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Buick’s eAssist made its debut at the LA Auto Show in November. It was on the 2011 LaCrosse 4 cylinder engine and was an exciting addition to the Buick line-up. It’s designed to use a much more powerful battery than the one used in the past on other GM vehicles like the Saturn Vue, Aura and Chevrolet Malibu. This “mild-hybrid” system uses the battery pack and other technology from the successful Chevrolet Volt.

Buick recently announced that eAssist will be offered to the new Regal next year. The Regal shares the same 4 cylinder engine with the LaCrosse so this will be an easy transition and very beneficial to the model. While GM is intending to keep eAssist exclusively with Buick for the time being, the potential for it to be used all across their line-up is likely in the future. It can be used on V6 engines as well as 4 cylinders, opening it up to SUV’s and crossovers, not just mid-size sedans. As Buick is already outselling Audi, Acura and Infiniti, this option for more of the line-up can make it even more competitive.

Here at the Bill Dodge Auto Group, we have a huge selection of brand new Buicks in stock, including the LaCrosse and Regal. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff is here to help you find the right vehicle for you and strive to make your shopping experience streamlined, hassle-free and enjoyable.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to see the skill and dedication of our UAW men and women who are proud of their accomplishments in building the finest vehicles not only in this country, but in the world,” said Joe Ashton, UAW Vice President-GM Department.

General Motors recently announced that they will be opening all 54 of their manufacturing plants in the U.S. to the public for an open house tour to show everything that goes on in making GM vehicles. All of these will happen before the end of 2011 giving Americans a great opportunity to learn more about GM as a company.

In the past, the Bowling Green Assembly Plant in Kentucky was the only one that would allow tours to the public. Now each one will choose a date for their respective event and invite the local community to see. GM really wants to put emphasis on all the jobs that they provide as well as the 7,900 jobs that were saved in 2009 due to the bailout. While many people complain about the government’s involvement, they sometimes fail to see what an effect it had on a day to day level with individual employees. These tours will remind the public of this.

The closest GM plants to us here in Maine are in New York state. While it’s a bit of a treck, it would be extremely interesting to see how everything works. We’ll keep you posted here at the Bill Dodge Auto Group for when they’re holding their tours. In the meantime, we have a huge inventory of brand new Buicks, Cadillacs and GMC’s in stock. Feel free to stop by for a test drive!

A while ago Buick announced the introduction of the Verano, which is a new compact model built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze. Specifications and pricing was still in the final stages when the information was leaked recently from a survey that was intended to gather feedback from dealers so that GM could make its final decisions. While the price and trim levels aren’t set in stone, it definitely gives us a much better idea of what the new Verano will be like.

The Verano will have the same powertrain as the Buick LaCrosse: the 2.4L 4 cylinder Ecotec engine that produces 180 horsepower. This is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission which will make for a smooth ride, responsive handling and great fuel economy.

There will be four possible trim level combinations with prices ranging from $20,900 to $26,200 for the highest trim. The Verano should share most of its design with the Excelle GT, which is Buick’s Chinese market compact sedan. Standard options will include leather seats, push button start, 18” wheels, heated seats, heated steering wheel and Bose audio.

The Verano concept is a great way to diversify the Buick brand. Bringing in a compact sedan to its line-up will give customers a great alternative to buying bigger, less practical sedans or switching to another brand. Here at the Bill Dodge Auto Group, we pride ourselves in providing stellar customer service for our loyal Buick customers. We have a huge inventory of brand new Buicks in stock and a knowledgeable sales staff to help you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle. Stop by to learn more about the Verano or test drive a current model!

The Buck GL8 is a minivan that has been developed in China by Shanghai GM. It was introduced in 2000 and was very similar to the Pontiac Montana. Over the years, they have made upgrades and improvements just like the rest of General Motors and their products. The latest upgrade, the 2011 Buick GL8, was just released a few months ago in China.

Though the market in the U.S. for mini-vans has been significantly reduced, the GL8 in China continues to thrive. This new model comes with some pretty impressive features that you’d expect in a premium SUV, not necessarily an MPV. The interior sports seating for 7 passengers, blue ambient lighting, a 10 speaker Bose sound system, two-tone leather seats, a 7” touch screen dash display, a 10.2” HD DVD display and a panoramic sunroof. It seems pretty clear why this would do well in any part of the world.

Under the hood of the GL8, you’ll find either a 3.0L SIDI (Intelligent Direct Injection) V6 engine or a 2.4L Ecotec 4 cylinder for those who prefer fuel economy to power. Both of these options are paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that gives the van a smooth, quiet ride. Further specifications haven’t been released quite yet.

Here at the Bill Dodge Auto Group, we take pride in being one of Maine’s best Buick dealers. We have a large variety of new current models as well as many pre-owned vehicles to choose from. Our knowledgeable sales staff is here to help you find the right fit for you and make your shopping experience informative, fun and hassle-free.

Buick is a part of General Motors that has been extremely successful all over the world. From China to Europe, they have been a competitive brand and have altered their models to appeal to that particular customer base.

The Vauxhall Astra VXR is one of Buick’s models that’s a huge seller in Europe. They hope to bring this model to the U.S. in 2011. It shares the same underpinnings as the Excelle, Buick’s Chinese flagship. It’s already been confirmed that then the Excelle arrives to the states it will be called the Verano. As the Astra is similar, there are speculations that it may receive the same badge, just as a hatchback version. There is very little more information on the Astra VXR coming to the U.S. Buick has definitely been coming up with new and interesting ways of expanding its lineup in the last few months. We’ll see what happens!

