[ Real ] Buick Invicta Concept

[Paolino]

Avez-vous un problème avec des noms français? Je me demande pourquoi?

The Buick Salle de Bain.

Has a nice ring to it.

je n'ai pas de probleme avec les noms francais, mais Lacrosse c'est merde

REGARDEZ TA BOUCHE!

Edited March 19, 2008 by Paolino

[turbo200]

REGARDEZ TA BOUCHE!

porquoi pas?! Je n'ai parle pas de l'auto, le nom solement! [terrible French grammar and spelling at its best]

[Paolino]

How about the Buick Ménàge à Toi?

It could include massaging, power reclining, heated seats... they could market it as the car that does the work for you.

[Robert Hall]

How about the Buick Ménàge à Toi?

It could include massaging, power reclining, heated seats... they could market it as the car that does the work for you.

Nice...I have 2 out of the 3 in my Jeep. I want chilled seats and heated/chilled/lighted power cup holders...then I'd be happy>>

[InvictaMan]

Well, my mind is changed on this. I do agree that this is the EPII. And who am I to deny the great Invicta name to this car? LOL. I much prefer it over LaCrosse. If you consider the model for Buick, Lexus, they have two vehicles that are relatively the same size but offer different characters — the GS and ES. And the history of Buick shows this car (Invicta) to be a sibling as well. It could be Regal and Invicta. So the multi-level marketing concept could also be true. This would still leave room for the Lucerne replacement flagship and Riviera compact luxury. I still want to see a sub Enclave crossover though. This could mean exciting things coming from Buick.

Edited March 21, 2008 by InvictaMan

[InvictaMan]

Nice...I have 2 out of the 3 in my Jeep. I want chilled seats and heated/chilled/lighted power cup holders...then I'd be happy>>

LOL, I'm with you on the chill and cup holders. Please add the sweep of ambient light from the steering column across the dash when the fob enters the car and I'm sold.

Maybe a nice female voice that says "Good Morning, how are you?"

[InvictaMan]

As usual, the sketches are much lower and sleeker, but it is a pretty good fit if you stretch it up from the bottom.

Here is the sketch silhouette reshaped to fit the mule.

Edited March 20, 2008 by InvictaMan

[Paolino]

Too bad we're going to have to wait a long time to see the final product.

[Robert Hall]

Too bad we're going to have to wait a long time to see the final product.

NAIAS 2009, maybe?

[Paolino]

NAIAS 2009, maybe?

I want to see it now! I'm impatient. :AH-HA_wink:

[Toyota.vs.GM]

NAIAS 2009, maybe?

Ahh,NO..............,L.A Auto Show.

Edited March 20, 2008 by Toyota.vs.GM

[wildcat]

Too bad we're going to have to wait a long time to see the final product.

Nah, images will come out from the Beijing Auto Show on April 19th... if not before. That'll hold us until the NA reveal later this year.

[Paolino]

Nah, images will come out from the Beijing Auto Show on April 19th... if not before. That'll hold us until the NA reveal later this year.

Okay, I can cope waiting until April 19th. Granted I'll be doped up because my surgery is the day earlier. Hmmm... maybe I'll like the car more then.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Okay, I can cope waiting until April 19th. Granted I'll be doped up because my surgery is the day earlier. Hmmm... maybe I'll like the car more then.

Good luck on your surgery!

[Paolino]

Good luck on your surgery!

Thank you. I'm not worried about the surgery--I'm more concerned about not having my voice back in full for the speaking part of the state assessment.

[VenSeattle]

The LaCrosse replacement goes into production Jan'09 correct? LA Auto Show for the production debut sounds right.

[turbo200]

upcoming concept should be production under disguise of better trim. hopefully the changes will be handled delicately this time. Invicta has me excited. I agree with Invictman, this car helps give substance to the Buick lineup, adding a smaller Regal on Alpha or Delta II and then a midsize crossover the size of the Lexus RX, offering a third row, in the price range of $29k-42k, would be cool for Buick imo. Have the royalty on top, a Park Ave/Roadmaster/whatever priced 40-50k offering size and features similar to Lexus LS, offer a full sized coupe as a luxury CL competitor....and boom you have an aspirational luxury lineup. This plan also allows the next Enclave to redefine the people-mover concept, morph into something more like the Centieme and less like the 3 other Lambdas, as well as move up in price and quality, range of $45k-60k.

