DETROIT – Buick today introduced the 2016 Cascada – a dynamic, stylish convertible that uses innovative powertrain and chassis technologies to complement the driving experience.

The Cascada will be the first Buick convertible offered in the United States in 25 years and the latest globally developed vehicle to join the brand’s growing portfolio. It goes on sale in early 2016.

“The new, 2016 Buick Cascada is a beautiful, engaging convertible that represents the very best of the brand’s global development practices,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. “It’s a car that will delight customers with its fun spirit and help drive the momentum that’s fueling Buick’s success.”

The Cascada’s 2+2 configuration offers comfortable room for four adults. Its expressive driving experience is rooted in a rigid body structure, Buick’s sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension and responsive Watts Z-link suspension in the rear – along with a 200-horsepower (149 kW) turbocharged engine.

And when it comes to dropping the top on a whim, it lowers in only 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. When it’s up, superior thermal and acoustic insulation contribute to driving comfort.

“Cascada’s driving enjoyment is rooted in technologies that make it more comfortable and refined,” said Aldred. “Its features work harmoniously to provide a safe, connected and confidence-inspiring driving experience.”

Technology and safety highlights include:

• Buick IntelliLink with a seven-inch-diagonal color touch screen featuring Text Message Alerts, Siri Eyes Free for Apple phones with an iOS 6 or newer operating system and navigation
• OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot
• Electronic rear-seat entry system automatically powers the front seats forward by simply pressing the seatback forward. It moves the seats back when the seatback is returned to the upright position
• Electric safety belt presenters that use telescopic arms to slide the upper front safety belt assemblies from behind the front seat into closer reach for easier buckling
• Rollover protection bars that deploy behind the rear seats when the possibility of a rollover is detected
• Lane departure warning, rear park assist, rearview camera and Rainsense windshield wipers.

Distinctive design and thoughtful features
Designed from the outset as a convertible, the Buick Cascada has a flowing, sculpted profile, with fast-raked A-pillars that convey a wind-in-the-hair flair. When lowered, the top folds neatly and completely beneath a hard tonneau behind the rear seats, giving the car a pure open-air aesthetic.

“The Cascada’s design blends the suggestion of speed with sophisticated and uncompromising details,” said Holt Ware, Buick exterior design director. “Most convertibles are designed from existing coupes or sedans, meaning stowage of the top is an afterthought, but not this Buick. It looks handsome and has a premium appearance when the top is lowered – and a perfect, seamless profile when it’s up.”

The windswept exterior design is further accentuated with a sweeping body-side line and sleek headlamps that flow into the front fenders, with Buick’s signature wing-shape light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lights delivering a distinctive appearance.

Chrome trim bridges between the wing-shaped taillights, which are also LED-lit.

The rear deck lid opens rearward to accommodate the folding softtop. The electro-hydraulic power roof system features multilayer construction – including acoustic and thermal barriers – designed for a comfortable ride in various conditions.

Inside, a thoughtfully trimmed and comprehensively equipped cabin reflects Buick’s renaissance. The instrument panel is wrapped with soft-touch material featuring authentic stitching, while heated front seats and steering wheel offer comfort in colder weather conditions.

The Cascada also has plenty of storage space for the trappings of a weekend getaway, including 13.4 cubic feet (380 liters) of cargo room with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet (280 liters) with the top down. The rear seatbacks fold down electronically to expand cargo capability for longer items.

CASCADA LAUNCH LEADS BUICK’S PERCEPTION-SHIFTING 2016

Convertible attracts new customers ahead of three more launches

DETROIT – Shattering expectations has led to three consecutive years of Buick global sales growth, and that momentum is carrying through into 2016. Last month, Buick reached an all-time high in conquest sales, or customers trading in models from competitive brands. Two models — the new Cascada and the popular Encore — have been growing the Buick community the fastest. In 2016 alone, more than 35,000 new customers have switched to the brand.

Through April, 64 percent of Cascada buyers traded in vehicles from outside Buick or any other General Motors brand. Previous Audi, Toyota and Honda customers have been among the most common. Demand for the Cascada has outpaced supply with 2,487 sales year-to-date through April and 1,090 sales in April alone.

“The lasting impact of the Cascada will be a change in perception that only a sexy, sleek convertible can provide,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick Global Sales, Service and Marketing. “It’s changing minds and attracting customers in the country’s biggest convertible markets, with nearly half of sales coming from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas and California. These are all key markets for Buick’s continuing success.”

The Cascada is the first of four new vehicles arriving in U.S. showrooms for Buick and one of two in new segments for the brand. The first-ever Envision is now arriving at dealers and will have a 2017 model year starting price of $34,990. In the industry’s most popular segment, Envision will offer the longest available list of standard safety and a starting price $1,300 below the Acura RDX and $6,000 less than an Audi Q5.

More than 57 percent of Encore customers in 2016 have come from competitive brands, with customers citing value, quality and exterior styling as the top reasons for purchase. Priced to offer a premium entry point into the brand, the Encore now represents 40 percent of Buick sales.

