2012 Buick Verano news, pictures, and information

Verano carries the modern Buick design cues introduced on the Enclave and interpreted for the LaCrosse and Regal. They include a bold, detailed black chrome waterfall grille, prominent blue translucent projector beam headlamps, portholes, chrome accents, premium wheels and a tailored body-to-wheel relationship. An arching roofline connects a steeply raked windshield and fast-sloping rear pillars to give the car a sporty profile that's complemented by large, 17-inch standard multi-spoke forged alloy sterling silver-finish wheels. Two premium 18-inch wheel designs are available.

'Verano translates Buick's sculptural design language in a new size, wîth all the refinement and attention to detail pioneered by the Enclave and LaCrosse,' said Dave Lyon, design director. 'Beyond all that, it's simply a great-lòòking car. It has great proportions and sophisticated details that will look great for years to come.'

Únique to Verano are translucent blue projector-beam headlamps, which give the car a distinctive, upscale appearance. A palette of rich colors enhances the premium look, including Claret Red Tintcoat and White Diamond Tricoat. Other exterior color choices include Black, Olympic White, Switchblade Silver Metallic, Cyber Gray Metallic and Mocha Bronze Metallic.

Luxurious interior

Complementing Verano's precisely crafted, premium-accented exterior is an interior marked by exceptional seat comfort and support, as well as premium soft-touch materials, including ambient lighting inspired by the LaCrosse. Metallic and wood trims and warm ambient lighting make the cabin an inviting environment.

Neutral and medium titanium colors are offered on interiors wîth leatherette/fabric seating surfaces, while ebony, cashmere and a unique Choccachino color are offered on the available leather-trimmed interiors. Verano uses the same premium leather material for the seats that is used on the LaCrosse.

The instrument panel blends wîth an integrated center stack that houses the infotainment display, climate controls and radio controls. Flush-mounted components within the center stack have a gap tolerance of less than 1 mm, while the instrument panel-to-door panel gaps are less than 5 mm. Those tolerances are among the best in class.

Verano's headliner cover is made of a knit material that is one of five layers of an acoustically designed headliner to help quiet the passenger compartment. The interior pillar and other moldings are color- and grain-matched to the headliner.

Additional interior standard and available features include:

• Push-button engine start

• Dual-zone climate control wîth standard air conditioning (automatic climate control available)

• Heated §teering wheel

• Heated leather-appointed seating

• Electronic parking brake

• Console armrest that slides and locks

• Power windows wîth express up/down in the front and express down in the rear

• Steering wheel radio controls

• Úplevel front and rear reading lamps.

Verano's heated §teering wheel and heated seats are linked wîth the remote start feature. In temperatures lower than 45 F (7 C), the §teering wheel heater and seat heaters automatically activate.

Quiet tuning

Verano delivers the library-quiet driving experience for which Buicks have become known. Quiet-tuning systems, processes and components are built into every facet of the vehicle's architecture. All are designed to block or absorb sound and dampen or eliminate vibrations.

Hydraulic ride bushings, for example, and an isolated engine cradle reduce or eliminate vibration pathways that could be transmitted to the passenger compartment. Similarly, a number of noise-reducing and noise-cancelling technologies are employed throughout the body structure, including:

• The steel front-of-dash panel is sandwiched between two damping mats

• Nylon baffles are used in various hollow portions of the body structure and filled wîth sound-absorbing foam that expands when the body enters the paint oven

• The headliner comprises five layers of thermal fiber acoustic material, including a premium woven fabric on the visible outer layer

• Patches of sound-damping material are applied strategically throughout the body structure and melt into place when the body passes through the paint oven, allowing the patches to follow the contours of the sheet metal below

• Sound insulation material between rear-body structural components that is made from recycled denim

• Triple-sealed doors that feature fiberglass 'blankets' serve as water, airflow and noise barriers. The doors are also beta-braced, meaning they close wîth a solid, precise sound and no resonance

• Optimized windshield and side glass for quietness, wîth 5.4-mm-thick laminated windshield and 4.85-mm laminated side glass

• The engine's intake and exhaust systems are tuned for quiet performance

• Isolated brake and fuel lines prevent vibrations.

