Buick Advances Rebirth with Appealing New Models, Including 37-MPG 2012 LaCrosse

The big news surrounding the 2012 Buick LaCrosse is the addition of General Motors' eAssist technology � a new powertrain that will help the big sedan achieve up to 37 miles per gallon on the highway. Buick will offer the eAssist four-cylinder as the standard engine in the 2012 LaCrosse, but The General's 3.6-liter V6 will be available as a no-cost option, and GM has now confirmed that the six-cylinder powerplant will get a boost in power versus the 2011 LaCrosse. For 2012, the 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 will churn out 303 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque � an increase of 23 hp versus the 2011 model. However, this added power will not result in any loss of overall efficiency, with GM stating that the V6 LaCrosse's 17/27 city/highway mile-per-gallon ratings will remain intact. The 2012 Buick LaCrosse will start production this summer, and will be available at one of Atlanta's most respected dealers, Lou Sobh GMC in Gwinnett.

The LaCrosse joins its stablemate in the sporty sedan category, where the 2011 Buick Regal which has already made a splash with automotive enthusiasts. The Buick Regal Turbo, in particular, turned heads in a recent Consumer Reports' test, coming in a close second to the well-established Infiniti G25. In fact, the Regal outscored the Audi A4 and Volvo S60 in the test.

The turbo-charged Regal also received high praise for handling, and the sedan's 2.0-liter turbo mill "brings much needed power while attaining the same fuel economy as the base four-cylinder model." CR now ranks the Regal Turbo just ahead of the naturally aspirated Regal.

Test-drive Buick Regal at Lou Sobh GMC in Gwinnett.