1967 Buick Skylark 4 Door Hardtop Calif.car All Original on 2040-cars

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2020 Buick Encore GX is a really attractive middle child

The 2020 Buick Encore GX is officially a thing in North America. The compact crossover slips into the space between the slightly smaller Encore and the larger Envision, adding extra room behind the rear seats to pack in a lot more than the Encore, and only a little less than in Envision. Beyond the additional room, every trim of the Encore GX comes with safety tech that — for the moment, at least — can only be had as an optional extra on the standard Encore, if it's available at all on the smaller model. The six included features are automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, IntelliBeam headlamps with automatically-adjusting high/low beams, and lane-keeping assist with lane departure warning. IntelliBeam, for instance, isn't available on the Encore, and doesn't come standard on the Envision until maxing out at the AWD Premium II trim. What's more, the new bigger Encore brother puts a list of substantial safety features on the options sheet, such as Automatic Parking Assist with Braking, a heads-up display, camera-based adaptive cruise control, high-definition Surround Vision camera system, rear park assist, rear cross traffic alert, and a hands-free power liftgate with logo projection. Convenience touches in the cabin are found in wireless charging, Bluetooth pairing for two phones simultaneously, and Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Sirius XM with 360L compatibility. The 360L version of Sirius XM combines satellite services with streaming to provide more channels and access to live and on-demand shows. Buyers can luxe it up inside with optional perks like leather-appointed seats, a heated steering wheel, and an ionizing air filter. Buick says the Encore GX swallows 25.3 cubic feet of goods behind the second row. According to the dimension stats on the Buick site, that's 6.5 cubic feet more than the load space in an Encore and a measly 1.6 cubic feet less than the available volume in an Envision. The carmaker wants buyers to get the most flexibility out of the Encore GX area as well, serving up an adjustable load floor in every trim that can be raised to lie level with the folded rear seats and provide extra under-floor storage.

GM sweetens military discount for Buick, Chevy and GMC

American servicemen and women interested in a new vehicle from Chevrolet, Buick or GMC now have a bit more incentive to head down to their local dealer, as General Motors has announced plans to improve its military discount program.
The new GM Military Discount Program offers eligible consumers a new Chevy, Buick or GMC at invoice pricing, which in some cases can take very large chunks out of a car's retail price. When factored in with other incentives, most of which are available with the Military Discount, the bargains are thick on the ground for members of the US armed forces.
GM's Retail Sales and Marketing Support general manager, Chuck Thomson, said, "GM has long supported the military and military families, and we hope this simplified and enhanced discount will show our appreciation for their service and help make it easier for them to own one of our great new vehicles." The program is open to all active duty and reserve members in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard and Coast Guard, as well as veterans that have been out of the service for less than a year. Military retirees and their spouses are also eligible for the discount.

Trademarks indicate Buick Regal wagon could be on the way

American wagon fans have been waiting for General Motors to import a Buick-badged version of the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer since the current Insignia-based Regal hit dealers. If a new patent filing is any indication, that day could be coming soon. Then again, it might not mean anything. AutoGuide reports that Buick has filed two trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office for "Motor land vehicles, namely automobiles." You can see the trademarks for "Tourx" and "Regal Tourx" here and here. "Tour" smacks of wagon models, while the "x" – for all-wheel drive – makes us wonder if maybe we'll be seeing a rebadged version of the high-riding Opel Insignia Country Tourer (shown above). This isn't the first time Buick has stoked the hopes of US wagon fans, though. Earlier this year, trademarks were filed for the "Regal Sport Touring," a name that's very close to the Euro-market wagon's title. In fact, that trademark had the same description as the Tourx/Regal Tourx filings. As we've established before, automakers file trademarks all the time. It's far from a guarantee that anything will come of such trademarked names. Still, two wagon-ish filings with the USPTO from Buick in under a year makes it seem like there's at least someone at the Trishield brand that's campaigning for a long-roof Regal. Fight the good fight, friend. Related Video: