Signs Point to Yes: Return of Buick Grand National and GNX Imminent?

December 2, 2014 at 6:05 pm by Andrew Wendler | Photography by Manufacturer

Rumors that the Buick Grand National and its higher-overall performance GNX derivative are generating a modern-day comeback have been swirling for years, and now we have a tiny far more grist for the mill. According to GM Authority, Liberty Buick GMC in North Carolina has created a waiting list for each models in response to the high quantity of customer interest the dealership has received in the however-unconfirmed high-functionality Buicks.

So does this mean the cars are, effectively, confirmed? According to the exact same report, Liberty Buick GMC owner Scott McCorkle indicates that the first cars could hit his lot late subsequent year. Buick, of course, has no official comment.

We named out the return of both the Grand National and GNX models over a year ago, noting that they will be constructed on GM’s rear-drive Alpha platform that was introduced with the Cadillac ATS and serves as the backbone for the current Cadillac CTS as properly as the subsequent-generation Chevrolet Camaro. We’re expecting the Grand National to supply the decision of either a turbocharged 2.-liter 4-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V-6, while the GNX would come with a roughly 400-hp 3.6-liter V-6 huffing through twin-turbochargers. Automatic transmissions will be available leading to bottom, and the turbo models will most likely supply a manual as an alternative.

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When the original Grand National and GNX hit the scene in the 1980s, they stood out as anomalies in an otherwise bleak period for General Motors. In C/D testing, a 1987 GNX posted a 4.7-second -to-60-mph time on its way to demolishing the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. (In each measures, the Buick smoked the 1988 Corvette.) Quick-forward to nowadays, and GM is flush with functionality across its portfolio, setting the perfect stage for a remastered Grand National/GNX duo. Will the new-age Buick muscle reside up to the hype? We’ll have to wait and see, but clearly a couple of Buick fanboys have enough self-assurance to place themselves on a waiting list.

UPDATE 12/2, 6:05 p.m.: The Buick dealer has issued a retraction. Owner Scott McCorkle stated, “We really like the idea of the Buick Regal GNX coming back to our showroom, but for now, it is only a notion. Bottom-line, the report was incorrect. Details were not checked and we sincerely regret releasing the data.” So, there’s that. Nonetheless, we’ve got our fingers crossed that it is all primarily based on truth.

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Signs Point to Yes: Return of Buick Grand National and GNX Imminent?

Smarter execution for Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Summit

• Exterior update creates fresher appearance


• Upgraded interior employs upmarket finishes


• Tried and tested mechanical underpinnings remain unchanged

Suzuki Auto South Africa has upgraded the Summit version of its popular Grand Vitara compact SUV.

Instantly recognisable is the updated grille, now finished in dark silver, while the roof rails are now finished in silver. The 18-inch alloy wheels also boast a new, dark silver finish. In addition, Suzuki has added a new colour, New Premium Silver, to the list of available exterior hues.

The interior now features champagne gold trim accents for the steering wheel, instrument dial surrounds, side vent bezels and gearshift knob, while the door panels feature cloth-accented trim with prominent stitching.

The seat upholstery has also been updated, and features cloth upholstery with suede-enhanced bolsters.

The Grand Vitara Summit remains mechanically unchanged, and is still powered by a lusty 2,4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, linked to a choice of either 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox.

Rated maximum power output is 122 kW at 6 000 r/min, coupled to 225 Nm of torque at 4 000 r/min. Unique in this segment, the Grand Vitara is equipped with an all-wheel drive system linked to a low-range transfer case, ensuring exceptional off-road capability.

A comprehensive standard equipment list confirms the Grand Vitara Summit’;s flagship status. Highlights include remote central locking, air-conditioning, power steering, electric windows, a 4-speaker CD sound system and cruise control.

Safety is also thoroughly addressed via dual front airbags, inertia reel seatbelts, head restraints, and ABS-assisted brakes with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and emergency braking assistance (EBA).

The 4-model Suzuki Grand Vitara range is covered by a 3-year/100 000 km warranty, while a 6-year/90 000 km service plan is standard.

