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Buick Riviera Concept debuts in China

It's nighttime in China, and Buick has just concluded an evening event the day before the first - and only - press day of the Shanghai Motor Show. The star of this evening's party was the Buick Riviera concept vehicle, a plug-in electric hybrid coupe that the automaker says gives a glimpse at its future design direction, not to mention resurrecting some nomenclature from the brand's history that includes a similarly named concept from 2007.
The shape of the Riviera is said to be inspired by water. While the traditional Buick "waterfall" grille is present, the front end gains a more aggressive note thanks to what appear to be vertical air inlets below each headlight.
As for the concept's drivetrain, Buick says it uses General Motors' new dual-mode wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion system, or W-PHEV for short. The keyword there is 'wireless,' as the Riviera can charge its onboard battery packs with a traditional cable or wirelessly via a "sensory recharge panel" underneath the car.

2014 Buick LaCrosse updated with new styling, tech

Buick might have one of the smallest lineups among major automakers, but by the time the 2014 model rolls around, it will definitely have one of the freshest. Debuting at the New York Auto Show this week, the 2014 Buick LaCrosse receives numerous styling changes inside and out, and it benefits from many of the same new features found on closely related models like the Cadillac XTS and the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
Exterior changes are relatively minor, but they still help give the car a fresh, new look. The new face of the 2014 LaCrosse fits in with recently new or redesigned Buick models with its oversized waterfall grille, LED-trimmed headlights and the signature hood vents being moved to the side of the hood rather than the top. Similar changes have been made to the rear, like the reshaped LED taillights, the full-width chrome trim and a new fascia design; LaCrosse models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 will still get the integrated exhaust finishers but they're executed in a more stylish manner than the current model. Finishing off the exterior, new wheel designs are also being introduced, which will include bringing 20-inch wheels to the sedan's option list.
Inside, Buick redesigned almost the entire cabin to create a more luxurious and upscale appearance. The instrument panel is essentially carried over, but pretty much everything else has been redesigned and updated with the biggest change being to the driver's area. Dual eight-inch configurable displays make up the center stack and gauge cluster, while the overall number of buttons have been reduced from 17 down to just seven. The 2014 LaCrosse will also be offered with the next-generation IntelliLink, which receives many of the same enhancements as Chevy's latest version of MyLink adding better customization, improved voice commands and more features including Pandora. Additionally, new door panels, seat and center console complete the LaCrosse's interior redesign.

Next Buick Regal coming in 2017, could be imported from Germany

The Buick Regal is based on the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, a pair of sedans from General Motors' European and British outfits. In fact, over 46,000 Regals from model years 2010 and 2011 were screwed together on the same lines as the Insignia twins, before GM's Oshawa, Ontario factory took over production fully. Considering this closeness, rumors that claim the next-generation Regal - due for 2017 - could move back to Europe aren't terribly surprising. Here's why, according to Automotive News.
Oshawa is home to three other vehicles, aside from the Regal - the Chevrolet Camaro, Impala rental queen and the Cadillac XTS. We already know next-gen Camaro production is headed to Lansing, MI, and that the fleet-only Impala will (finally!) die in 2016. As for the XTS, as AN explains it, sales are so slow that GM will either kill it or just shuffle its production volume elsewhere.
Taken along with the fact that Unifor, the Canadian labor union repping workers at the Oshawa factory, claim GM hasn't made any guarantees about future production at the nearly 60-year-old factory, it seems fairly clear that the Regal's current factory is going to be put out to pasture.