Buick To Sell Opels Stateside

[InvictaMan]

The word is out that Buick is to take Saturn's place as the Opel rebadger for the US. A VUE redeux is to be the first model based on this unconfirmed report. Final word to come down by June 1st deadline.

Link to Leftlane article here.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Of course they are ...

[gm4life]

Well that is interesting, will Pontiac get any of them?

[CSpec]

This is a great move. It didn't make any sense for Buick not to get any small crossovers, and I welcome premium smaller cars too.

[Croc]

Well that is interesting, will Pontiac get any of them?

No, why would it? Why would GM commit to anything for a brand they don't know if they'll be keeping?

[Camino LS6]

The Opels would be wrong for Pontiac anyway.

[Croc]

The Opels would be wrong for Pontiac anyway.

Please, they could easily be modified with hood scoops and a twinport grille. If the Opel Astra convertible were a Pontiac, we'd all be happy.

[Z-06]

Please, they could easily be modified with hood scoops and a twinport grille. If the Opel Astra convertible were a Pontiac, we'd all be happy.

We would then have to say AUFREGUNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Camino LS6]

Please, they could easily be modified with hood scoops and a twinport grille. If the Opel Astra convertible were a Pontiac, we'd all be happy.

I sure wouldn't.

I don't think much of the Astra - especially as a Pontiac.

[SAmadei]

Last real Buick was built in 1996, and nothing Opel is going to build is going to put one in my driveway. Ironically, the only Buick that is Buick-worthy is sold only in China.

Americans have voted twice with their wallets that that Opels suck, and I think this is going to go over as well as the Opel experiment of the '70s, except it will further water done the Buick nameplate so GM can kill it as well.

Opels are GM's new way of killing NA brands.

And what happens when GM jettisons GME? Do they get Buick in the deal? Or does Buick become a niche manufacturer?

[Croc]

I sure wouldn't.

I don't think much of the Astra - especially as a Pontiac.

No, the Astra convertible...it's far more upmarket than the version of the Astra we got Stateside. It has the folding hardtop and bears quite the resemblence to the G6 styling.

Edit: Astra TwinTop

Edited April 20, 2009 by Croc

[Camino LS6]

Croc, you forget that I also hate the G6.

The twintop doesn't help.

EDIT: Though the interior is quite nice.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Remember the Buick Opel GT ???

[Camino LS6]

Yeah, so?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Yeah, so?

Buick and Opel are a natural fit, have been for years ...

[Camino LS6]

It didn't work out so well last time around...

I remember the crappy little Kadett and the Manta too.

[InvictaMan]

Remember the Buick Opel GT ???

I'm taking it that this is one of your cryptic hints that a lux version of the Opel GT (aka Sky) is on the way? Buick finally gets its roadster or convertible?

[cire]

I really don't view the Saturn/Opel alignment as a legitimate test of Opel's viability in the U.S. That alignment experiment was misguided (Saturn?) and haphazardly executed (too many ways to mention here). I think Opel's current and future design direction will be decidedly more upscale, which will make it a better fit for Buick (it might even help to transform Buick's current stodgy, outdated image). As long as GM doesn't repeat the same mistakes it did in importing the current Astra 3-door/5-door here (again, too many to mention here), then I think the Buick/Opel alignment will turn out to be a lucrative venture for GM in North America.

I'm not sure about reassigning the current Vue to Buick's lineup, however. I think a facelifted version of the Vue with only the 2.4L DI 4-cylinder/6-speed auto combo should actually be placed in GMC's lineup to slot below the Terrain. In the future, GMC should carry the CUVs while Buick should carry more car-like MPVs or tall wagons. Redundancy and brand dilution need to be eliminated from B-P-G.

[cire]

I'm taking it that this is one of your cryptic hints that a lux version of the Opel GT (aka Sky) is on the way? Buick finally gets its roadster or convertible?

