General Motors is still trying to get back on its feet after
emerging
from bankruptcy, but that isn't stopping the company from
developing new fuel efficient vehicles. With only the Chevrolet,
Cadillac, Buick, and GMC brands left, GM is looking to bolster its
vehicle lineup.
Although GM's Fritz Henderson said that he is "not
a fan of rebadging", it looks like his company is doing just
that with a "new" crossover for Buick. GM announced today
that Buick will get a smaller crossover vehicle which
will slot in under the larger Enclave. The vehicle will be based
on the Saturn Vue and from the looks of the teaser picture released
by GM, rebadging is alive and well.
"Some customers who have been drawn to the Enclave were
looking for something a little smaller, but they didn't want to give
up craftsmanship or a quiet ride to get there," said Susan
Docherty, general manager of Buick-Pontiac-GMC. "We believe this
new Buick will excite those customers, and will continue to broaden
the appeal of the brand."
Buick's unnamed new crossover will be available with the same
engines as the the Vue and will also be available in a plug-in hybrid
version. The 2-mode hybrid version of the crossover will use a
3.6-liter V6 engine, dual electric motors, and a lithium-ion battery
pack manufactured by Compact Power which will be mounted under the
cargo floor. The vehicle's battery pack can be recharged by the
internal combustion engine or via a household outlet (like the more
advanced Chevrolet Volt).
GM says that the lithium-ion battery pack can be fully charged in
four to five hours. According to GM, the plug-in variant will be able
to travel 10 miles on battery power alone.
