Conflicting Upcoming Models News

[InvictaMan]

I'm on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC and decided to drop into the local Buick dealership to pick up a LaCrosse brochure (which is very nice BTW) and I started a long conversation with one of the sales managers there. He confirmed to me that Buick is getting three new models over the next two years. The LaCrosse is the first, which will be followed soon by the new Regal and then, and here's where the conflict begins, the last will be a "Baby Enclave." I started talking to him about the Buick "Astra" model that has been photographed testing in China and Germany, and he acted as if he knew nothing about this. The prospect of a Baby Enclave is exciting to me, but the rumors about the "Astra" variant are so strong and he seemed to have his facts in line, that I am surprised he has heard nothing about the compact. He was quite certain about the smaller CUV. Could this mean that Buick will be getting more than three new models in the not so distant future? Or could the new HRV be the "Baby Enclave" he was referencing?

Back to the LaCrosse, he said their orders were just processed and they should have the first ones in six weeks.

Edited June 6, 2009 by InvictaMan

[Robert Hall]

I'm on vacation in Myrtle Beach, SC and decided to drop into the local Buick dealership to pick up a LaCrosse brochure (which is very nice BTW) and I started a long conversation with one of the sales managers there. He confirmed to me that Buick is getting three new models over the next two years. He was quite certain about the smaller CUV. Could this mean that Buick will be getting more than three new models in the not so distant future? Or could the new HRV be the "Baby Enclave" he was referencing?

Hmmm.... 'baby Enclave' could be a variation of the new Equinox/Terrain, something to fit between the Terrain and SRX.

Edited June 6, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[InvictaMan]

Hmmm.... 'baby Enclave' could be a variation of the new Equinox/Terrain, something to fit between the Terrain and SRX.

Could be, but there has been no substantiated talk of such a vehicle. Sounds exciting to me, and I am very happy to hear about the Regal. With Buick getting the Regal, it seems that the "Astra" variant coming to the US would bring Buick's line-up to well-rounded, if not... large.

Edited June 6, 2009 by InvictaMan

[Robert Hall]

Could be, but there has been no talk of such a vehicle. Sounds exciting to me, and I am very happy to hear about the Regal. If Buick gets the Regal, it seems that the "Astra" variant coming to the US would bring Buick's line-up to well-rounded, if not... large.

Well, their was talk of a SAAB version of the Theta/Epsilon. With SAAB's future unknown, maybe GM is repurposing that CUV...or maybe it's a version of the Captiva...

[InvictaMan]

Well, their was talk of a SAAB version of the Theta/Epsilon. With SAAB's future unknown, maybe GM is repurposing that CUV...or maybe it's a version of the Captiva...

Hmmm, forgot about the Saab variant. You may have something there.

[BigPontiac]

Edmunds reported that the Saturn Vue would be rebadged a Buick. Link to Article

[InvictaMan]

Edmunds reported that the Saturn Vue would be rebadged a Buick. Link to Article

That must be it. Oh man, please take the time to give it more Enclave DNA and not just throw a waterfall on it. That is what I like about the Infinity FX and EX, they are so similar. And we already know that the Enclave formula works well.

[regfootball]

i am still skeptical on the buick astra. it makes me shiver, but my money is on a reskinned cruze. time will tell.

[InvictaMan]

i am still skeptical on the buick astra. it makes me shiver, but my money is on a reskinned cruze. time will tell.

A DII by any other name...

[Robert Hall]

I wonder if in the interm until the Astra is here, maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 (the 4dr version) as Buicks. Sounds like something GM would do..

[regfootball]

I wonder if in the interm until the Astra is here, maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 (the 4dr version) as Buicks. Sounds like something GM would do..

LMAO.....

[Camino LS6]

They will have to do much better than the plans we've heard so far to make this work.

[A Horse With No Name]

I wonder if in the interm until the Astra is here, maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 (the 4dr version) as Buicks. Sounds like something GM would do..

Great...let's just dillute the Buick name even more.

I don't mean to sound like smk4565 and be pssimistic, because I believe that GM can have a great future....

But....

That would just be dumb.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I wonder if in the interm until the Astra is here, maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 (the 4dr version) as Buicks. Sounds like something GM would do..

...and why will the second Astra sell any better than the first? Gm had a great compact in the Astra with Saturn, didn't promote it, didn't really maarket it...gave up on it a few months after it came to market.

I could see the same thing happening a second time.

Chris

[Satty]

The Astra was overpriced and had too many flaws to be a real seller.

[ZL-1]

...and why will the second Astra sell any better than the first? Gm had a great compact in the Astra with Saturn, didn't promote it, didn't really maarket it...gave up on it a few months after it came to market.

Buick will get more advertising dollars and the new Astra is... well... new, unlike the Astra you got in the US which was introduced in a very advanced stage of its lifecycle.

Edited June 6, 2009 by ZL-1

[A Horse With No Name]

The Astra was overpriced and had too many flaws to be a real seller.

Not sure that I agree with you here....

IIRC wasn't this the best selling car in Europe?

[Croc]

Buick will get more advertising dollars and the new Astra is... well... new, unlike the Astra you got in the US which was introduced in a very advanced stage of its lifecycle.

