Buick Working on New US-Bound Model, Teaser Included

Besides the new Regal that is expected to bring Buick back in the spotlights, GM's brand is also working on a brand new model, specifically designed for the US market. Buick announced the company's latest contraption at the Los Angeles Auto Show and even rolled out a teaser photo that leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Obviously, details are still unknown but rumors surrounding the future Buick are claiming that the car will be based either on the Opel Astra/Chevrolet Cruze or Volt. According to leftlanenews.com, the four-door sedan Buick will most likely employ a four-cylinder engine lineup that will thus comply with GM's goal of reduced fuel consumption and decent engine power. A six-speed transmission, similar to the one on the Regal, in both manual and automatic forms, is likely to make it to the production model.

Buick hasn't provided any details of the new car but it might hit the stores in 2011 as model year 2012.

The new Regal will offer two engine configurations, as it follows: a standard 2.4-liter Ecotec direct injected engine producing 182 horsepower (136 kW) plus an optional 2.0-liter Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected engine releasing 220 horsepower. The 2.4-liter unit reaches an estimated 30 mpg on the highway while the 2.0-liter turbo engine achieves 29 mpg.

Still, the company is probably looking to make the future Buick a bit more environmentally friendly so expect smaller displacement engines to be offered, including GM's new 1.4-liter turbocharged unit, particularly optimized for reduced fuel consumption and low emissions.