Buick Buyers Responding to More Efficient Model Line

Buick’s ongoing renaissance is fueled by distinctive design, an inviting dealership experience and a focus on purposeful technologies like advanced four-cylinder engines and the new gas-saving eAssist powertrain.

Buick buyers appear to be noticing, and are rapidly moving to the brand’s more fuel-efficient models.

At the start of the 2012 model year last October, four-cylinder models represented 22 percent of Buick’s sales. In March, nearly half of all Buicks sold were powered by these smaller- displacement engines, many with EPA-estimated 30 mpg or more on the highway.

Buick retail sales in March were up 6 percent compared to the same month in 2011. The LaCrosse midsize luxury sedan remained the brand’s top-selling model and a record 26 percent of LaCrosses were sold with eAssist; nearly one in three LaCrosses sold in California had eAssist with an EPA-estimated 36 mpg on the highway.

Sales of the Verano luxury sedan, which launched in December 2011, passed 2,000 units per month for the first time. A total of 2,497 vehicles were sold in March. Verano was recently named one of Kelley Blue Book’s “10 Best Sedans Under $25,000” and is powered by a 2.4L four-cylinder rated at 32 mpg highway – better than the Acura TSX, Infiniti G25, and Lexus IS250.

“Customers want higher fuel economy without compromise and Buick offers just that,” said Brian Sweeney, vice president of Buick Sales and Service. “Among the models with four-cylinder engines are a LaCrosse with eAssist that offers fuel economy with great space and luxury and a Regal GS offering responsible sport sedan performance.”

LaCrosse with eAssist uses a compact lithium-ion battery pack and small electric motor to aid the performance of a fuel-efficient 2.4L gas engine, while advanced start/stop technology allows the vehicle to operate on just electricity while at rest. It offers a 25 percent savings in fuel use versus the traditional four-cylinder it replaced in late 2011.

Regal GS uses a 2.0L turbocharged engine with the highest horsepower-per-liter ratio General Motors has ever produced. At 135 horsepower per liter, it is also the most power-dense engine ever certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The car’s 270-horsepower rating wouldn’t be possible without fuel-saving technologies like spark ignition direct injection and variable valve timing.

Among Buick’s other vehicles with four-cylinder engines are eAssist, Turbo, and base versions of the Regal luxury sport sedan. Next year, the new Encore luxury crossover goes on sale with an efficient 1.4L turbocharged engine.

Buick’s increase in fuel-efficient vehicles contributed to an overall trend across GM. In March, the company sold a record 100,000 vehicles that get an EPA estimated 30 mpg or better on the highway.

While retail sales were up, total sales for the Buick brand for the month were down 16 percent compared with March 2011 due to decreased fleet sales.

In mid-March, the brand launched a new approach to vehicle leasing. Experience Buick offers the security and convenience of a 24-month lease that includes routine maintenance, an OnStar Directions and Connections plan and SiriusXM radio, all bundled into a single monthly payment. Experience Buick continues in April.

Courtesy of Buick Media