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Buick Velite is a not-so-Volt-like plug-in hybrid concept for China

Is the Buick Velite a Volt by any other name? That's a question worth asking after General Motors said that the Buick Velite concept vehicle will make its global debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show later this month. GM says the car "will provide a template for upcoming models being launched under the Buick Blue new energy vehicle strategy." Whether that means the Velite is a variant of the second-generation of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in is open to interpretation. Some automotive publications, including Autoweek, are saying that's the case, but GM China doesn't mention the Volt in its press release, only saying that the car is a "high-performance" plug-in hybrid vehicle. As we know, GM doesn't use the "PHEV" descriptor for the Volt, which makes us thing the Velite's powertrain is more like the Cadillac CT6 PHEV. Either way, the concept was developed by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), which is a joint venture between GM and Shanghai-based SAIC. As far as the name, GM has been shopping the Velite moniker around for a while now. The automaker first used Buick Velite for the convertible concept vehicle it showed off at the 2004 New York Auto Show. More recently, GM in 2014 filed to use the name for the US variant of its Opel Cascada four-seat convertible model, which debuted in 2013. As for the second-generation version of the Volt, that model appears to be gaining favor in the US. Domestic sales of the Volt through October have surged 64 percent from a year earlier to more than 18,500 units. The new version boosted its all-electric range by 40 percent to 53 miles while increasing its power output by 20 percent. Related Video: News Source: General Motors via Autoweek, Automotive News-sub.req. Green Buick Chevrolet Electric Hybrid PHEV buick velite

Thanks for keeping us on our toes, Detroit Auto Show [w/poll]

Here at Autoblog, we love unexpected debuts at auto shows – and judging by our Detroit Auto Show comments and traffic, you do, too. Surprise reveals have been fewer and farther between in recent years with so many ways for vehicles to be teased or leak out, but this week's show has been a revelation. More to the point, it's been a series of revelations, with automakers from around the globe successfully delivering a brace of concept and production surprises. It's made our jobs a lot more exciting and challenging this week, and even though it's actually more work to react and run-and-gun when the sheet is pulled on a surprise reveal than it is to publish an already-written embargoed story, we've had more fun covering this show for you than any domestic show in memory. We hope you've enjoyed the surprises along with us. To that end, borrowing the words of an unnamed automaker PR flack, we'd like to thank the following automakers for enduring "mountain of antacids" and that "creeping sense of paranoia" necessary to keeping ones' wares totally under wraps until the sheets are pulled off the sheetmetal: Buick Avenir concept Chevrolet Bolt concept Ford GT concept Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Hyundai HCD-15 Santa Cruz concept And while we're at it, we'd like to throw in an shout-out to Detroit's substantially revised and revitalized Cobo Center, and in particular, the redone Michelin media center, which is arguably the single best accommodations for writing show stories that we've encountered on the entire international circuit. Well done, everyone. Thank you, and keep the surprises coming. Auto News Detroit Auto Show Buick Chevrolet Ford Hyundai Volvo 2015 Detroit Auto Show

2022 Buick Enclave Review | More style and features doesn't mean better

The Buick Enclave has been updated for 2022, and it delivers some added style and additional features, it also doesn't do anything to lift Buick's three-row SUV beyond average for the segment. For the most part, the 2022 Buick Enclave is the same as it was when this generation launched for the 2018 model year. On the plus side, it has a powerful V6 and a smooth transmission. The cabin is incredibly spacious, and additional standard safety features are certainly welcome. The base price is also quite low for three-row premium SUVs at just under $44,000. Where this biggest of Buicks falls short is in the finer details. The engine isn't well isolated, allowing coarseness into the cabin. The cabin also doesn't rise to the level of Lincoln, Acura, Infiniti and Volvo -- brands that aren't exactly the upper crust of luxury, but certainly beyond Ford, Chevy or Honda. For instance, while its controls are easy-to-use, the buttons and knobs feel low rent and are obviously shared with cheaper GM models. There isn't anything that makes it particularly stand out from the competition, either. So while the Enclave is spacious, affordable and decent enough to drive, we think there are nicer options wearing luxury badges as well as vehicles like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade that surpass it in their uppermost trim levels.  Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive | Pricing & Features | Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? The Enclave gets a variety of small updates mainly consisting of styling changes and feature additions. The exterior features new front and rear designs with new LED lighting front and rear. New wheel designs and exterior colors are also available. Inside, it's nearly identical to last year's model except for a new steering wheel, new push-button shifter and updated seat designs. A variety of other features have been added either as standard or as options such as a wireless phone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a power sunshade for the rear sunroof, a front camera, head-up display, rear-pedestrian alert, adaptive cruise control, rear camera mirror and surround view camera. Furthermore, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic headlights are now standard. What are the Enclave interior and in-car technology like?