As some competitors prepare their first entries into the small SUV segment, Buick is already doubling down on the Encore with an updated 2017 model available later this year. In addition to more sophisticated styling, it offers the connectivity features customers want most, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G LTE Wi-Fi for up to seven devices.

Positioned as attainable luxury, Buick’s pricing strategy gives customers the refinement and technology expected in the luxury market with starting prices closer to that of mainstream competitors. This approach has earned Buick recognition as Kelley Blue Book’s “Best Value Luxury Brand” four years in a row.

 

Turbocharged performance, engaging driving experience
The Cascada is driven by a 1.6L turbocharged engine rated at 200 horsepower (149 kW). With more than 100 horsepower per liter, it’s one of the most power-dense engines in the segment. It delivers strong torque, estimated at 206 lb-ft (280 Nm), with an overboost feature that briefly pushes torque to an estimated 221 lb-ft (300 Nm).

Direct injection and variable valve timing complement the turbo engine’s performance with efficiency. It is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission.

Power from the turbocharged engine is translated into driving enjoyment via the innovative suspension system, which employs the sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension pioneered on the LaCrosse and Regal.

HiPer Strut is based on the MacPherson strut design and features dual-path top mountings that separate the transfer of spring and damper loads to the body structure. It enhances ride and handling by reducing torque steer; more linear and communicative steering through improved camber control, and improved impact isolation on bumps and rough surfaces.

A responsive Watts Z-link design helps center the rear axle during cornering, which helps keep the Cascada’s handling responses symmetrical on both left-hand and right-hand turns. The linkage’s capability to center the axle during cornering delivers a more-balanced driving experience because the rear suspension better follows the lead of the front suspension.

The Z-link design is also lighter and requires less space than a typical fully independent rear suspension. The lower weight enhances efficiency, while the compact design enables the Cascada’s generous cargo room.

Steering inputs are executed by a fuel-saving, rack-mounted electric power steering system, while stopping power is handled by standard four-wheel antilock disc brakes. Cascada rolls on standard 20-inch wheels.

A rigid body structure features high-strength steel in strategic areas, reinforced side sills and press-hardened steel in the A-pillars. It is the foundation for the Cascada’s driving experience, contributing to steering precision, ride quality and quietness – as well as safety. A 106.1-inch (2,695 mm) wheelbase enhances ride smoothness while enabling greater rear-seat legroom.

2016 BUICK CASCADA PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

Model:	2016 Buick Cascada
Body style / driveline:	two-door, four-passenger convertible; front-engine/front-wheel drive
Construction:	steel body-frame-integral (unibody)
Wheelbase (in / mm):	106.1 / 2695
Overall length (in / mm):	184.9 / 4696
Overall height (in / mm):	56.8 / 1443
Overall width (in / mm):	72.4 / 1839
Track (in / mm):	62.5 / 1587 (front and rear)
Engine:	1.6L turbo I-4 DOHC with direct injection
Horsepower (hp / kW):	200 / 149
Torque (lb-ft / Nm):	206 / 280 (221 / 300 with overboost) – estimated
Transmission:	six-speed automatic
Front suspension:	HiPer Strut with direct-acting stabilizer bar
Rear suspension:	compound crank (torsion beam) with Watts Z-link
Steering:	rack-mounted electric, variable-assist rack-and-pinion
Brakes:	four-wheel disc with ABS and stability control
Wheels:	20-inch aluminum
Cargo room (cu ft / L):	13.4 / 380 – top up 9.8 / 280 – top down

2016 BUICK CASCADA PRICED AT $33,990

Well-equipped convertible offers high levels of standard content, technology

DETROIT – The top-down driving experience of the 2016 Cascada – Buick’s first convertible offered in the United States in 25 years – is priced at $33,990.

When it goes on sale early next year, the Cascada will offer more standard content, a more powerful standard engine and a lower starting price than the Audi A3 Cabriolet.

“Cascada expands Buick’s lineup with a uniquely fun and personal driving experience,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. “With a lower price than key competitors, it also promises to shake up the segment – and look good doing it.”

The 2016 Cascada – designed from the ground up as a convertible – comes well-equipped in a 2+2 configuration, with room for four adults. Performance is rooted in a 200-horsepower (149 kW) turbo engine, backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, with Buick’s sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension and a Watts Z-link rear suspension standard.

Additional standard features:

• Acoustically and thermally insulated electro-hydraulic power roof that lowers in only 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph
• High-intensity discharge, articulating headlamps and front LED daytime running lamps; and LED taillamps
• Automated, spring-loaded and pyrotechnically activated rollover bars behind the rear seat that are linked to the air bag system
• IntelliLink system with 7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen
• Navigation radio and seven-speaker premium audio system
• Rear Vision camera
• Remote start
• Dual-zone climate control
• Front and rear 12-volt power outlets
• Heat-reflective leather-appointed seating
• Heated front seats with eight-way power adjustments
• Heated, leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel
• Twenty-inch aluminum wheels with bi-color finish
• Electric power steering
• Rear Park Assist

A Cascada Premium model, priced at $36,990, adds:

• Forward Collision Alert
• Lane Departure Warning
• Automatic headlamp control with tunnel detection
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Rainsense automatic windshield wipers
• Twenty-inch wheels with “diamond graphic” bi-color finish
• Front and rear air deflectors.

