Not just a name from the division’s storied past, today’s “roadmasters”—a.k.a. some very innovative Buick engineers—take an innovative digital approach to ensuring today’s Buicks offer a premium driving experience regardless of conditions.
For example, these Buick researchers have now developed a unique scanning device that can “read” the road in the same way a photo scanner analyzes a document. The result is a highly detailed, three-dimensional digital version of the road, which is then used to test equally detailed digital representations of the latest Buicks. The road scanner uses a number of cameras and a laser to create the digital road, which is accurate to within 1 mm of the real thing.
This allows Buick to address potential quality concerns early in the development cycle, saving money and boosting quality at the same time. Of course, virtual road-testing is just a small part of Buick’s comprehensive quality-assurance methods, and you can rest assured that the latest models from the division get plenty of time pounding the pavement.
Take the 2011 Buick Regal: The popular new sport sedan benefited from significant road time on Germany’s autobahns, as well as the country’s notoriously challenging Nürburgring race course. As a result, GM claims that “the all-new Buick Regal delivers a driving experience that rivals the best import sport sedans in the segment.”
And according to a Fort Lauderdale GMC Dealer, that driving experience will get taken to a whole new level when the Regal turbo and GS debut in coming months. The former will pack a turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec I4 engine that makes 220 hp, and the GS will up the ante even further. Details on the latter have not yet been revealed, but the GS concept from the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit boasted a 255-hp turbo, an adaptive all-wheel-drive system and a 0-60 time of under 6 seconds.
The Buick Regal CXL is available at dealerships now, with the turbocharged version expected to be available at a Buick Dealership in all markets before the end of 2010.
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