Buick and GMC Showrooms Receive a Makover in the States

General Motors' efforts to revitalize its Buick passenger and GMC truck divisions are not only limited to updating each brands vehicle lineup but also extend to refreshing their joint dealerships across the country. The program includes a new exterior façade with updated signage, brighter and more comfortable showrooms with a customer greeting station as well as a lounge with free WiFi, while some dealers plan to go the extra mile and add a café or salon into the mix.
Global architecture firm Gensler is responsible for the styling while it also helps Buick and GMC dealers incorporate the changes to their existing facilities.
"The changes are important because both Buick and GMC currently attract more than 40 percent of their buyers from brands outside General Motors," the automaker said in a statement.
According to GM, more than 80 percent of eligible Buick and GMC dealers (about 1,900 showrooms) have enrolled in the dealership update program, with 170 having already completed the makeover. The automaker estimates that more than 2,000 Buick and GMC buildings across the States will be fully revitalized by the end of next year.
One of the first to complete the architectural updates is Paul Masse, owner of two Buick-GMC stores in New England.
“The design group from Gensler did a great job with the colors and appearance,” Masse said. “It really does bring in a new type of customer.”

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Volkswagen Begins Assembly of T5 Passenger and Commercial Vans

The strong economic growth in the Asia region continues to interest the Volkswagen Group, which has decided to begin “Semi Knocked Down” [SKD] assembly of its T5 Transporter passenger and Multivan commercial vehicles in Indonesia The German firm will assemble the T5 models in Indonesia for the local market together with the importer Garuda Mataram Motor.
The T5 Transporters and Multivans vans will be built at VW's Hanover plant in Germany and then transported by truck to its SKD Center in Bissendorf / Wedemark, located some 16 km (10 miles) away. Once there, the vans will be partially disassembled and transported via Hamburg to Jakarta by freighter.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ partner Indomobil/Garuda Mataram Motor, then imports and pays duty on the Transporter and Multivan kits before reassembling them on site.
The German company said its initial plans include the assembly of around 220 T5s in 2012, with the first vehicles to be delivered in February.
“We are very pleased that this successful and trusted partner is now also assembling our models for this growth-oriented market", said Jens Ocksen, Member of the Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for Production. “This ensures the product quality which Volkswagen customers are accustomed to, and which they expect from a premium product like the T5.”

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McLaren MP4-12C Sports Car Rendered as a Spider

Just last week, we told you about McLaren and its plans to enhance the range of its new MP4-12C sports car with an open top version that may be named MP4-12S (for Spider). Using the info that has been circulating around the net, Teamspeed and artist Wildspeed came up with a handful of renderings to give us a visual of what the McLaren MP4-12C Spider may look like when it comes out of its shell (or so to speak), within the next year.
As suggested by the artist, the Spider is believed to feature a three-piece roof made of aluminum and plastic that fold into a compartment between the passenger area and the engine, while the car will keep the coupes B-columns / buttresses for safety reasons.
The open-top MP4-12C is also believed to feature a clear cover at the back providing an unobstructed view of the engine, which will be the same 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 lump as the coupe.
Photo Credits: WildSpeed via TeamSpeed

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California wants 1.4 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2025

