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Jay Leno finds no detail neglected on Icon's Derelict 1948 Buick Super

Jonathan Ward seems to have one of the greatest jobs in the world. As the CEO at Icon, he's in charge of not only the company's fantastic trucks but its Derelict series of semi-restored classics, as well. Ward's vehicles are no strangers to Jay Leno's Garage, but the latest guest on the show might be one of Icon's coolest yet. What looks like a 1948 Buick Super Convertible on the outside hides the supercharged heart of a Corvette ZR1 underneath. Like the rest of the Derelict series, this old Buick's toasted paint and pitted chrome are all part of the charm of the car, and it's really a case of beauty being more than skin deep. The Super rides on a custom chassis and suspension to make the convertible a far better driver than even a pristine original example. Plus, Ward hides all sorts of modern upgrades inside that are practically invisible until he points them out. Leno absolutely falls in love with driving the Derelict Buick. If his enthusiasm grabs you, the video below from Ward goes much deeper into the build process of this awesome project.

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.

Buick shows US dealers 2016 Cascada convertible

The affordable four-seat convertible has become a largely forgotten genre in the States, especially with the death of the Chrysler 200 Convertible. Of course, there are still premium options from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz - not to mention more overtly performance-oriented droptop pony cars from Chevrolet and Ford - but if you want an affordable cruiser, you're kind of out of luck. That may be about to change, however, with renewed rumors of the Opel Cascada (pictured above) making it across the Atlantic wearing a Buick badge.
According to GM Inside News, Buick showed off the Cascada to US dealers last week, with renewed word that the company plans to bring it over from Europe for the 2016 model year. The US version will reportedly be practically identical to its German cousin in terms of styling, but the powertrain underneath is less certain. According to GMI, it may use the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that is available in Europe with either 168 horsepower or 197 hp.
The Cascada rides on GM's Delta II platform, which also underpins the Verano, and the latest rumor certainly provides even more evidence that the convertible is probably on the way. Speculation about the droptop started when GM CEO Dan Akerson said last year that the car was on his wish list to bring over. Then, the US trademark on the name was reserved earlier this year, and the release was speculated for sometime in early 2016.