New Buick Products

[buickguy]

Can any Buick insider definitively answer the following questions?

1. Is the Excelle/Skylark coming to the U-S?

2. Will the Invicta be called the Invicta?

3. There are rumors of a smaller Enclave, like the Vue. Are those true?

4. Is Buick getting a convertible?

[loki]

from memory

1. prolly, but that'll be 2011 maybe

2. no....?

3 not really

4. not for a few years at least. convertible "lacrosse" would prolly be nice.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Can any Buick insider definitively answer the following questions?

1. Is the Excelle/Skylark coming to the U-S?

2. Will the Invicta be called the Invicta?

3. There are rumors of a smaller Enclave, like the Vue. Are those true?

4. Is Buick getting a convertible?

1. The next generation model, maybe. But they're making an Alpha-Based smaller RWD Buick possible called Regal so I'm not sure what bearing that may have on bringing this model here.

2. By all present indications, yes. Since it won't be produced at Oshawa, it can't be called LaCrosse. Why would they make up a completely different name from the showcar when that name is already appropriate? They're not Ford or something.

3. A Theta-Epsilon based SUV ala BRX and 9-4X is entirely possible but unless GM does something with Saab, I don't expect them to flood a third lux SUV onto the market... But then again knowing GM's flooding of the market with Lambdas, it may be true.

4. No.

[Sal Collaziano]

I don't foresee any Buick convertible at all.. Buick is the new "old" Cadillac. Traditional luxury vehicles. I doubt they're getting an XLR or anything like that any time soon. And a small convertible wouldn't fit for the demographic they'll be selling to.

[cire]

I think GM should sell Saab/Hummer and combine Buick with Cadillac. Buick could offer FWD luxury cars and FWD/AWD luxury crossovers. Cadillac could offer RWD luxury cars.

BUICK:

* Regal: Compact sedan on Delta II.

* Invicta: Midsize sedan on LWB Epsilon II.

* LeSabre: Large sedan on extended LWB Epsilon II.

* Rendezvous: Compact crossover on SWB Theta II.

* Centieme: Midsize crossover on LWB Theta II.

* Enclave: Large crossover on Lambda.

CADILLAC:

* B-Series: Compact sedan/coupe/wagon on Alpha.

* C-Series: Midsize sedan/coupe/wagon on SWB SigZeta.

* STS: Large sedan on LWB SigZeta.

* XLC(?): Small luxury retractable hardtop roadster based on the Pontiac Solstice platform.

* XLR: Flagship luxury retractable hardtop roadster on C7 Corvette platform.

I think that is all GM would need to completely cover the luxury market. I would really love to see Buick offer a Riviera coupe again, but I don't think it would really fit into this setup. I would also really like to see the Regal be built on the SWB Epsilon II platform, but it is doubtful that would happen either.

Edited June 20, 2008 by cire

[vonVeezelsnider]

BUICK:

* Skylark: Compact Sedan on Delta II

* Regal: Mid-Compact sedan/coupe on Alpha.

* Invicta: Large sedan on LWB Epsilon II.

* Centieme (?): Midsize crossover on Theta Epsilon.

* Enclave: Large crossover on Lambda.

CADILLAC:

* B-Series: Compact sedan/coupe/wagon on Alpha or EPII.

* C-Series: Midsize sedan/coupe/wagon on SWB SigZeta.

* D-Series: Large sedan on LWB SigZeta.

* SRX: Midsize Crossover on Theta Epsilon

* XLR: Flagship luxury retractable hardtop roadster on C7 Corvette platform.

More likely to see this happen.

Edited June 19, 2008 by vonVeezelsnider

[gm4life]

Getting ride of the CTS, Escalade, DTS/STS names at this point would be just plain stupid.

[Windy-57]

2. By all present indications, yes. Since it won't be produced at Oshawa, it can't be called LaCrosse. Why would they make up a completely different name from the showcar when that name is already appropriate? They're not Ford or something.

Not sure what the build location has to do with the name, but I don't see them changing it to Invicta. They use show names all the time and then change them for production. They'll likely keep LaCrosse because it already has equity; same reason they kept the Malibu name.

[Intrepidation]

Not sure what the build location has to do with the name, but I don't see them changing it to Invicta. They use show names all the time and then change them for production. They'll likely keep LaCrosse because it already has equity; same reason they kept the Malibu name.

The Equity of being an average at best FWD car on an outdated platform? I'm not sure howit goes, but yeah if a plant that builds one generation of a car can't build thenext generation they can prevent the name from being used. I think there was an issue like this in the early days of the Camaro, although that was rectified.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Not sure what the build location has to do with the name, but I don't see them changing it to Invicta.

GM Canada has an agreement with the CAW that the LaCrosse Name, along with Impala, Century, Regal, and Grand Prix that make those names tied to GM Oshawa Car Assembly, therefore it won't likely be called LaCrosse as it won't be assembled at Oshawa... The Alpha Buick that might be made there, however.... Regal Anyone?

The LaCrosse is a decidedly lackluster product in comparison to Lexus who they're trying to compete with so I see it as more of a transitional nameplate. LaSalle, however...

Remember that GM's been pretty good about bringing showcar names to production:

AURA

G6

Enclave...

[Paolino]

The LaCrosse is a decidedly lackluster product in comparison to Lexus who they're trying to compete with so I see it as more of a transitional nameplate. LaSalle, however...

No no no... No LaSalle... that's the Spanish teacher's last name... last thing I want to hear is my perverted 14 year olds saying is "Mr. G rides a LaSalle."

[vonVeezelsnider]

No no no... No LaSalle... that's the Spanish teacher's last name... last thing I want to hear is my perverted 14 year olds saying is "Mr. G rides a LaSalle."

:rotflmao:

It's funny because it's true.

[2chevs]

Whats gonna happen to the Lucerne?

[vonVeezelsnider]

Nobody's sure yet... They Stretched DTS Production 'till the end of MY2011. It may be that a Big RWD Buick shows up on the scene but now it looks more like the Lucerne will bow out, the Invicta becoming the flagship and the biggest model available (), and two smaller models... An Alpha and a Delta II will join it.

Delta II - Skylark

Alpha - Regal

Epsilon II - Invicta

[Paolino]

:rotflmao:

It's funny because it's true.

You're telling me. The day I taught the irregular verb "to have", they all went to Italian/American dictionaries and looked up "penis" and "vagina".