The Charlotte commuter spends an average of 52 minutes in the car each day.

Let’s face it. You probably spend a lot of time in the car.  The average commute time in America today is 24.3 minutes, or over 200 hours per year, according to the US Census Bureau. Here in Charlotte, we actually average 26 minutes according to the Charlotte Chamber. This works out to more than the average American’s two week vacation!  You certainly don’t want to feel as if you’re losing two weeks out of your life every year. Being productive seems to make this time feel less of a waste; however, if you are driving (which, also according to the census, most of us are) checking your email or texting the office is certainly NOT an option. So, if you’re going to be in the car for what amounts to your two week vacation anyway, and you can’t utilize this time getting any work done, how about feeling a little like you’re on vacation? Liberty Buick GMC has the solution for North and South Carolina commuters with the 2012 Buick Regal.

According to Scott McCorkle, of Liberty Buick GMC Truck in Charlotte and Monroe, the 2012 Buick Regal offers the commuter an experience in luxury with its buttery, leather appointed interior and premium, nine speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system. The seating rivals the pampering that you might expect from a top resort or spa; while the sound system is sure to impress even the most particular audiophile. The experts at Edmonds.com and About.com.Cars seem to agree.

The sporty, yet comfortable interior of the 2012 Regal GS

In describing the Regal GS’s standard leather heated front seats, Jason Fogelson, of About.com.Cars raves: “…Imagine a sport seat, only slightly softer, with slightly more generous ‘American’ proportions. Give that seat rich, thick textured leather and contrasting stitching, and you’ll have the standard heated front seats of the Regal GS. Seating is a highly personal matter of taste, but I think Buick got this right, and 12-way power adjustment (including a 4-way lumbar) for both driver and passenger feels like luxury. After hours in the driver’s seat, I was still impressed.”[i] (Jason Fogelson, 2011)

About the Premium nine speaker, 320 watt, Harman Kardon surround sound system, Doug Newcomb, Senior Technology Editor for Edmonds.com writes: “…Harman Kardon has been offered before in Buicks, most recently the 2010 LaCrosse. A well-known logo on the speakers or radio doesn’t always assure quality. But as with other attributes of the new Regal, the H/K sound system can more than hold its own compared to other offerings in the segment.

…As with every sound system we test, I listened to 10 musical tracks that I’ve heard in literally hundreds of vehicles to gauge clarity/lack of distortion, tonal balance, timbre, tonal accuracy, soundstaging, imaging and dynamics. The music on these tracks ranges from jazz to folk to rock and rap. I also use several non-musical tracks to further test soundstaging, imaging, linearity and absence of noise. … The system reproduced the test tracks in great detail and with a sense of spaciousness and lifelike dynamics. The soundstage was sizable and imaging realistic if not pinpoint accurate. In the mostly instrumental jam “Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me” by Bluesiana Triangle, cymbals and drums floated above the dash and a flute solo that starts at about two minutes into the track was centered the way it should be.

GM deserves credit for making many great decisions with the new Regal. Part of our job is to nitpick the vehicles in our long-term fleet, but I found few major flaws with the 2011 Regal CXL Turbo’s Harman Kardon sound system.” [ii] (Newcomb, 2011)

The 2012 Buick Regal is the commuter's dream car

So– are you ready to actually look forward to your daily commute?  If you live anywhere in the Charlotte area– from Concord, Lake Norman and Huntersville, to Matthews, Mint Hill, and Monroe, Come see Scott McCorkle and his top notch team at Liberty Buick GMC Truck to test drive the 2012 Regal. But be prepared—your living room and home sound system may just feel snubbed!

Look At the Impressive 2012 Buick Regal GS!

Even those who haven’t taken a second glance at Buick in the past will stand up and take notice now when the upcoming 2012 Regal GS arrives at dealerships this fall. The Regal GS has been SAE-certified to deliver a whopping 270 horsepower (201kW) and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (400Nm) for an estimated 0-60 mph performance of 6.7 seconds! That should excite most drivers in Charlotte, Matthews & Monroe, NC.