Smarter execution for Suzuki’s Grand Vitara Summit

How We’d Spec It: The Classiest Jeep Grand Cherokee Ever

Summer time road-trip season is in full swing, and there are several vehicles properly certified to carry you and yours on just such an excursion. But whilst you could always get a minivan and call it a day, what’s a family members to do if, say, their location is a tiny much less . . . paved? That’s exactly where the Jeep Grand Cherokee comes in. We’ve tested every single powertrain obtainable in Jeep’s classy SUV, but the greatest a single at combining all round worth and driving pleasure has to be the Hemi-powered, 4-wheel-drive version. If we had to hit the road toward a wild location tomorrow, this is the Grand Cherokee we’d take.

MODEL:

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4 (base cost: $ 47,190)

Jeep gives a Grand Cherokee for any spending budget, supplied that spending budget begins at $ 30,490. But provided that it was split at birth from the present Mercedes-Benz M-class crossover, we consider splurging a tiny and heading for the upper finish of the lineup tends to make sense. There, you’ll locate way far more luxury for far less funds than it takes to bring house a comparably equipped Benz.

Of the Grand Cherokee’s 3 highest trim levels—Limited, Overland, and Summit—we’d take the Overland. It comes common with fairly much all of the luxe gear one particular may well require, which includes leather seats with piping (heated front and rear, cooled in front), a heated steering wheel, proximity crucial with push-button starting, dual-zone automatic climate manage, a backup camera and sensors, a panoramic sunroof, Chrysler’s superb Uconnect infotainment system with an 74-inch touch screen, an 8-speed automatic transmission, HID headlights, Jeep’s Quadra-Lift air suspension, and a lot more.

Choices:

Black Forest Green Pearl paint: $

Nepal Jeep Brown Light Frost interior: $

5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine: $ 3195

Off-Road Adventure II package: $ 1095

Sophisticated Technologies group: $ 1995

There’s nothing wrong with the standard 3.6-liter V-6, unless you’re in a hurry, which is why we’d spec the optional 5.7-liter Hemi and its 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. (Jeep also provides a torquey 3.-liter diesel V-6, but we discovered it to be too unrefined for a luxury SUV in a current comparison test and also slow to boot.) Even though the V-8 imparts a fuel-economy penalty—the EPA prices it at 14 mpg city, 20 highway 3 and 4 mpg fewer than the V-6—our testing showed the gap to be significantly closer, with the V-6 returning 17 mpg and the V-8 16 mpg. The added power is worth the minor efficiency penalty.

Beyond the Hemi, we’d add only the $ 1095 Off-Road Adventure II package, which brings a bevy of skid plates, hill-descent manage, and Quadra-Drive II (Jeep-speak for complete-time 4-wheel drive with a restricted-slip rear differential). The kit also swaps the Overland’s handsome 20-inch wheels for smaller sized-diameter 18-inchers wearing much more off-road-friendly tires that return a cushier ride. Households seeking for an additional dose of safety can look forward to coughing up $ 1995 for the Sophisticated Technology group, which adds adaptive cruise manage, forward-collision warning and crash mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a brake-assist function. We have it on ours mostly because the set-it-and-neglect-it cruise manage makes lengthy highway slogs more tolerable, though the package’s inclusion right here was far from a unanimous choice.

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Our soft spot for green-colored cars implies Jeep’s snazzy Black Forest Green Pearl paint is a no-brainer, and the Nepal Jeep Brown Light Frost interior scheme (a dark chocolate brown over tan) is the excellent complement to each the exterior color and the Overland’s standard matte-finish wood trim.

Total price? A healthful $ 53,475, but that’s nevertheless some $ 16,000 much less than a base 8-cylinder BMW X5 xDrive50i and about 6 grand less expensive than a base V-8 Mercedes-Benz ML550. And neither of these luxury SUVs is practically as capable off-road.

How We’d Spec It: The Classiest Jeep Grand Cherokee Ever