If the new Astra has cupholders, and more of a premium feel, it will sell. Selling a last-gen product (or one model year away from being last-gen) as "new" is never a great idea.

[A Horse With No Name]

The worst thing about the Astra was the dark interior. We drove one, almost bought it, but my wife felt like she was in a cave when she drove it.

Hopefully, the car has a premium feel when it gets here. Again, it may be a very good time to be a small car fan. If Fiat gets some Alfa based cars here, ford does a good job with the new Euro Focus, and the new Astra works out things may be very good indeed.

Chris

[Satty]

Not sure that I agree with you here....

IIRC wasn't this the best selling car in Europe?

Europe is a different market. The Astra was priced way above the Focus/Cobalt, so it couldn't really compete with those, but at the same time it didn't have a conventional sedan to compete with the Civic and Cobalt and lacked the power and premium amenities to go head-to-head with the Rabbit or Cooper.

If the Astra had replaced the S-Series in 2002, it would've fared better than replacing the ION in 2007.

[regfootball]

lets first state the obvious.....cupholders, armrest, aux input, military time. bluetooth and nav.

ok, now take out those things (which yes are a big deal to some shoppers).

no sedan was prob the biggest fault.

marketing wise the car was not promoted with a bang. GM had no money.

at a minimum the car should have had the equal engine to the cobalt with a chain drive. and the optional cobalt SS motor. a 5 speed auto and 6 speed manual would have helped.

sunroof on the coupe would help.

a choice of a light interior would help.

pricing was an issue since some of the niceties were left off. if you look, you can equip a focus at 22 grand but it does have sync.

the hyundai elantra touring i checked out a couple weeks ago was near 22k and didn't even have leather. that's overpriced too.

all compacts are overpriced. there is not one compact that is worth paying more than 17k or so new out the door (unless its like a wrx or mazdaspeed3).

stabilitrak should have never been an option on this car when it offers things like rainsense and twin panel sunroof.

i am still waiting for a dealer to cave on an astra and sell it to me for the price i want because the car handles on rails and the seating comfort and amenities are good. and the twin panel roof is way cool.

GM made many mistakes for the astra which could have been masked by incentives and marketing. the exchange rate didn't allow them to.

the issue is whether a buick astra built in mexico would have the same handicaps.

the current astra was intended as a cheaply made over stopgap to plug the saturn compact hole for three years until the new one could be built in mexico. GM made the wrong choices on how cheap to go with bringing it to the US.

Edited June 7, 2009 by regfootball

[SAmadei]

I wonder if in the interm until the Astra is here, maybe they will just rebadge the G3 and G5 (the 4dr version) as Buicks. Sounds like something GM would do..

I'm sure the new Aveo-based Skyhawk and Cobalt-based Skylark already have been on the design commitee hotlist, with pricing around $21K and $23K.

[Paolino]

I have to say, as much as a Buick fan as I am, I was never comfortable about the place they were in. For the first time in at least 5 years, I actually see a positive and potentially successful future for the brand.

A Regal makes perfect sense--one can only hope it's executed correctly on this end. A mini Enclave is perfect--I see Enclaves EVERYWHERE. To make me happy, I'd love to see a little coupe/roadster, but I feel it'll come with time.

[A Horse With No Name]

lets first state the obvious.....cupholders, armrest, aux input, military time. bluetooth and nav.

marketing wise the car was not promoted with a bang. GM had no money.

at a minimum the car should have had the equal engine to the cobalt with a chain drive. and the optional cobalt SS motor. a 5 speed auto and 6 speed manual would have helped.

sunroof on the coupe would help.

a choice of a light interior would help.

pricing was an issue since some of the niceties were left off. if you look, you can equip a focus at 22 grand but it does have sync.

the hyundai elantra touring i checked out a couple weeks ago was near 22k and didn't even have leather. that's overpriced too.

all compacts are overpriced. there is not one compact that is worth paying more than 17k or so new out the door (unless its like a wrx or mazdaspeed3).

stabilitrak should have never been an option on this car when it offers things like rainsense and twin panel sunroof.

i am still waiting for a dealer to cave on an astra and sell it to me for the price i want because the car handles on rails and the seating comfort and amenities are good. and the twin panel roof is way cool.

GM made many mistakes for the astra which could have been masked by incentives and marketing. the exchange rate didn't allow them to.

the issue is whether a buick astra built in mexico would have the same handicaps.

Your forgetting the MINI, which also should carry a premium, as well as the small Audi's, the GTI, The Volvo C-30, ETC.

I think we will see more of a market for small cars here as the price of fuel goes through the roof,which it will.

The exchange rate really killed GM on this one, your right, and you saw my previous comments on the dark interior.

I hope you do get an Astra, if you like the way that thing corners and liked the Contour SVT...then you know what turns my crank in a car.

Cobalt SS motor W/ a lighter interior...now that would be a car.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I have to say, as much as a Buick fan as I am, I was never comfortable about the place they were in. For the first time in at least 5 years, I actually see a positive and potentially successful future for the brand.

A Regal makes perfect sense--one can only hope it's executed correctly on this end. A mini Enclave is perfect--I see Enclaves EVERYWHERE. To make me happy, I'd love to see a little coupe/roadster, but I feel it'll come with time.

Enclave is a nice product.

Chris