Even the wheels and tires contribute to Verano's quietness. The standard 17-inch aluminum wheels are manufactured in a unique way to enhance quietness, while the tires minimize road noise.

Refined and responsive performance

A power-dense Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder, wîth dual-overhead camshafts, variable valve timing and E85 capability, is the standard engine in the Verano. It produces an estimated 177 horsepower (132 kW) and 170 lb.-ft. of torque (230 Nm). Direct injection technology helps it produce more power wîth less fuel and lower emissions – including up to 25-percent reduced hydrocarbon emissions when compared wîth a multi-point fuel injection engine. The engine is matched wîth a six-speed automatic transmission that helps the Verano deliver an estimated 31 mpg on the highway. Electric power §teering and a more efficient transmission design help optimize fuel economy.

The front suspension uses decoupled MacPherson struts for better isolation, providing greater separation of extreme road conditions – large potholes, for example – from everyday driving conditions. At the rear, a technically advanced Watts Z-link design helps center the rear axle during cornering, which helps keep the Verano's handling responses symmetrical on both left-hand and right-hand turns. The linkage's capability to center the axle during cornering delivers a more-balanced driving experience because the rear suspension better follows the lead of the front suspension.

The Z-link design is also lighter and requires less space than a typical fully independent rear suspension. The lower weight contributes to Verano's fuel economy, while the compact design enables more trunk space.

Steering inputs are executed by an electric power §teering system, featuring a dual-pinion rack. Electric powering §teering helps save fuel because it removes the conventional power §teering pump from the engine's driven accessories. Engineers tuned the speed-sensitive system to provide quick, direct reaction to §teering actions and a strong on-center feel. The system has a ratio of 15.5:1 and requires only slightly more than two turns, lock to lock.

Stopping power is handled by a four-wheel disc brake system wîth standard anti-lock and electronic brake force distribution, as well as StabiliTrak electronic stability control wîth traction control.

Purposeful technology

	Vital Stats
Engine : 2.4 L., 4-cylinder Power: 180 hp Torque: 170 ft-lbs
6-speed Automatic, 6-speed Manual

Comprehensive connectivity is enabled by OnStar's remote vehicle access, which makes keeping tabs on the vehicle a breeze from anywhere wîth a smart phone. Highlights include:

• Passive entry

• Heated §teering wheel

• Touch screen navigation system

• Bluetooth connectivity (both phone and audio)

• XM Satellite Radio

• Bose sound system

• Next-generation radio.

Downloading an OnStar app enables the use of remote vehicle features from anywhere in the world. With a few taps, customers can check the:

• Fuel tank level and range

• Fuel mileage

• Remaining oil life

• Tire pressure

• Odometer reading.

Other remote-access features include remote vehicle locking/unlocking, remote vehicle start and a vehicle locator.

The next-generation radio system includes a navigation system, along wîth ÚSB and auxiliary input jacks, and includes full Bluetooth wîth streaming audio, structural speech recognition, SMS texts and more. Additional connectivity features include text-to-speech conversion of SMS texts, smart phone app integration (Pandora, Stitcher, etc.) and Gracenote music organization for external devices (ÚSB drives, etc.), including Playlist Plus and Album Art features.

Safety is another component in Verano's technology story. Primary features include:

• Ten standard air bags, including frontal, head curtain side air bags, front and outboard rear-seat side-impact air bags and new knee air bags. The head-curtain side air bags deploy in a rollover crash

• StabiliTrak electronic stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes

• Collapsible pedal system, which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries

• OnStar wîth Automatic Crash Response.

Verano has a strong, unitized body structure that incorporates 60-percent high-strength steel in key areas to enhance strength and crash protection. It is used to help prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment. Safety development included testing at GM's rollover test facility.

Buick Verano Earns IIHS 2012 Top Safety Pick

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