According to a press release from General Motors, “The Regal GS’s exclusive Ecotec 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers more torque than the Acura TSX V-6, Audi A4 Sport, Lexus IS 250 and Volvo S60 T5. Torque is the twisting force that gets a vehicle moving and what the driver feels when accelerating.”

“The Regal GS 2.0L turbo delivers the highest specific output of any production engine GM has ever offered, and at 135 HP per liter is the most power dense engine ever certified by SAE,” said Mike Anderson, Ecotec global chief engineer and program manager. “We’ve been combining direct injection and variable valve timing with boosted engines since 2006, and there’s no question the Regal GS turbo has the responsiveness and acceleration of some V-6s, while delivering the fuel economy you’d expect of a four-cylinder.”

2011 Ecotec 2.0L I-4 VVT DI Turbo Engine

The special features of the Ecotec 2.0L turbocharged engine includes: direct injection, continuously variable valve timing, forged steel crankshaft, twin scroll design turbocharger and an efficient intercooler system. “The peak torque of 295 lb-ft is achieved at a relatively low 2400 rpm. There is 95 percent of peak torque available between 2300 and 4900 rpm.”

The impressive GS’s engine is mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission, which gets an estimated fuel economy of 28 mpg on the highway. A six-speed automatic transmission will be available at a later date. The entire GS powertrain is covered by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

To make the Regal GS even more appealing, it has an Interactive Drive Control System chassis technology, which delivers enhanced vehicle stability. Three operating modes can be chosen by the driver. These change the suspension settings, and steering sensitivity through the variable-effort steering system. “The ‘GS’ mode optimizes the car for dynamic driving, tightening the suspension and steering response. The ‘Standard,’ or the default mode, is the setting for all-around use. The ‘Sport’ mode provides a level of performance between standard and GS modes.”

A Yahoo Finance article stated that the “Regal GS also features a four-wheel-independent suspension, with a unique High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) front suspension design. The HiPerStrut system helps reduce torque steer and maintain negative camber during cornering to keep the all-important tire contact patch on the pavement. The driver experiences improved grip and increased cornering power, along with crisper handling, steering precision and feedback.”

2012 Buick Regal GS Interior View

“The four-link independent rear suspension is designed to minimize unwanted toe and camber effects during spirited driving maneuvers, enhancing vehicle stability and tire grip. Both front and rear dampers incorporate active Computer Damping Control, continuously changing damper characteristics in real time to maintain optimal vehicle ride comfort over varying road surfaces and profiles. More aggressive, performance-oriented damping characteristics can also be selected by the driver when choosing ‘Sport’ or ‘GS’ mode.”

A large diameter four-wheel disc brake system featuring big, four-piston Brembo front calipers enables optimal feel and modulation when braking. “A standard, four-channel anti-lock brake system is tuned to reduce stopping distances over varied road surfaces and conditions. The Regal GS also features standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control with integrated, full-speed traction control.”

The Buick Regal GS has a sportier stance, with a lower ride height than other Regal models and a combination of aggressive 19-inch, 5-Twin Spoke alloy wheels and all-season tires (20-inch, 5-Twin Spoke polished alloy wheels with performance tires are optional).

2012 Buick Regal GS - Rear View

“The 2012 Regal GS is well balanced with dynamic ride and handling, powerful brakes, great acceleration and excellent fuel economy,” said Robert Casparian, Regal product marketing manager. “And the fact that one can get such great performance in a gorgeous sport sedan makes it even more attractive.”

Watch for these and other new advances on Buick automobiles as the 2012 models prepare to be released. Find out more about these impressive vehicles or the special promotion at any of the Charlotte, Matthews or Monroe Liberty Buick GMC dealer locations. For more information on the new Buick Regal, download the 2011 Buick Regal brochure here, visit www.clickliberty.com or call 888-306-1908.

CCP Web Design Staff Writer: Kimberly Brouillette, 6/16/11

www.ccpwebdesign.com

Note to Editors: Videos, photos, and related information can be found along with this release at http://media.gm.com.

External Yahoo Finance Article Link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Buick-Regal-GS-Cranks-270-HP-prnews-699153757.html?x=0