2012 Buick Verano

The all-new 2012 Buick Verano compact luxury sedan, the brand's third new model in the past two years and first in the compact luxury segment, will be revealed at the North American International Auto Show.

Verano goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2011, the latest model in a product renaissance that began with the Enclave and continued with the LaCrosse and Regal. Like them, Verano is distinguished by luxury and technology, including 10 standard air bags, an available heated steering wheel and a next-generation radio system with OnStar-powered connectivity that enables seamless communication between the Verano and the driver's smart phone.

An Ecotec 2.4L and six-speed automatic powertrain combination is standard and delivers an estimated 177 horsepower (132 kW) and 170 lb.-ft. torque (230 Nm), 0-60 mph performance of 8.0 seconds and an estimated 31 mpg on the highway. A 2.0L turbo engine will be offered in the future.

'Verano expands our lineup, continues Buick's momentum and gives us a great opportunity to attract a new generation of customers with a product that delivers on their expectations for design, performance and technology,' said John Schwegman, vice president of Buick marketing. 'It is a smart choice that delivers unexpected luxury in a compact sedan – and it will compete head-to-head with competitors from Audi and Lexus.'

Five elements infused in Verano that define its character:

Sculpted design – Refined styling with a sporty profile, blending Buick's signature cues – including a black chrome waterfall grille, blue translucent projector beam headlamps, portholes and chrome accents
Luxurious interior – Premium seat comfort and support redefined for a compact sedan and matched with upscale, soft-touch materials and premium leather – all complemented by leading-edge infotainment and ambient lighting
Quiet tuning – The quietest compact sedan on the road – quieter than many midsize and full-size cars – Verano's quietness is supported by acoustical laminated glass, triple door seals, refined chassis dynamics and specially manufactured 17-inch standard forged alloy multi-spoke wheels, which minimize road noise
Refined and responsive performance – Powerful and efficient Ecotec 2.4L/six-speed automatic powertrain matched with a refined, responsive suspension system, including a sophisticated Watts Z-link rear suspension and four-wheel disc brakes with standard anti-lock brakes, full-function traction control and StabiliTrak electronic stability control
Purposeful technology – Convenience and safety features that enhance the driving experience and are rare for the segment, including 10 standard air bags, a next-generation radio, touch screen navigation and advanced connectivity technologies powered by OnStar.
Sculpted design

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, with 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-looking 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


Neutral and medium titanium colors are offered on interiors with 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 with 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 with standard air conditioning (automatic climate control available)

• Heated steering wheel

• Heated leather-appointed seating

• Electronic parking brake

• Console armrest that slides and locks

• Power windows with 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 steering wheel and heated seats are linked with the remote start feature. In temperatures lower than 45 F (7 C), the steering 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 with 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 with a solid, precise sound and no resonance

• Optimized windshield and side glass for quietness, with 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, with 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 with less fuel and lower emissions – including up to 25-percent reduced hydrocarbon emissions when compared with a multi-point fuel injection engine. The engine is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission that helps the Verano deliver an estimated 31 mpg on the highway. Electric power steering 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 steering system, featuring a dual-pinion rack. Electric powering steering helps save fuel because it removes the conventional power steering pump from the engine's driven accessories. Engineers tuned the speed-sensitive system to provide quick, direct reaction to steering 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 with standard anti-lock and electronic brake force distribution, as well as StabiliTrak electronic stability control with traction control.

Purposeful technology

• Passive entry

• Heated steering 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 with ÚSB and auxiliary input jacks, and includes full Bluetooth with 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 with 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.

Source - Buick

Buick Verano Earns IIHS 2012 Top Safety Pick

The all-new Buick Verano, with its 10 standard air bags, is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick for 2012, and completes a sweep of Buick cars and crossovers earning the designation.

General Motors is among industry leaders with a total of 14 IIHS 2012 Top Safety Picks, including 13 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award and were carried over to 2012 because their structure is substantially the same as the institute tested for 2011.