[InvictaMan]

Given new light, the potential line-up could be:

Electra = Zeta Sedan

Invicta = EPII Sedan

Riviera = EPII Coupe

Regal = Delta Sedan/Crossover & Coupe

Enclave = Lambda Crossover

My preference is:

Electra = Zeta Sedan

Regal = EPII Sedan

Riviera = EPII Coupe

Invicta= Delta Crossover & Coupe

Enclave = Lambda Crossover

[thegriffon]

Electra will be a Saturn, sorry.

[InvictaMan]

Electra will be a Saturn, sorry.

A Saturn!? They are going to give a venerable Buick name like Electra to Saturn? Boo, Hiss.

[Blake Noble]

Electra will be a Saturn, sorry.

The name could work on the production version of the Opel Flextreme concept.

Think about it. Think about the images "Electra" presents and Opel's naming scheme. :AH-HA_wink:

Edited March 28, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[Croc]

Hey, I think Lumina would better fit the Volt. I hate the Volt name...too low-rent, industrial, dirty sounding. Lumina sounds cleaner.

[Blake Noble]

Hey, I think Lumina would better fit the Volt. I hate the Volt name...too low-rent, industrial, dirty sounding. Lumina sounds cleaner.

If the Lumina name was not used on the mainstream mid-sized entries built by Chevy in the 1990s, and was totally unheard of, I would actually support the idea. The Lumina has never been an amazing car within North America. They were reliable cars, yes, but in no way does the name bring forth more positive connotations than it does negative. When I hear the Lumina name, I in no way think of a product that is class leading and innovative like the Volt is. I think of an underwhelming rental car. And there lies the problem with using the name.

Edited March 28, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[wildcat]

They are going to give a venerable Buick name like Electra to Saturn?

thegriffon: Is that what you meant? Or did you mean that a large RWD Zeta will be given to Saturn, not Buick?

GM can't be so stupid to give a famous Buick model name to Saturn, right?

Huh? The what? Pontiac El Camino? Uh, never mind....

[thegriffon]

The name, not the model, is among those being considered for new Saturn/Opel models. It fits, Vectra, Astra, Antara, Electra etc., and of course nobody in Europe thinks of the Buick.

[InvictaMan]

The name, not the model, is among those being considered for new Saturn/Opel models. It fits, Vectra, Astra, Antara, Electra etc., and of course nobody in Europe thinks of the Buick.

Now I could see Opel putting the Electra name on in Europe, but a Saturn being donned Electra in the US would be a travesty. That is a name that carries weight with Buick, it is aligned with Buick and it will always be Buick. Not to mention the fact that it fits perfectly into the evolving Buick line-up. I mean really, just how many decent historic Buick names are there? Let's just pop on a pill box hat and narrow tie and go for a spin in our Skylark. "Feel special in your exciting, new 2010 Buick Special!" I've got it, let's go pick up Annette and go to the beach in our Somerset. Please, Buick is moving beyond that level, and there are very few historic Buick names left to ride that wave into the future. The Chinese will not be happy.

Based on the list provided for Buick at wikicar.org, I would say from a marketing perspective, these names would be currently viable given the up-level, contemporary shift of Buick:

Buick Allure (2005 — Current, only sold in Canada)

Buick Centurion (1971 — 1973)

Buick Century (1936 — 1942, 1954 — 1958, 1973 — 2005)

Buick Electra (1959 — 1990)

Buick Enclave (2008 — Current)

Buick Estate Wagon (1940, 1946- 1964, 1970 — 1990)

Buick Gran Sport (1968 — 1972)

Buick GSX (1970 — [[1971)

Buick Invicta (1959 — 1964)

Buick Lucerne (2006 — Current)

Had to drop this one in. Hilarious, considering Lexus wanted to be Buick and now Buick wants to be Lexus: Buick Luxus (1973 — 1974)

Buick Park Avenue (1991 — 2005, USDM defunct - sold in China.)

Buick Rainier (2004 — Current)

Buick Reatta (1988 — 1991)

Buick Regal (1973 — 2005)

Buick Riviera (1963 — 1999)

Buick Roadmaster (1936 — 1958, 1991 — 1996)

Buick Sport Wagon (1964 — 1971)

Buick Wildcat (1963 — 1970)

Marquette? Says this was a "companion brand." Buick Marquette? Hmmmm. Maybe flagship sedan?