How much longer are they going to keep Kappa going anyway? I thought GM lost money on each Kappa product it built. I can't imagine the corporation making any kind of competent or coherent argument to the task force overloads to justify this program's existence or continuation. Don't get me wrong, I like both Kappa products; I just don't see how the program is going to help put GM on the road to recovery if the entire project has been completely unprofitable.

If they do give Buick a rebadged and facelifted Sky, then the Solstice should only be available in coupe form. There is no reason to have 2 roadsters at the same sales channel.

[buyacargetacheck]

Agreed. But this Opels-as-Buicks "plan" isn't going to happen anyway. Chances are GM is about to become a minority owner in Opel as Opel goes its own way http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6be22014-2cfd-11...144feabdc0.html .

The Euro-Dollar fluctuations make importing cars from Europe expensive as seen with the Astra. Plus European cars have never been well-received here as mainstream vehicles anyway (too small, ride too firm, too expensive to maintain, not as reliable as Toyondas, etc. And, eventually, Buick will become a Chinese-only brand as it fails to gain traction as an upmarket brand in the US while its traditional customer base dies off. Sooner or later Cadillac will end up squeezing Buick out of the picture at the entry-lux price points.

Last real Buick was built in 1996, and nothing Opel is going to build is going to put one in my driveway. Ironically, the only Buick that is Buick-worthy is sold only in China.

Americans have voted twice with their wallets that that Opels suck, and I think this is going to go over as well as the Opel experiment of the '70s, except it will further water done the Buick nameplate so GM can kill it as well.

Opels are GM's new way of killing NA brands.

And what happens when GM jettisons GME? Do they get Buick in the deal? Or does Buick become a niche manufacturer?

Edited April 21, 2009 by buyacargetacheck

[Croc]

Croc, you forget that I also hate the G6.

The twintop doesn't help.

EDIT: Though the interior is quite nice.

You're saying you'd still find it a downgrade and less true to Pontiac's brand than the G5? Ooooookkkkkkkk...

[Camino LS6]

You're saying you'd still find it a downgrade and less true to Pontiac's brand than the G5? Ooooookkkkkkkk...

I never said that.

The G3 and G5 are very wrong for Pontiac, and so would the Astra be. Less so, or moreso, doesn't really factor in.

Wrong is wrong, no matter the degree of the wrongness.

[toesuf94]

I wonder if Car and Driver will be daring enough to road test the things...back in 1968, a photo of a then new Kadett was taken and run in the magazine...in a junk pile!!!

This will be interesting if it works. The current marketing has not helped Opel sell well here under the Saturn banner...er, what marketing - I know!

[ZL-1]

Chances are GM is about to become a minority owner in Opel as Opel goes its own way.

I think FT's source might be wrong. Unless GM collapses entirely (i.e., no orderly, pre-packaged bankruptcy), I see New-GME following the GMDAT Model: GM retains 51% equity stake and the remaining 49% are sold to purely financial investors.

Edited April 22, 2009 by ZL-1

[Oracle of Delphi]

Agreed. But this Opels-as-Buicks "plan" isn't going to happen anyway. Chances are GM is about to become a minority owner in Opel as Opel goes its own way http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6be22014-2cfd-11...144feabdc0.html .

The Euro-Dollar fluctuations make importing cars from Europe expensive as seen with the Astra. Plus European cars have never been well-received here as mainstream vehicles anyway (too small, ride too firm, too expensive to maintain, not as reliable as Toyondas, etc. And, eventually, Buick will become a Chinese-only brand as it fails to gain traction as an upmarket brand in the US while its traditional customer base dies off. Sooner or later Cadillac will end up squeezing Buick out of the picture at the entry-lux price points.

I hope and pray Opel leaves GM ...

[Camino LS6]

Actually, so do I.

For very different reasons, I suspect.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Actually, so do I.

For very different reasons, I suspect.

You won't like what's left of GM, when all is said and done ...

[Camino LS6]

No $h!.