1978 Buick Regal Base Coupe 2-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

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2014 Buick Regal gets the party rolling in NY

Although the first day of the 2013 New York Auto Show kicks off bright and early this morning, Buick got a jump on the competition by unveiling the 2014 Buick Regal lineup last night. While the Regal received many upgrades for the 2014 model year, most of our attention was focused on the sedan's drivetrain.
When the new Regal hits dealers this fall, buyers opting for the new Regal Turbo will be welcomed by an additional 39 horsepower and 35 pound-feet of torque from the 2.0-liter turbo engine; the 2014 Regal GS now features the same output of 259 hp and 295 lb-ft, meaning that it has actually lost 11 hp over the 2013 model year. Buick says the reason for the GS' power loss comes from the fact that the newly available all-wheel-drive system forced the car to use a smaller diameter exhaust system, but representatives on hand assured us that the reduction of horsepower won't affect the car's performance and could even help improve fuel economy. And who knows? Maybe downgrading the power of the Regal GS also helps create a little breathing room for a future Grand National or GNX model...
Although the power under the hood is now the same, it is still impossible to confuse the two cars from the outside. Minor updates give both a fresher look, but the Regal GS has an unmistakeable aggression to it. The GS' interior also helps it stand apart from lower Regal trim levels with an eight-inch configurable gauge cluster similar to what is offered in the 2014 LaCrosse. The cabin of the Regal wasn't given an extensive makeover like the LaCrosse received, but the upgraded IntelliLink infotainment system and the cleaner center stack and steering wheel controls are appreciated changes.

GM cutting Chevy Sonic, Buick Verano production [UPDATE]

UPDATE: A previous version of this story indicated that Orion Assembly would be idled for seven weeks, from February 16 through April 6. This was incorrect. The factory will instead only be idled for the weeks of February 16 and April 6. The story has been edited to reflect this. General Motors has announced that the factory responsible for the Buick Verano and Chevrolet Sonic will be idled for the weeks of February 16 and April 6, with blame being placed on excess supply. The Orion Assembly plant, about 45 minutes north of GM's Renaissance Center headquarters, employs about 1,800 people, but they'll be given a pair of furloughs as inventories of the sub-compact Sonic and premium compact Verano reach 127 days and 84 days, respectively. That works out to 26,600 Chevys and 9,800 Buicks waiting for buyers. According to Automotive News, the compact Chevy sales bested the industry average in 2014, jumping up nine percent versus the the overall segment's eight-percent gain, while the Buick sedan's sales were down four percent. When asked about the shutdown, a GM spokesman told AN that it will "build to market demand," while also pointing out that the company did not comment on production plans. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Buick Chevrolet GM buick encore orion assembly

GM cutting Chevy Sonic, Buick Verano production by more than 20%

General Motors' Orion Assembly plant in Michigan is seeing even more production cuts this year to further reduce inventories of the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano. These latest adjustments mean layoffs for about 100 workers in phases starting in July. "GM Orion Assembly will adjust plant production capacity to better align with market demand," the company said in a statement announcing the change. Through May, sales of the Sonic are down 28.5 percent to 29,082 vehicles, and the Verano is off 15.6 percent, with 15,279 sold this year. According to unnamed plant insiders speaking to Automotive News, the assembly rate is slowing at Orion Assembly from the current 33 cars an hour down to 26 an hour, a 21-percent reduction. GM is also reportedly going to keep the plant idle for three weeks during the normal summer shutdown, rather than the usual two. Earlier in the year, the factory was idled for two weeks due to excess supply of the Sonic and Verano. In March, it was closed again for several days for the same reason. The Orion Assembly plant is the future home to the line for the Chevy Bolt EV. GM Statement: GM Orion Assembly will adjust plant production capacity to better align with market demand. A phased layoff of approximately 100 employees will begin in July 2015 and conclude by year-end. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Buick Chevrolet GM Hatchback Sedan buick verano orion assembly