1985 Buick Regal on 2040-cars

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Opel Insignia, the harbinger of a Buick, rolls out at Geneva

GM's sale of Opel/Vauxhall to French automaker PSA Groupe will take effect later this year, but new models roll out regardless, as Opel debuted its all-new 2018 Insignia flagship (and Buick Regal clone) Tuesday at the Geneva Motor Show. The midsize Insignia, which bears a great resemblance to a Mazda6, will come in Grand Sport and Sports Tourer (that is, a wagon - will Buick offer a wagon?). It is built in Russelsheim, Germany. As part of the GM-PSA deal, the two companies agree that PSA, maker of Peugeot and Citroen, will continue to supply some Holden and Buick models; Opel models form the basis for several of Buick's core products, including the Encore small crossover and Regal sedan. But as the two brands part ways, we may well see Buicks remaining Buick-y, and Opels evolving away from GM parts and designs. Seeking a little clarity on what the sale of Opel means, we asked Buick and were directed to a statement: General Motors announced an historic agreement to sell the company's Opel business to PSA Group. This is a major milestone and one that we believe will improve the business prospects of each company and deliver significant value to shareholders, customers and employees around the world. Buick and Opel have historically cooperated on a number of product programs. Buick products will not be impacted by today's announcement. We will continue to deliver our product plans with excellence and precision. Buick has delivered three consecutive years of record global sales, we are General Motors' second largest international brand, and we have built an excellent reputation for quality and customer service. The new products Buick will announce in 2017 will help us build on this momentum. The new Regal/Insignia is expected to use the same platform as the new Buick LaCrosse, which is also shared by the Chevy Malibu and Impala. They should once again be available with front- or all-wheel drive. With the Opel versions debuting at Geneva, the Buick Regal will possibly follow at the New York auto show in April. The Insignia will start at about $25,500 and has the now-customary roster of high-tech options such as active lane keeping, a heads-up display, 360-degree-vew cameras, a hood designed to increase pedestrian safety and a new Opel OnStar Personal Assistant to help book hotel rooms on the fly or search for parking spots. The car comes with turbocharged four-cylinder engine options, an eight-speed automatic, and it's 400 pounds lighter than its predecessor.

Hyundai tops VW and Buick in China, survey says

You may be aware of the long-time competition in China between Volkswagen and Buick, but another brand apparently should be in that conversation too: Hyundai. In a recently published annual consumer survey, the Korean company actually took the top spot to beat out its German and American rivals in second and third, respectively. The results were part of the China Brand Power Index that interviewed 11,500 people around the nation and was paid for by the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. While Hyundai proved popular with voters, its sales haven't necessarily shown that yet. According to Bloomberg, the brand had falling numbers in China for the first quarter of the year. Even Ford outsold the South Korean automaker in the same period, despite scoring lower on the survey. Meanwhile, Audi ranked as the populace's favorite luxury brand, which is hardly a surprise given the Four Rings' strong sales in China. In January alone the automaker saw a 15-percent boost in volume there. Parent company VW's strong performance was somewhat more surprising, though. State media severely criticized the German automaker in March, and customers protested last year for the allegedly poor handling of a recall.

GM admits goal of 500,000 EVs by 2017 won't be met

After a little over four years of Chevy Volt sales, General Motors has a better handle on how many people it expects will buy cars with plugs. And it's less than the company thought back in 2012, when then-senior vice president of global product development, Mary Barra, said that GM expected to sell 500,000 "vehicles with electrification" by 2017. In a sustainability report released this week, GM says that half-million vehicle target will not be met but that it still, "believes the future is electric." In the report, GM says that, "For our commitment to electrification, our forecasted outlook currently projects us, along with the broader automotive industry, falling short of expectations for 2017. ... We continue to aspire to our stated goal." GM's electric lineup includes the Volt, the recently popular Spark EV, the slow-selling Cadillac ELR and upcoming Malibu Hybrid, CT6 plug-in hybrid and eAssist technology in the Buick LaCrosse and Regal. GM says it has 180,834 electrified vehicles on the road in the US today. In 2013, it had 153,034; 95,578 in 2012, and 39,843 in 2011. The company's next big plug-in vehicle will be the second-gen Chevy Volt, which is coming to market later this year, followed by the 200-mile Bolt EV coming, we think, in 2017. GM Employees on Mission to Transform Transportation Sustainability report outlines vehicle and manufacturing progress; sets new targets 2015-05-07 DETROIT – General Motors' just-released sustainability report chronicles efforts by the company's 216,000 employees to live out GM's newly defined purpose and values by earning customer loyalty, applying meaningful technology advances and improving the communities where it does business. These actions – led by CEO Mary Barra – further drive sustainability into the company's culture through building safer and smarter vehicles with less environmental impact. "GM will take a leading role in the auto industry's transformation as it undergoes an unprecedented period of change," said Bob Ferguson, senior vice president, GM Global Public Policy. "From GM's labs to its assembly lines, our people are driving the world to a better place through improved mobility." The company believes the future is electric, with billions of investment to support an all-in-house approach to the development and manufacturing of electrified vehicles. It now counts 180,834 on the road in the U.S – up from 153,034 in 2013.