handling, but it should only make things easier for the new powertrain: General Motors' now-familiar 3.6-liter V6 and its latest nine-speed automatic. With 302 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, Buick says the new engine will need 7.2 seconds to reach 60 mph with FWD or 7.5 seconds with AWD. That's a second quicker than before. Besides acceleration, towing is also bumped up by 500 pounds to 5,000. For those models with all-wheel drive, the Enclave has the same basic system featured on range-topping versions of the Buick LaCrosse. Besides power being sent front and rear, it can also differ from right to left in the back, although Spina is quick to point out that capability is for traction-enhancing purposes rather than sporty, handling-enhancing torque-vectoring ones. Buick owners already appreciated the Enclave for its quietness so the engineers decided to take it that much further. This included altering the exhaust, improving body sealing (there are triple door seals), including active sound deadening and utilizing advanced materials that absorb sound as opposed to simply being thick, dense and heavy enough to keep it out.

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.

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #310 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #310 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #310
Buick GN and GNX will return