A turbocharged variant has been promised since the Buick Verano was unveiled almost a year and a half ago. Given that it’s the tiniest Buick, we figured that the Verano’s force-fed 2.0-liter would make—at most—the same 220 hp as it does in the Regal Turbo. We were wrong. Instead, the car gets 250 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which is, you know, kind of a lot, and actually puts it closer to the Regal GS, which also uses the 2.0-liter. Another item of import: It will be the only Verano available with a manual transmission. A six-speed auto is standard.

Big Power, Little Else

There isn’t much else that separates the Turbo from Veranos with the naturally aspirated 180-hp, 2.4-liter four. Exterior cues are limited to dual exhaust outlets, a little T badge, and a decklid spoiler, while sporty pedals and the optional manual shifter are the only tip-offs inside. Despite carrying an additional 100 pounds or so, the Verano Turbo is claimed to be more than two seconds quicker to 60 regardless of transmission; in our testing, a 2.4-liter 2012 Verano hit the mark in a leisurely 8.2 seconds. The Turbo model should get at least 30 mpg on the highway, says Buick, not far off from the 2.4’s 32-mpg highway rating.

Among the items that carry over to the super-powerful model are the wheels and tires. Buick won’t be positioning this as a performance vehicle, but rather a little luxury car that offers a skosh of performance. The suspension is a little stiffer, and the steering has been recalibrated to provide more weight and better on-center feel, moves we applaud based on our experience with the base car.

There won’t be a GS-badged variant of the Verano; not adding such a model allowed Buick to install a hotter version of the Ecotec 2.0 than the 220-horse version. And so the Turbo (“Premium 1ST” in your Buick order guides) will sit atop the Verano lineup, above the base car (1SD), the Convenience model (1SG), and the Luxury trim (1SL), all of which get the 2.4 and a six-speed auto.

Other 2013 Verano Changes

While the Turbo is the big news, the rest of the Verano lineup is getting some attention as well. A rearview camera is now fitted to all versions (it was unavailable for 2012), and all but the base cars get blind-spot and cross-traffic alert. Buick’s IntelliLink infotainment system continues to be standard across the board and now can be paired with navigation. The grille insert has been slightly reworked to provide a more three-dimensional look—it’s now a two-piece affair, with gaps between the vertical slats and the mesh-look backing.

The 2013 Verano Turbo will go on sale toward the end of this year. Buick promises a base price lower than that of its only true competitor, the manual-only Acura ILX 2.4. Figure on something just below $30K. Kind of a lot for a little Buick, even one with 250 hp.

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