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Buick teases electric concept crossover for China

Buick released a teaser image of a new all- electric concept SUV it's calling the Enspire. It'll bow at Buick Brand Night on April 17 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, and be on display to the public at the Beijing auto show later in the month. Buick says only that the Enspire "leverages GM's global resources and is an exploration of design and new technologies. It is the brand's latest example of innovation and application of future electric smart mobility." The darkened, right rear three-quarter shot shows a rounded rear fascia, a narrow tail lamp that stretches the length of the tailgate and a third brake light on the roof spoiler. While this concept is clearly aimed at China, GM Authority notes that General Motors previously filed to trademark the "Enspire" name in the U.S. in 2015. GM CEO Mary Barra outlined the company's electrification plans for investors in November and included a slide of an unbadged crossover under the title "Leveraging existing BEV platform to expand in near term," which some are speculating could be this Enspire concept. It also suggests that Buick could be developing a vehicle based on the Chevrolet Bolt platform. GM plans to l aunch 20 new EVs by 2023, targeting 1 million electric-vehicle sales by 2026. Buick is GM's best-selling brand in China, comprising about 1.2 million vehicles sold in 2017. Buick last year showed off the Velite 5, an extended-range hybrid based on the Chevrolet Volt, as a production car for China. Related Video:

Next Opel Insignia to adopt sleeker looks

The very first set of spy photos of the next-generation Opel Insignia have dropped, giving us a look at the more svelte, aggressive, and stylish look of the popular sedan. As a reminder, the Insignia is sold here in the United States as the Buick Regal. There's only so much we can discern from these photos, thanks to the very heavy camouflage. But we can get a look at the new Audi A7-like roofline, which our spies citing similarities to the Opel Monza concept car from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Monza link fits with our previous reports, which claimed the gullwinged wagon would serve as a prime source of inspiration for both the Insignia and US-market Regal. Aside from the significantly redesigned sheetmetal, Opel is also increasing the size of its flagship sedan, adding nearly four inches between the axles. According to our spies, the goal is to build a vehicle comparable in size to the Skoda Superb, a roughly Volkswagen Passat-sized sedan based on the VW Group's MQB platform. What's most interesting for US customers, though, is the body style shown here. Like the aforementioned A7, the next Insignia will be offered as a five-door model, rather than a traditional sedan. The five-door hatch would later be joined by a traditional wagon. It's unclear whether the US market Buick will take a similar route, or whether General Motors will demand a four-door variant exclusive to North America. Check out the spy photos above, and keep an eye open for more on the next Insignia/Regal. Don't plan on seeing it at an auto show any time soon, though. It's not slated to debut until the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.

VW ID.4, the new Buick Envision and crossing Hyundai's N Line | Autoblog Podcast #668

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. It's a review-packed episode this week, but it kicks off with a discussion of Volvo's plans to electrify by 2030 and move their EV sales online. From there, they get into Greg's time with VW's game-changing new ID.4 electric crossover. Byron then talks about his time with two very different new vehicles: the 2021 Buick Envision luxury crossover and the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line, which may or may not be a sport sedan. Finally, they tackle a fascinatingly complex twitter question: What is the best 'economy' muscle car? Autoblog Podcast #668 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News Volvo introduces 2022 C40 Recharge crossover, announces all EV sales will be online-only What we're driving 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 2021 Buick Envision  2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line Reader question What is the best 'economy' muscle car?  Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Auto News Green Podcasts Buick Hyundai Volkswagen Volvo Green Automakers Electric Future Vehicles Sedan