Buick Century Cruiser (1969)

Buick Signia (1998)

Buick Blackhawk (2000)

Buick Bengal (2001)

Buick Velite (2004)

On a personal note: If the Invicta name does indeed take the place of LaCrosse, and the Riviera coupe goes EPII; the Invicta 5-seat Crossover and coupe compact concepts I did would be nice as Reatta (coupe) and Rainier (crossover). Regal and Ranier. Century and Century Cruiser could be cool. I had to struggle on these names, not certain that model has a positive connotation with the younger folks. My parents drove their 80s model to death and loved it. It's fun to look back at these past Buick names.

Edited March 28, 2008 by InvictaMan

[Paolino]

Honestly, I have trouble getting very excited over Buick anymore. I just don't see much product coming to the brand, and yes, we'll be getting an "amazing" LaCrosse... and then a NG Lucerne. I'm very impatient right now--it seems like there's too much delay to get good product to the brand. Thank God for the Enclave--it's my only hint that the brand is changing.

[balthazar]

>>"Buick Gran Sport (1968 — 1972)

Buick Invicta (1959 — 1964)"<<

Gran Sport started in '65 on the Skylark & Riv as an option package, and was a separate series beginning in '66.

Invicta was down to a single model in '63, the wagon. No '64 Invictas.

Buick Gran Sport (1965 — 1972)

Buick Invicta (1959 — 1963)

[InvictaMan]

>>"Buick Gran Sport (1968 — 1972)

Buick Invicta (1959 — 1964)"<<

Gran Sport started in '65 on the Skylark & Riv as an option package, and was a separate series beginning in '66.

Invicta was down to a single model in '63, the wagon. No '64 Invictas.

Buick Gran Sport (1965 — 1972)

Buick Invicta (1959 — 1963)

Buick is infamous for taking package names and evolving them into model names. Seems like it waters down model integrity.

[balthazar]

I wouldn't term it "infamous"; I had to think a bit: Gran Sport, Riviera, Park Avenue.... was the Regal a package before a model? Not a large quantity, tho I don't find the occurance of concern either way.

Off-topic -- I saw a Buick commercial Sunday on the Food Network, it had Tiger Woods hitting golf balls at a canvas, and each ball exploded in color like a paint ball. At the end was a clear posed shot of the Riviera concept. No doubt it'll make thousands of viewers jerk upright and proclaim 'WTH was that- a Buick??', tho personally I think it looks awful and nothing like a Buick has or should.

[gm4life]

If they give Electra or Invicta to Saturn or Opel they are plane stupid. DON'T DO IT!

[InvictaMan]

I wouldn't term it "infamous"; I had to think a bit: Gran Sport, Riviera, Park Avenue.... was the Regal a package before a model? Not a large quantity, tho I don't find the occurance of concern either way.

Somerset

Then you have the model becoming the package... Super.

[InvictaMan]

Here is an interesting overlay. I couldn't find a higher resolution of this image of the Park, which interestingly is similarly lit from above in introduction. I overlayed the Invicta Concept, and some interesting things appear. If this is indeed a Zeta replacement for the Lucerne/ParkAvenue, when you line up the sketch with the wheel wells; the height, windsheild rake, even the rear sweep of the back glass are similar. What is different is the fact that the sheet metal is much higher in the back, hip is much higher, with sleeker gangster type greenhouse. The length would appear to be extended, depending on how literally you take the artist's expression. Just thought it might be interesting to see how this sketch would fit on an existing Buick zeta.

Buick Invicta Park Avenue Overlay Link

[Robert Hall]

I wouldn't term it "infamous"; I had to think a bit: Gran Sport, Riviera, Park Avenue.... was the Regal a package before a model? Not a large quantity, tho I don't find the occurance of concern either way.

Didn't the Regal start in '73 as the Monte Carlo equivalent coupe?

[balthazar]

{gets off ass & checks ref...}

1973 : Regal was a new series.

1985 : FWD Somerset Regal (GM-10 IIRC) in addition to the RWD Regal.

1986-87 : FWD Somerset, RWD Regal.

1988 : FWD Somerset becomes 'Regal', RWD Regal discontinued.

