1987 Buick Regal Turbo T We4 on 2040-cars

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Is this GM's next electric crossover?

GM made headlines this week when CEO Mary Barra presented the company's electrification and automation plans at the Barclays Global Automotive Conference in New York. "We are committed to a future electric vehicle portfolio that will be profitable," Barra said, which could be taken as a jab at Tesla. In the presentation ( PDF here), though, we see a new vehicle in a slide titled "Leveraging existing BEV platform to expand in near term." The vehicle, seen above, accompanied the captions "New CUV entries" and "two entries by 2020." Is this a sneak preview of an upcoming electric crossover from GM? The image seems too realistic and intentional to be a random placeholder. If this is, indeed, an upcoming battery-electric CUV based on the Bolt, the question remains: Will it be a Chevy or a Buick? It has no visible badging, but it shares DNA from both brands. As Inside EVs points out, though, it does bear a resemblance to the Chevrolet FNR-X concept unveiled in Shanghai earlier this year. With two CUVs on the way, it's not unthinkable that there could be a version for each brand. In addition to this slide, the presentation includes plans for an "All new multi-brand, multi-segment platform" launching in 2021. The all-new modular battery system will cost less than $100 per kWh, providing higher energy density and faster charging. The platform will host at least nine different vehicles, including a compact crossover, seven-seat luxury SUV and a large commercial van. GM has said it will launch 20 new EVs by 2023, and that it targets 1 million EV sales per year by 2026. Many of those sales will be in China. Related Video:

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:

Junkyard Gem: 1990 Buick Reatta

General Motors built some interesting sporty cars during the late 1980s and early 1990s, as the company attempted to claw back market share from European manufacturers of high-end two-doors. There was the mean-looking Oldsmobile Trofeo, the Turin-to-Hamtramck Cadillac Allante, and the gadget-packed Buick Reatta. Here's an example of the latter car, wearing Maui Blue paint and residing in a Denver self-service wrecking yard. There was a lot to like about the Reatta, but the powertrain came as a disappointment: the ancient, rough-running pushrod Buick 3.8-liter V6 engine, driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The 3800 engine made 165 horses in 1990, which wasn't bad for that year, but Reatta money would have bought you a new 1990 BMW 3-Series with a tuneful 168-horse DOHC straight-six. The Buick V6 was something of an Albanian grain-thresher motor compared to the engines in the Reatta's European rivals' cars: rugged but crude. The pre-1990 Reattas came with Buick's amazing touchscreen computer interface, which may have scared off the most conservative Buick traditionalists. This car had more typical-for-1990 controls. Only 6,388 Reatta coupes were made for 1990, so we're looking at one rare Buick here. Handcrafted by these artisans in Lansing. Related Video: Featured Gallery Junked 1990 Buick Reatta View 15 Photos Auto News Buick Convertible Coupe Luxury