"Does New Buick Crossover Get GM Dual-Mode Plug-in Hybrid System?" Green Car Advisor

Does New Buick Crossover Get GM Dual-Mode Plug-in Hybrid System?

Volt Fan Site Says Buick Now Gets System Formerly Planned for Saturn Vue

The leading Chevrolet Volt fan site , GM-Volt.com, which General Motors often uses to launch trial balloons and leak info, says it has learned that the General plans to migrate its plug-in dual-mode hybrid system from the Saturn Vue to a new Buick crossover (right) expected to be launched in 2011.

Plans for the Vue two-mode plug-in went out the window when financially ailing GM agreed last week to sell its Saturn unit to Penske Automotive, which will use contract manufacturers to build cars after 2011.

Until then,GM has agreed to continue making the Vue, Aura and Outlook for Saturn, but only the conventional models -- there's been no deal yet on the Saturn mild-hybrids, and the changeover to (probably) overseas contract manufacturers under Penske would begin just as the rechargeable two-mode plug-in system comes on-line at GM.

The new Buick, shown when a camera picked up an image of the clay styling model during a recent CBS News interview with GM design chief Ed Welburn (warning, there's a 30-second commercial before the interview video begins), shares the Vue's platform, so is set up for easy installation of the dual-mode system.