So to summarize InvictaMan's point of Buick packages becoming models & vice-versa, here's what I see:

Wildcat ('62: option, '63-70: series)

Gran Sport ('65: option, '66-72: series)

Riviera ('49-62: body style name, '63-99 series)

Park Avenue ('78-80: option, '91-at least '04: series)

Not sure here:

Super ('40-58: model, '07?-present: is it an option or a model??)

Regal was not an option package, neither was Somerset. Skylark was coded individually when it appeared in '53 & again in '61.

[thegriffon]

Neither, but there isn't a one-one correlation between models and model names, or between a model series (different models in a related series of vehicles) and a model name. Sometimes one model series will get to two separate model names (Century and Regal), sometimes some models in a series will get an additional name to distinguish them (Electra Park Avenue, Lucerne Super), sometimes a model name will be shared by different model series (as Oldsmobile did with Cutlass), with or without a secondary name (such as Regal) to distinguish them. BTW Toyota does the same thing. The Celica XX becoming the Celica Supra and finally the Supra. The Corona MK II becoming the Mark II and now the Mark X, the Corona Premio becoming the Premio, the Camry Vista becoming the Vista etc.

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

When the Skylark was redesigned for 1973 along with the other mid-size A-Bodies (Chevrolet Chevelle-Chevelle Malibu/Laguna after 1973, Pontiac LeMans, Oldsmobile Cutlass) and renamed the Century, there were three trims: 350 (code D, equal to Malibu/LeMans/somewhat to Cutlass base, but the latter had a different code), Century Luxus (formerly Skylark Custom), and the new Regal, which for 1973, came only as the 2-door colonnade hardtop coupe (the 4-door came for 1974). The formal-roofed Regal and Olds Cutlass Supreme were roughly similar to the period Chevy Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix, but were on the shorter 112.0" wheelbase with the rest of their coupe lines, unlike the 4-door colonnade hardtop sedan/5-door colonnade hardtop wagon/MC/GP's 116.0" wheelbase. Regal was listed a separate series from 1975-on (according to Consumer Guide's Encyclopedia of American Cars), though some may debate from the downsized 1978-onward models. But everything else looks to be correct from what I remember.

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

Also, Park Avenue debuted as an option package on the top-line Electra 225 Limited 4-door hardtop sedan for 1975 I believe-may as well have been the series name for the 1985-90 generation as the only "true" Electras were the base and T-Type 4-door notchback sedans. And as for Gran Sport, it was an option package (not a separate trim) on Century 350 2-door hardtop coupes from 1973-74 I believe. Super is a 2008 separate model, not an option package (option package would denote a certain 3-letter code, but a separate model would be, for example, 4HP69-aka Buick LeSabre Custom/Buick Lucerne CX, with the 69 denoting 4-door, 4-window notchback sedan).

Somerset Regal was 1985-only for the N-Body 2-door notchback coupe; simply Somerset 1986-87; rejoins Skylark line with the 4-door notchback sedan from 1988 onward.

[wildcat]

Here's what Left Lane News thinks it will look like, here.

[Paolino]

If that's it, I'm sold.

[VenSeattle]

gimme gimme gimme

I'm looking forward to the Invicta unveiling.

[wildcat]

Yes, guys, and please let it be re-named as Invicta.

[Paolino]

gimme gimme gimme

I'm looking forward to the Invicta unveiling.

Me too! And I'm looking forward to the re-unveiling (since being that I'll be on painkillers by then I won't remember it the first time I see it!) LOL

[Oracle of Delphi]

Don't you just love EP II? A product of GME!

[VenSeattle]

Yes, guys, and please let it be re-named as Invicta.

100% agree!

[SuperSport623]

Don't you just love EP II? A product of GME!

i like it in SPITE of the fact its a product of GME

[wildcat]

I think this Buick will be well-received.

I'm wondering though, if Buick has already discarded "Drive Beautiful." As someone (Paulie, I think) pointed out, Buick's own website doesn't seem to show "Drive beautiful" anywhere anymore, and uses a headline "Immerse Yourself in the Craft of Modern Luxury," which may or may not be a tagline.

[Blake Noble]

Here's what Left Lane News thinks it will look like, here.

Hmm ... interesting! :AH-HA_wink:

i like it in SPITE of the fact its a product of GME

For the record, he said it and I did not!

[Croc]

That's hot. I like.

[pow]

Here's what Left Lane News thinks it will look like, here.

Buick Insignia?