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2015 Buick Verano gets styling tweak, loses 6-speed manual

Well, all good things must come to an end. For 2015, the Buick Verano's experiment with a manual transmission will cease, as the American manufacturer has announced it will discontinue the 6MT in the turbocharged version of its compact sedan. According to Buick, the take rate on the Verano Turbo 6MT was (unsurprisingly) low, leading to its discontinuation.
That's not the only bit of news for the Verano, though. After a few years on the market, Buick has seen fit to refresh the popular sedan. The visual changes aren't huge, really, with subtle tweaks to the headlights and taillights. We'd bargain that the average passer-by wouldn't notice a difference between the two.
The main aesthetic change is a new appearance package, available on the mid-range Convenience and Leather option groups. Unimaginatively called just that - Appearance Package - it offers up a new paint color, Desert Dusk Metallic, as well as a grille treatment and a rear spoiler. The new package is, however, limited to naturally aspirated models.

GM says over 40% of new China launches in next five years will be EVs

SHANGHAI — General Motors is planning an electric car offensive in China with more than 40% of its new launches in the country over the next five years set to be electric vehicles (EVs), the U.S. carmaker said on Wednesday. GM's electric vehicles, many of which will be all-electric battery cars, will be manufactured in China with almost all parts coming from local suppliers, the company said in a statement released at its Tech Day event in Shanghai. Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday that GM was planning to overhaul its Chinese line-up to stem a slide of sales after more than two decades of growth in a country that contributes nearly a fifth of its profit. GM's new China boss Julian Blissett told Reuters that new technologies, such as EVs and cars with near hands-free driving for highways, would play a key role in GM's China initiatives, which are part of a push to get annual sales in the country back to the 4 million peak it hit in 2017. GM did not say in its statement how many new or significantly redesigned models it was planning to launch in China over the next five years. "China will play a crucial role in making our vision a reality," GM CEO Mary Barra said in the statement, referring to its initiative to create what it describes as a future of "zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion" through electrification and smart-driving technologies. GM has said it plans to invest more than $20 billion in electric and automated vehicles globally by 2025. It was not clear how much of that investment will be spent in China. (Reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu in Shanghai; Editing by David Clarke) Related Video: Green Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM Electric China

2017 Buick Encore freshens up for the New York Auto Show

Buick is dressing up the 2017 Encore for spring – specifically the New York Auto Show – where the compact crossover is expected to strut its stuff. The freshening follows the playbook of the Chevy Trax, which was also updated with a light hand. Though it keeps its familiar shape, sort of like an oversized Pontiac Vibe, the Encore gets Buick's new grille. It's a simple look with the wings bisecting the brand's tri-shield, and it calls to mind Buick's iconic front ends from yesteryear. You might remember it from the Avenir and Avista concepts. There are also new headlights. They look stolen from Audi, and it's an attention-getting gaze for the new face of the Encore. There will likely be new wheel packages, too. We can't see inside the Encore. Spy photographers couldn't get close enough to this Buick shoot in Southern California. But, we expect the interior to also mirror the Trax enhancements, which included a new instrument panel, gauges, materials, and infotainment. The Encore shares underpinnings with the Trax and Opel Mokka. We expect the Encore to arrive in late summer. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Buick Encore Spy Shots Image Credit: Brian Williams / SpiedBilde Design/Style Spy Photos New York Auto Show Buick Crossover buick encore