The Cascada also offers plenty of storage space, including 13.4 cubic feet of cargo room with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet with the top down, as well as a 22.4-inch x 12.6-inch (320 mm x 570 mm) pass-through from the trunk to the passenger compartment. When the 50/50-split rear seat is folded, longer items such as skis and wakeboards can be stowed inside.

Editors’ note: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price includes destination freight charge but excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Excludes other General Motors vehicles.

Convertibles compared

	2016 Buick Cascada	2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet
Starting price	$33,990 (incl. DFC)	$37,525 (incl. DFC)
Standard engine	1.6L Turbo – 200 HP	1.8L Turbo – 170 HP
Standard transmission	six-speed automatic	six-speed automatic (dual-clutch)
Standard wheels	20-inch aluminum	17-inch aluminum
Front suspension	HiPer Strut	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	compound crank with Z-link	four-link
Convertible top	lowers up to 31 mph	lowers up to 31 mph
Leather seating	standard	standard
Heated front seats	standard	available
Seat adjusters	eight-way power	eight-way manual with four-way power lumbar
Heated steering wheel	standard	not available
Dual-zone climate control	standard	standard
Rear-view camera system	standard	standard
IntelliLink infotainment	standard	not available
Navigation radio system	standard	available
Forward Collision Alert	available	not available
Lane Departure Warning	available	not available
Front and Rear Park Assist	available	standard

Buick Cascada Blends Safety and Style

Reinforced structure contributes to sleek design

The 2016 Buick Cascada convertible rolls into the sun early next year with a reinforced structure designed to complement its refined appearance and enhance its versatility, while bolstering the car’s strength, rigidity and chassis precession.

Special features include spring-loaded, pyrotechnically activated roll bars behind the front seats that are linked to the air bag system.

“Intelligent design is a hallmark of Buick’s renaissance and the all-new Cascada advances that legacy with seamless integration of great convertible design and safety,” said Holt Ware, Buick exterior design director. “It’s a design that fosters the Cascada’s clean, uninterrupted lines while helping enable confident, top-down driving enjoyment.”

The body structure allows the top, its folding mechanism and the roll bar apparatus to be stowed below the car’s “belt line” and under a hard tonneau cover, for a smooth, uninterrupted profile. It also enhances cargo space, with a 22.4-inch by 12.6-inch (320 mm by 570 mm) pass-through from the trunk to the passenger compartment. When the 50/50-split rear seat is folded, longer items such as skis and wakeboards can be stowed inside.

“There are no design compromises with the Cascada,” said Ware. “The structural elements enhance the driving experience, not intrude on it.”

The roll bar system, for example, enables the rear-seat cargo pass-through, because it is less obtrusive than some vehicles’ hoop-style pop-up protection systems. When deployed, the roll bars extend approximately 14 inches (358 mm) to match the height of the windshield.

It is also a lighter system than others, which enhances performance and agility.

The Cascada’s strategically reinforced body structure supports the roll bar system and is the foundation for the car’s strength and responsive driving experience. Elements include:

• A-pillars featuring press-hardened steel in the inner structures and reinforced with high-strength, hot-rolled and cold-bent tubes within the pillars
• Reinforced rocker panels with increased cross section
• Underbody reinforcements including X-braces, V-braces and additional brackets
• A reinforced “torsion box” bulkhead behind the rear seats that incorporates the pop-up roll bars

As a result of the structure’s rigidity, engineers were able to tune the suspension and steering systems with a high degree of precision, because they didn’t have to compensate for chassis flex.

“That stiffness is at the core of the Cascada’s precise, refined driving experience,” said Bernd Pohl, Cascada structural engineer. “It is exceptionally responsive, with great driver feedback.”

About the Cascada

The Cascada goes on sale in early 2016. It will be the first Buick convertible offered in the United States in 25 years and the latest globally developed vehicle to join the brand’s growing portfolio.

The Cascada’s 2+2 configuration offers comfortable room for four adults. Its expressive driving experience is rooted in a rigid body structure, Buick’s sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension and responsive Watts Z-link suspension in the rear – along with a 200-horsepower (149 kW) turbocharged engine.

When it comes to dropping the top on a whim, the electro-hydraulic power roof system lowers in only 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. Multilayer construction offers superior thermal and acoustic insulation for driving comfort in all seasons.

Inside, a thoughtfully trimmed and comprehensively equipped cabin reflects Buick’s renaissance. The instrument panel is wrapped with soft-touch material featuring authentic stitching, while heated front seats and steering wheel offer comfort in colder weather conditions.

Advanced safety features include Lane Departure Warning, Rear Park Assist and a standard rearview camera.

The Cascada also offers plenty of storage space, including 13.4 cubic feet of cargo room with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet with the top down.