1953 Buick Roadmaster Convertible on 2040-cars

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We want this Buick Regal wagon rumor to be true

The car we know in the US as the Buick Regal is sold as a Vauxhall/ Opel Insignia in Europe, where it's offered in four-door sedan, five-door liftback, and wagon body styles. Call it a case of wanting what we can't have, but we like the last two body styles a lot. Based on a report from a Buick/ GMC dealer meeting in Austin, one of them could be coming to the US soon. According to a poster identified as 97GreenRS on the forums at GM Inside News, GM showed dealers the 2018 Buick Enclave, Regal, and Regal GS, as well as the 2018 GMC Terrain, and then confirmed it would offer the Regal wagon here in the US. While that wouldn't normally be all that much to go on, we know Buick has been toying with the idea of a wagon for some time. A Regal-badged wagon was spotted way back in 2011. More recently, we reported on a trademark filing for "Tourx" and "Regal Tourx," which suggest a long roof (Tour) and all-wheel drive (x). If the Regal wagon arrives alongside the base sedan and GS as a 2018 model, we'd expect a debut within the next 15 or so months. That would place it right at the beginning of the 2017 auto show season, which starts next September in Frankfurt, Germany. With that in mind, it seems possible the new Regal would debut first as an Opel Insignia before appearing at a US show like Los Angeles or Detroit, although there's a lot of speculation going on there. We just want to see "Buick" and "wagon" in the same sentence again. Related Video:

2020 Buick Encore GX First Drive | Bringing serenity to the subcompact market

With Buick seeing sales success in our crossover-crazed world, it’s no wonder the company is adding to its crossover lineup with the 2020 Buick Encore GX. It sits just above the existing Encore, and it offers more space and new turbocharged engines for just a bit more money. In fact, as it starts at just $900 more than the existing Encore and offers more power, space and fuel economy, itÂ’s unquestionably the Encore version to get when heading to your Buick dealer. But compared with other crossovers, the BuickÂ’s only real advantage is in its quietness, refined powertrain and upmarket badge. Otherwise it's a fine but unexceptional crossover. Powering the Encore GX is your choice of small turbocharged three-cylinder engines. The standard engine, available with every trim, is a 1.2-liter unit making 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. ItÂ’s only able to be paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive. ItÂ’s also not the most efficient powertrain offering, returning 28 mpg in town, 31 on the highway, and 29 combined. The optional engine, available only on the upper two trims Select and Essence, is a 1.3-liter example making 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. This engine can be paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive, or a nine-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel-drive. Also, because of efficiency boosters such as an offset crankshaft, electric oil pump, electric brake booster and electric turbo wastegate, itÂ’s the most efficient choice. With the CVT and front-wheel drive, the Encore GX manages 30 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway, and 31 combined. The all-wheel-drive version only gets 26 mpg in town, 29 on the highway and 28 combined. Our test car was an Encore GX with the 1.3-liter engine and the CVT, and on paper, itÂ’s the engine to go with. ItÂ’s more power with less fuel use. And while itÂ’s not the most powerful car in its segment, its torque is accessible throughout the rev band, so it never feels slow. Buick has done an excellent job keeping the engine quiet, either through powertrain refinement or through extensive sound deadening. YouÂ’ll never hear more than a faint growl from under the hood. The CVT is absolutely the transmission to choose, too. ItÂ’s amazingly smooth and unobtrusive. The revs are always kept low and thereÂ’s just enough variance in them that it doesnÂ’t feel like a rubber band. It responds fast to your right foot, too, so you arenÂ’t waiting for more rpm when needing to accelerate faster.

Volvo and GM team with Amazon for in-car deliveries

Volvo and GM are the first automakers to pair their vehicles with a new service from Amazon that lets owners have their packages delivered inside their cars, without them having to be there. The service will initially be rolled out in 37 U.S. cities at no extra charge to Amazon Prime members with a Volvo On Call or OnStar account, and it works with same-day, two-day and standard shipping. It's intended as an alternative for people who don't want to risk having their package stolen from their front porch or receive deliveries at their workplace, and both automakers say it's an example of how they're embracing innovation as a way to make their customers' lives easier. Volvo released a video (above) showing how the service works. Users download the Amazon Key App (or " Ama-zin," as the narrator pronounces it) and link their Amazon Prime account with their Volvo On Call account — or OnStar, in the case of GM-branded vehicles. Once they register their delivery location in a publicly accessible location, users can select the "In-Car" option at checkout. They get a notification when the delivery is en route and once it's completed and the car is relocked. Volvo has been offering in-car delivery in certain European countries since 2015 through its Volvo On Call platform, which enables services like the ability to send calendar-based navigation destinations directly to the vehicle, find nearby gas stations and help locate the vehicle when you forget where you parked it. Volvo says the platform is now available in roughly 50 countries and covers more than 90 percent of its global sales. The service is compatible with 2015 or newer Volvo, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles. Volvo says it's available to the majority of Volvo owners, while GM says more than 7 million vehicle owners can qualify. The service is expected to roll out to more cities later. You can check eligibility at amazon.com/keyincar. Related Video: Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Volvo Technology Infotainment Amazon connected car volvo on call e-commerce