The state of California has been at the forefront of the nation’s regulations when it comes to reducing emissions since the 1970s. And now it has taken another step in this direction by approving the Advanced Clean Car program.
It is a set of regulations that aims to reduce emissions and, among other things, requires 15.4 percent of all new vehicles that will be sold by 2025 to be all-electric, plug-in hybrids or powered by fuel cells.
By implementing this program, California regulators wish to reduce passenger vehicles emissions by 34 percent between 2014 and 2015, and overall smog-forming emissions by 75 percent. It’s a goal similar to the federal standards proposed by President Obama.
The California Air Resources Board’s decision was unanimous. The new regulation amounts to 1.4 electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrids to be on the state’s streets by 2025 and plans to offer incentives to buyers, including rebates and tax credits,
Moreover, the regulators stated that non-plug-in hybrids, such as the Prius, won’t get the same treatment, as they are not as close to EVs.
Surprisingly enough, the plan has the support of major car manufacturers such as GM, Ford, Chrysler and Nissan, which are usually fighting against California regulators.
“Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry. Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary," commented Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board.
On the other hand, dealers of car companies that manufacture these kinds of vehicles such as GM with the Volt, Ford with the Focus Electric and Nissan with the Leaf, do not.
The California New Car Dealers Association, along with other car-selling businesses groups, said that the Board is overestimating demand for zero-emission vehicles.
They estimate that the technology implemented in those vehicles raises their price by an average of US$3,200, something that consumers have not been willing to accept.
Moreover, the Associated Press reported that the president of the Dealers Association, Jonathan Morrison, said that the while the dealers are supportive of new technologies, buyers have been too slow to adopt them.

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Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno Pitch for Acura's NSX Super Bowl Commercial

The Honda group isn't playing games with its Super Bowl spots this year, that's for sure. After recruiting Matthew Broderick to reprise his role as Ferris Bueller in the 2012 Honda CR-X ad, the Japanese firm's premium brand Acura has hired its own stars for its first ever Super Bowl appearance. The new Acura spot for the upcoming NSX features comedian Jerry Seinfeld with Tonight Show host Jay Leno making a special appearance towards the end of the commercial, the extended version of which you can see right after the break.
The ad shows Jerry Seinfeld going to extremes to be able to be the first one in line to buy the Acura NSX hybrid sports car (seen here in concept guise) that's scheduled to go on sale in 2015, only to be beaten in the end by Leno.

VIDEO

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Chuck Norris Approved: Rider Tames Wild Racing Motorcycle

If there happens to be an opening for a professional bull rider over at CBR, then the man that tamed motorcycle number 73 at the United Arab Emirates national race series on the Dubai Auto Drome needs only to show this clip to be accepted. Check out the video and you'll see what we mean.

VIDEO

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Cadillac XTS Take Over the Limo Market from the Lincoln Town Car

General Motors has revealed new details on its plans for the limousine variants of the 2013 Cadillac XTS, which made its world premiere at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show. The XTS will replace the DTS sedan not only in the passenger car market but will also take its place in Cadillac's professional vehicle lineup.
At the upcoming 28th Annual International Limousine, Charter and Tour Show that takes place February 13-15 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Cadillac will unveil the XTS "W20 Livery Sedan Package" for professional use, which from what we understand, will retain the regular XTS' wheelbase length.
However, GM said it is currently working on two more versions of the XTS, the extended sedan and limousine, which Cadillac Master Coachbuilder (CMC) licensed manufacturers can build for the chauffeured transportation market by the end of the year.
According to Limousine, Charter and Tour Magazine, CMC coachbuilders will be able to extend the length of the "V4U" XTS Limo by up to 70 inches (1,778mm), and add up to 8 inches (203mm) to the wheelbase of the “W30” XTS-L sedan for improved rear legroom.
GM pointed out that the XTS V4U and W30 will not be shown in Las Vegas.
"This new vehicle will help dispel some of the myths out there about Cadillac," said Ray Bush, Cadillac Professional Vehicles Program Manager. "The Cadillac of old was from the standpoint of large, floaty vehicles. Cadillac has moved away from that with its new products launched over the last 10 years. The XTS will further that with outstanding ride characteristics that compare favorably with Cadillac vehicles of the past."
Bush also told the magazine that Cadillac does not compare themselves against Lincoln, which itself has retired the Panther-based Town Car and will replace it with the limousine versions of the MKT Town Car, due to be released this spring.
“We benchmark ourselves against the best German makes such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi," said Bush. He added, however, that "the Town Car has been the workhorse of the industry for so many years, so we see the XTS as an opportunity to get more of the industry into Cadillac."

2013 CADILLAC XTS REGULAR PASSENGER MODEL

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