'GM set a goal that every new product would be designed to meet or exceed the third-party metrics that IIHS and others use to communicate crash worthiness to consumers,' said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. 'We are now seeing the results from that commitment.'

In addition to the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave, 2011 carryover winners included the Chevrolet Cruze, Sonic, Volt, Equinox, Malibu and Traverse; the Cadillac CTS (sedan) and SRX, and GMC Terrain and Acadia.

The IIHS tests vehicles to determine how well they protect occupants in front and side crash tests, in rollovers via a roof strength test, and simulated rear impacts to evaluate seat and head restraints for protection against neck injuries. The Verano achieved a 'good' score in all four types of tests performed and has standard electronic stability control, which the IIHS requires for Top Safety Pick designation.

The Verano is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in the event a crash occurs. Standard safety features include:
- Ten air bags: Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal and seat-mounted side pelvic/thorax air bags; rear outboard seat-mounted side-impact airbags; head curtain side air bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear seating rows; driver and front passenger knee air bags.
- Rollover sensors which can activate the head curtain side air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection.
- StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both.
- Disc brakes with ABS to provide sure stops and full-function traction control to make the most of available traction in adverse weather conditions.
- Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision
- Collapsible pedal system which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries.
- OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for help in the event of a crash that deploys the air bags.
- Strong body structure to absorb crash energy and provide a protective 'safety cage' around occupants. More than 60 percent of the body structure is composed of advanced steels.

'Safety is a top priority in Buick's product renaissance as evidenced by earning these accolades from IIHS on every model,' Kent §äid. 'Our customers can have confidence in the safety performance of every Buick for sale today.'

Source - Buick

As Sales Growth Continues, Buick Verano Becomes TV Star

LaCrosse retail sales increase 24.9 percent year over year in February
Buick Verano sales continue to grow quickly three months into its public life. On March 11, the new luxury sedan will get the 'Celebrity Apprentice' treatment when it is the subject of teams competing to create a consumer launch event.

When the episode ends, host Donald Trump will famously yell 'You're fired!' to the celebrity who contributes the least to his or her team.

Viewers at home will be able to 'co-view' the episode through a Celebrity Apprentice app available in Apple and Android stores. The app uses sound activation technology to hear the television and guide the viewer along in real time with the show, asking questions and offering special features along the way.

Downloading the app allows viewers to enter a sweepstakes to win a 2012 Verano, along with two tickets to the live finale of Celebrity Apprentice in New York City, complete with two first-class airline tickets, a two-night stay in a luxury hotel, and other perks. More information can be found at Buick.com.

During the show, Buick will debut two new 30-second TV spots showcasing Verano's advanced features. 'Tour Bus' focuses on the IntelliLink infotainment system, while 'Quiet World' highlights QuietTuning technology. Each is available for viewing online.

The first commercial, 'Tour Bus,' will feature indie rock band Neon Trees. A free song from the band will be available for download through the Celebrity Apprentice app during the show or on the Buick Facebook page after the episode.

Verano sales in February were 1,688 units compared to 265 in December, its first full month on sale. At times, more than one in two buyers have come from outside General Motors.

ÚSA Today recently called Verano 'a compact with big car hush.' and 'came away impressed on all counts.' In January, Verano topped an AutoTrader.com list of vehicles with the largest month-over-month increase in reader interest.

'Already, Verano is building a strong fan base among media and consumers alike,' said Brian Sweeney, Ú.S. vice president of Buick and GMC Sales and Service. 'Early sales momentum shows the desire for Buick's luxury content and quality in a smaller vehicle.'

LaCrosse, Buick's top-selling model in February, posted a year-over-year retail sales gain of 24.9 percent. Interest in the eAssist model, which consistently outsells hybrid competitors from Lincoln, Infiniti, and Lexus, continues to grow. A midsize luxury sedan that doesn't sacrifice space to achieve 36 highway mpg, the eAssist model represents about 25 percent of LaCrosse sales.

Buick retail sales – those sold to individual buyers – were down 3.6 percent in February.

Source - Buick