Buick is certainly keeping up by providing the latest in technology to improve fuel economy without giving up performance. The Buick Regal eAssist will be available in the fall of 2011. The eAssist will lend Buick the opportunity to appeal to a market that is looking to keep more money in their pockets when pulling up to the pumps, but still longing for a luxury sport sedan. Customers wanting Style and Fuel Economy will be able to get them in the Buick Regal eAssist. The eAssist system is a $2000.00 option on the Regal base model, mated to a 2.4L Ecotec engine.
The Regal with eAssist uses advanced technologies and other enhancements to deliver an EPA rated 25 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. The highway mpg is unsurpassed by the higher priced Lexus Hybrid, Acura TSX and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. This fuel saving technology improves fuel economy by 25 percent over the 2011 four-cylinder/six speed powertrain. With fuel prices closing in on $4.00 per gallon, the eAssist option should pay for itself in a little over 3 years.
The 2.4L four-cylinder Ecotec engine paired with a state of the art lithium-ion battery system and electric motor generator that enables regenerative braking capability is the technology that makes it all happen. To understand watch the video, which explains how this system works. The eAssist system uses power stored in the battery to provide needed electrical boost in various driving scenarios, optimizing engine and transmission operation.
Standard features include:
Driver selectable, fuel economy-optimizing mode for the a/c system, enabling more frequent and longer duration engine stop periods.
ECO gauge on the instrument panel that continuously responds to driving behavior, enabling the driver to drive with greater efficiency.
Powerflow readout in the color infotainment or driver information center that shows the flow of energy through the electric assist system, such as battery charging and electric power directed to the engine.
The eAssist will have a next generation six speed automatic powertrain combination (Hydra-Matic 6T40). Changes were made to improve performance. The added electric power by the eAssist allows for higher gearing to improve steady efficiency without impacting acceleration performance or durability.
An auxiliary, electric driven transmission oil pump is added to the 6T40, to keep the transmission primed and fluid flowing when the engine shuts down at a stop. This keeps the transmission ready to perform when the driver accelerates.
Specification overview:
Four door, five passenger, FWD, midsize vehicle. Engine is 2.4L DOHC I-4 145 cu inches/2384 cc, cast aluminum, 4 valves per cylinder, 182 horsepower. Independent MacPherson strut type in front and four-link independent rear; hollow stabilizer bar, four wheel disc w/ABS (w/ESC). Wheel base-107.8 inches, overall length-190.2 inches, overall width-73.1 inches. Headroom-38.8 inches (front), Legroom-42.1 inches (front), Shoulder room-56.7 inches (front), Hip room-55.4 inches (front) and fuel tank capacity-18.5 gallons
This new eAssist option will also be available on the 2012 LaCrosse.
Come see and test drive the newest addition to the Buick lineup at Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC. Visit us at www.biggscadillac.com or download our new Mobile App on the Android market, also available for your iPhone and iPad.
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