Though the Buick Verano isn’t bound to hit the roads until sometime next year, pricing and trim level options have leaked their way onto the Internet. According to an email, the starting price for the Tri-Shield’s next vehicle will be $20,900 – and yes, cloth seats are present and accounted for.
According to the leaked email, the Verano – which rides on the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt – will come in four different stair-step trim packages: 1SB, 1SD, 1SG and 1SL, with 1SB being the most basic and 1SL being the most premium. These levels also go along with Buick’s planned elimination of the CX, CXL and CXS trim levels.
We can see by reading the leaked email (provided below) that the 1SB and 1SD packages will feature cloth seating (sounds like a rebadged Cruze to us) – but the topped-out 1SL package will feature heated leather seats, as well as a heated steering wheel, a fantastic Bose sound system, remote start, 18″ wheels, heated outside rearview mirrors (OVRMs), Bluetooth and rear parking assist – all starting at what is to be expected as no more than $26,200.
A pleasant surprise here is the Verano’s engine: the 2.4L LAF ECOTEC engine good for 180 hp and 172 lb.-ft. of torque, substantially more than the 138-hp powerplant found in the Cruze and a surprise from what we originally expected just a couple of months ago. Additionally, the engine will come mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and will power the front wheels only – a design very different than all of the other sport-oriented models in the compact luxury segment like the Lexus IS and BMW 3-series. Hopefully Buick doesn’t play it off to be some kind of “sport injected” thing.
While a leaked email to dealers seems perfectly legit, it could also be a ploy by GM to flush out somebody under suspicion of disclosing classified information (it’s happened before). We could very well see a change in the above information when the vehicle eventually launches.
Will we see the compact Verano at the North American International Auto Show in January? We hope so.
Source: Autoblog
The leaked email:
Subject: All-New 2012 Buick Compact Car – Order Study
Greetings Buick Dealers,
We would like to invite you to participate in an online order study of a potential new addition to the Buick portfolio.
Please note that this potential new entry would be a compact car available in four models. As a result, it is important for us to gauge how you would order this vehicle and in what quantities. In addition, each model builds off of the previous model. Proposed models are as follows:
1.) 1SB Cloth Base
• 2.4L 4-cylinder engine
• 180 hp @ 6700 rpm
• 172 lb-ft of torque @ 4900 rpm
• 6-Speed automatic transmission
Estimated MSRP range: $20,900 – $21,500 *
2.) 1SD Cloth Mid-Level
Adds to 1SB
• Remote Start
• Auto Dual HVAC
• Connected Color Radio with Bluetooth Connectivity
Estimated MSRP range: $22,100 – $22,700*
3.) 1SG Cloth Mid-Level
Adds to 1SB & 1SD
• 6-way power driver
• Heated ORVMs
• Rear Park Assist
• EC ISRVM
Estimated MSRP range: $23,300 – 23,900*
4.) 1SL Leather Up-Level
Adds to 1SB, 1SD & 1SG
• Heated Seats/Steering Wheel
• Passive Entry & Push Button Start
• Bose Premium Audio
• 18″ Wheels
Estimated MSRP range: $25,600 – 26,200*
*Note: Total vehicle pricing will NOT be shown in the order study.
Comments
Needs a wagon varient. Buick could pull off a “shooting brake” as a small efficent good handeling alternative to a crossover for small urban famalies, If it catches on a Cruze version could be marketed for $1500 to $2000 less.
I am going to be keeping a close eye on this buick. This car has cloth seats how does is seperate itself as an entry level luxury car.To me it seems gm just said hey the cruze is a great world car lets make another variant of it.What technology does this car include what major features does it have i don’t understand???Really whats the difference between the cruze and this car.SMH