Bill Dodge Buick is Maine’s source for new, certified and pre-owned Buicks. We have a huge inventory and a friendly, hassle-free sales staff to help you find the right vehicle for you. Don’t hesitate to give us a call for more information on the Astra VXR or stop by to test drive a current model!

Buick is a company that has been around for a very, very long time. It’s gone through some pretty dramatic changes over the years and still keeps its loyal customers satisfied with every improvement. One of their models that was around for a while and then tried to come back in just the last few years is the Roadmaster.

The Roadmaster was produced by Buick from 1936 until 1958. It was built on the longest wheelbase and offered as a sedan, coupe, convertible and even station wagon. It was an extremely popular vehicle while in production. Then in 1959, its name was replaced by the Electra.

In 2009, Buick brought the Roadmaster back as a concept vehicle. The portrayed it as both a sedan and coupe in hopes to replace the Lucerne, which will be leaving Buick’s lineup in 2011. This was part of their “renaissance plan” where they bring back old vehicles with modern drive-trains and technology. After all, this has been very successful for the Regal. Buick tried to build on their strong points with the Roadmaster by giving it a more powerful engine and a more refined, upscale interior. While this was an interesting idea for Buick, the Roadmaster won’t make it back to the production lines. Luckily, there’s a lot in store for the company in the very near future as it expands its lineup and advances more in the younger generation market.

The Bill Dodge Auto Group is Maine’s premier Buick dealer. We have a wide selection of new Buicks in stock and a helpful sales staff to assist you in all your vehicle needs.

In 2011, Buick will be expanding its line-up if the current four models to seven. They hope to lure car buyers away from import luxury brands and appeal to a younger crowd. The current models will be revamped and improved to stay more in line with the whole new look of Buick.

In addition to the Lucerne (its last year of production), LaCrosse, Enclave and Regal, Buick will introduce a compact crossover and a compact sedan. They are the Encore and Verano respectively. The Regal GS should be coming out shortly as well. There has been speculation that by 2012, Buick hopes to bring a LaCrosse Hybrid to the market, which will really diversify them in the best possible way for today’s market.

Here at Bill Dodge Buick, we have a huge inventory of new Buick’s to choose from. Whether you’d like information on upcoming models and news or if you’d like to test drive a current model, our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff is here to help!

Earlier this year, Buick announced the addition of two new models to its line-up to be on the market by 2012. These are their new compact sedan and compact crossover. Buick plans to do away with all trim level badges by that time so having a broader range in models will make a nice alternative.

There is very little information released on these vehicles so far. What we do know about the sedan is that it will probably be called the Verano. It shares the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and will have the options of two different engines, a 1.8L 4 cylinder and 1.4L turbocharged 4 cylinder.

A name hasn’t been released yet for Buick’s compact crossover addition. It will take platform and engineering cues from the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX. It’s likely to be powered by the existing engines on the Theta platform: a 2.4L 4 cylinder and a 3.0 direct injection V6. Apparently it will look like a “baby Enclave”.

Buick currently has 4 models right now. They consist of two large sedans (the Lucerne and LaCrosse), the new Regal (mid-size sedan) and the Enclave (its full-size SUV). Adding these new models will expand their market significantly and certainly increase interest and sales for Buick.

The Bill Dodge Auto Group is Maine’s premier Buick dealer. We have a wide variety of new Buicks to choose from and a helpful and friendly sales staff to assist you in finding the right fit for you.

Buick has made some very successful improvements over the last two years. They have long been trying to shred pre-conceptions that they are a brand made exclusively for the 60+ market. It is important for them to show their capabilities in technology and engineering, not just plush seats and luxury options. When Buick introduced the new LaCrosse, it accomplished this. The new re-designed Regal has also been turning heads and giving the company an opportunity to appeal to a much larger, more modern market.

Recently, marketing director, Rover McCormick said in a web chat that Buick was very strongly considering adding a few more models to the Buick line-up, specifically a coupe and a convertible for the Regal. Though there hasn’t been any information or official confirmation that these will be produced, it’s speculated that they could have the AWD 225 horsepower drivetrain that the Regal GS will have, which should be released in 2011 or 2012. This is pretty exciting news for Buick and will give their customers quite a lot to look forward to.

The Bill Dodge Auto Group is Maine’s premier Buick dealer. We have a huge inventory of new and pre-owned Buicks to choose from and a friendly sales staff to assist you in finding the perfect vehicle for you.

 

Every year Kelly Blue Book makes a list of the top 10 most comfortable cars under $30,000. This year four different GM vehicles made that list. With the top two picks being the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne. 

The LaCrosse has been commended for its spacious interior, ice blue ambient light, QuietTuning system (which greatly reduces in-cabin noise) and its Harman/Kardon premium sound system. The Lucerne made this list with its traditional American-style comfort, exceptionally smooth ride and soft, plush seats. 

When compiling KBB’s list of top ten most comfortable cars, several elements are taken into consideration: ride quality, seat comfort, type of climate control, power options and heated seats. Buick has certainly shown here that they are truly the epitome of comfort for the average customer looking to purchase lower than $30,000. That’s a huge market and this ranking is sure to attract a ton of new loyal Buick owners. 

The Bill Dodge Auto Group has a huge inventory of new and pre-owned Buicks to choose from. Whether you’re looking for comfort or performance, we have the vehicle for you!