AutoReporter

As GM struggles to make the Buick brand more youthful, it is coming out with a wave of smaller and sportier cars.

First, there was the Regal, based on the Opel Insignia. Now comes news out of the Paris Auto Show that the company may base an even smaller Buick, called the Verano, on the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze compact.

The Verano will likely be produced as a 2012 model, at GM’s factory in Orion Township, Mich.

The car will likely be powered by the same 138-hp, turbocharged 1.4-liter engine that’s optional in the Cruze. Other engines may also be available. The Verano is currently sold in China as the Excelle.

In a first drive of the Cruze, we found it offers a nicer driving experience than past small Chevys. The question is whether it’s upscale enough to fit the Buick brand.



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