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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.

Buick officially launches the redesigned 2021 Envision

The 2021 Buick Envision is officially official. Yes, that Envision — the one we showed you back in May 2020 — is now for sale, and we now have all of the finer details about the redesigned crossover, which is lower, wider and more technologically robust than its predecessor.  One could argue that we already knew the most important thing about Buick's updated CUV: It looks good. The same couldn't necessarily be said of its previous incarnation, which, like several of GM's outgoing small crossovers, could be charitably described as inoffensive, but often merely looked frumpy and incoherent.  2021 Buick Envision Avenir View 25 Photos Rather than the flow-for-flow's-sake design of the outgoing model, the 2021 boasts a more chiseled, angular look, especially in Avenir guise. It also boasts a redesigned cabin and a new suite of standard tech features, including standard forward collision warning, front pedestrian braking and rear park assist. Optional goodies include a HUD, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a hands-free power liftgate. Avenir models bake in several of the standard Envision's optional upgrades, including heated and ventilated front seats, a massaging driver's seat and heated outboard rear seats. It also offers an optional adaptive suspension.  “The all-new 2021 Envision is a tremendous opportunity for the brand,” said Duncan Aldred, global vice president for Buick and GMC. “With strong, differentiated designs, and a combination of advanced technologies and premium appointments, it will stand apart in one of the industryÂ’s most competitive segments.” Buick has also nailed down the specs on the Envision's updated powertrain. The 2.0-liter turbo engine will make 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, with GM's twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system available as an upgrade. Both models get a nine-speed automatic gearbox.  As confirmed previously with the release of Buick's 2021 order guide, the Envision starts at $32,995 (including destination) and is available at dealers now. We expect to get our hands on one for a more thorough evaluation some time in the coming months. Stay tuned. 

Junkyard Gem: 2006 Buick Lucerne CXL

When The General's Buick Division axed the LeSabre and Park Avenue names in 2005 (after 46 and 30 years, respectively, though the Park Avenue returned a few years later in China), the replacement top-of-the-line Buick sedan became the new Lucerne. It wasn't the Buick with the biggest price tag that year— those honors went to the Terraza minivan and Rainier SUV— but it became the flag-bearer for a bloodline of cushy, prestigious Buick sedans that stretched all the way back to the early days of the American auto industry. Lucerne sales for the 2006 and 2007 model years went pretty well, and now enough time has passed that some of these cars are showing up in the self-service car boneyards I frequent. Here's a first-year example with the optional Northstar V8 engine, found in a Northern California yard last summer. Plenty of American cars have been named after cities in Italy, France, and Spain, but the Lucerne is the only one I can think of that bears the name of a Swiss city (to be fair, the entire Chevrolet Division is named after a Swiss man, so Switzerland didn't really get shortchanged by The General in the naming department). CXL was the Lucerne's mid-grade trim level, sandwiched between the CX and CSX. The high-zoot Lucerne CSX got the 4.6-liter Northstar as standard equipment, but this quad-cam V8 and its 279 horses cost extra on the CXL. The base engine for the CX and CXL was the good old 3.8-liter pushrod Buick V6, rated at 197 horsepower. No US-market 2006 Buick could be purchased new with a manual transmission; this car has a four-speed automatic. In a Buick tradition stretching back to the late 1940s, this car boasts flashy "Ventiports" on the fenders. In past years, the number of ports on each side designated the car's intended swank level; starting with the Lucerne, they indicated the number of engine cylinders. So, when you're crawling around your local Ewe Pullet and looking for Northstars, seek out the Lucernes with the four-hole Ventiports. "Leather-appointed" power bucket seats and "wood-toned" trim were standard on the CXL, as well as an MP3-capable CD player with six speakers. By 2006, most American vehicle shoppers seeking something big and luxurious chose trucks and truck-like machines, but the market still supported quite a few sedan models such as the Lucerne. Most US-market GM vehicles got these little square "Mark of Excellence" fender badges during the late 2000s.