Buick’s main exhibit at the Shanghai Auto Show is the all-new Verano, the brand’s latest entry in the mid-range passenger car segment.
Sporting a design inspired by the Buick Riviera and Avenir concept cars, the Verano features the brand’s signature waterfall grille, complemented by Avenir-style wing-shaped HID xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights.
The wing shape is present in the LED taillights as well, while the double-sweep beltline is characteristic of Buick sedans.
The vehicle showcased in Shanghai rides on 17-inch, 10-spoke aluminum rims shod with Continental MC5 225/45 R17 sports tires with low rolling resistance, which are said to offer noise reduction, high precision and a strong grip.
In China, the all-new Verano is powered by the new 1.5-liter SIDI turbocharged engine, which is also offered in the Envision 20T SUV. The most powerful member of GM’s latest-generation Ecotec engine family, the engine is mated to a new-generation 7-speed dual-clutch DCG transmission with smooth gear shifting. GM says the transmission has been adapted for China and was put through 4.25 million kilometers of extreme road testing.
The turbocharged 1.5-liter engine produces 166hp at 5,600 rpm and 250Nm (184lb-ft) of torque between 1,700 and 4,400 rpm. Thanks to a standard start-stop function and a drag coefficient as low as 0.27, the Verano’s combined fuel consumption is 6.1 l/100 km (38.5 mpg US).
GM says the new Buick Verano is built on a newly optimized chassis that has been tuned in line with China’s road conditions “to ensure precise handling and an exhilarating experience.”
The Verano (called “Wei Lang” in China) will join the all-new Excelle GT and the Excelle in the brand’s mid-range passenger car lineup for China. GM hasn’t said whether the Verano offered in China is the same car with the upcoming 2016 model for North America, but all signs point in that direction.
PHOTO
