Buick News: 2020 Buick Encore GX Fits in A Small White Space

[William Maley]

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The crossover fever has really hit Buick as they claim "almost 90 percent of U.S." sales come from their utility lineup. So why not add another crossover to their lineup?

Buick announced today the Encore GX which will go on sale early next year. Coming from China, the model will slot between the Encore and Envision. Not many details were provided aside from the cargo space being " almost 5 cubic feet larger than the Encore and about 3 cubic feet smaller than the Envision."

Car and Driver reports that the GX will have a slightly more powerful turbo-four when compared to the Encore; automatic transmission, and the choice of either front or all-wheel drive.

“As we look to the future of Buick, the Encore GX positions us strongly as a consideration for those who want to purchase small or compact SUVs,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick and GMC.

More details are expected as the we get closer to the launch.

Source: Buick

Press Release is on Page 2

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2020 Buick Encore GX Expands Brand’s SUV Family

• All-new model will strengthen Buick’s position in the most popular vehicle segments

DETROIT — When the Encore GX arrives in early 2020, Buick will offer four premium SUVs across the three segments customers are shopping in most: small, compact and midsize. The Encore GX will be positioned between the smaller Encore and the larger Envision and Enclave models. It will offer new standard safety technologies* and its style and functionality will be just right for many of today’s buyers.

“As we look to the future of Buick, the Encore GX positions us strongly as a consideration for those who want to purchase small or compact SUVs,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick and GMC.

Today, almost 90 percent of U.S. Buick sales come from SUVs.

The Encore GX’s new standard safety and driver assistance features* will include Front Pedestrian Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert and Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning. It will also offer the Enclave’s innovative Rear Camera Mirror, which provides a wide, less obstructed rear view while parking and driving, and High Definition Surround Vision camera system.

Its spirited and efficient performance will be paired with a purposefully designed cargo space that’s almost 5 cubic feet larger than the Encore and about 3 cubic feet smaller than the Envision.

Product specifications and pricing will be announced when the Encore GX begins arriving at U.S. dealers.

View full article

[G. David Felt]

$30,000 CUV with Tariffs special price of $59,999

Be interesting to see how this plays out versus building it locally here in an under utilized factory. ?

[balthazar]

How did the 25% import tariff suddenly jump to 100%??

ah- you were joking generally with specific numbers...

Edited May 29, 2019 by balthazar

[G. David Felt]

20 minutes ago, balthazar said:

How did the 25% import tariff suddenly jump to 100%??

ah- you were joking generally with specific numbers...

Yup, since Tesla says their $35,000 Model 3 has to be sold for $75,000 in China due to Tariffs, I figure I would play on that with the Buick coming here and we just double the price.  

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, dfelt said:

Yup, since Tesla says their $35,000 Model 3 has to be sold for $75,000 in China due to Tariffs, I figure I would play on that with the Buick coming here and we just double the price.  

Of course, there never has been a $35k Model 3--that was mythical hype...in the US hasn't the cheapest Model 3 been more like $50k? 

[Drew Dowdell]

6 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Of course, there never has been a $35k Model 3--that was mythical hype...in the US hasn't the cheapest Model 3 been more like $50k? 

$39.9k now.

[smk4565]

Why didn’t they give it it’s own name rather than name it off the smallest car.  That is worse than calling it Envision Sport.  

I imagine Buick will have no sedans post 2021 and will be all Chinese and Korean crossovers plus the Enclave.

[Robert Hall]

13 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Why didn’t they give it it’s own name rather than name it off the smallest car.  That is worse than calling it Envision Sport.  

I imagine Buick will have no sedans post 2021 and will be all Chinese and Korean crossovers plus the Enclave.

Probably didn’t want to spend the coin to come up with another E name.  

[frogger]

Encore Embiggen Edition

 

 

[smk4565]

Buick could easily do an Envision GX between Envision and Enclave.

[ocnblu]

I like it, it is a bit "busier" in details v. the Encore though... and in photos, it looks the same size.

[Paolino]

I'm confused... Chevy gets this size as a Trailblazer... we get this as the Encore GX?  What exactly is the "GX" supposed to mean?  Don't answer, I don't care.

[Robert Hall]

1 minute ago, Paolino said:

I'm confused... Chevy gets this size as a Trailblazer... we get this as the Encore GX?  What exactly is the "GX" supposed to mean?  Don't answer, I don't care.

Grand eXtended.  Or something in Mandarin.  Or nothing. 

[Drew Dowdell]

12 minutes ago, Paolino said:

I'm confused... Chevy gets this size as a Trailblazer... we get this as the Encore GX?  What exactly is the "GX" supposed to mean?  Don't answer, I don't care.

 

GX is short for "lazy marketing department"

But it does tell me they are saving the name Enspire for something else. 

[Paolino]

6 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

GX is short for "lazy marketing department"

But it does tell me they are saving the name Enspire for something else. 

What?  Something that looks like the Envison with a color added to its grille and has a cubic milliliter more cargo space?  Silly man, it'd be the Envision GX of course.

3 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Probably didn’t want to spend the coin to come up with another E name.  

Enigma, Elephant, Earache... you could literally google e words and choose one Then again it's probably cheaper to mass produce Encore badges and then mass produce a little GX.

[Robert Hall]

25 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

GX is short for "lazy marketing department"

But it does tell me they are saving the name Enspire for something else. 

I could see them adding an Acadia sized 3 row between the Envision and Enclave.  Or a coupe CUV. 

Maybe they can find uses for Exclave, Entree, Emigre, Entendre...

Edited May 30, 2019 by Robert Hall

[regfootball]

Bringing this out means they can continue to sell the original encore at the deeply discounted prices they now do, that keeps Buick’s volume up. Good encore sales make up for the fact that GM can’t seem to market and sell any other Buick models.  It’s ok for Buick to have more showroom choices and the GX allows to sell and some higher profits and prices than the encore. I do finally now start to see more envisions on the road. But Buick needs a volume mid size two row suv pretty bad to compete. Enclave still doing ok in the 3 row market but I think it’s higher prices keep them from selling big time. 

[smk4565]

Enclave also went on sale before the Atlas, Ascent, Telluride, and Palisade hit the market.  Now you have newly upgraded Mazda CX-9, Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander too.  And Pathfinder, Pilot, Traverse, Durango still in the 3 row space, with Jeep about to enter it.  There are over a dozen 3-row SUVs in that $30-40k range starting price.  

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

GX is short for "lazy marketing department"

But it does tell me they are saving the name Enspire for something else. 

Maybe for their EV version of a CUV and use Electra for a EV Car? ?

[riviera74]

4 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Buick could easily do an Envision GX between Envision and Enclave.

Maybe they will, given the high demand for CUVs with crashing demand for sedans.

[smk4565]

2 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Maybe they will, given the high demand for CUVs with crashing demand for sedans.

They could even do a Tahoe based Rainier Avenier and sell that too.  

At some point this crossover craze will come crashing down and I will love it.  But that seems a way off, the Buick-GMC dealer stable could probably have 10 crossovers and 1 sedan in the showroom and the sedan would be the worst seller out of the 11.

[daves87rs]

Using that people are going to think it might be fast....

[ocnblu]

Oh OK, a Buick Encore GNX with AWD and the 3.0tt?  Sounds hawt.  Let's perpetuate that rumor!

[Potluck]

Another Chinese car? Pass.

[ocnblu]

2 hours ago, Potluck said:

Another Chinese car? Pass.

I caught that too.  If the Trailblazer is built in Red China, it will go off my list so fast, heads will spin.

[Drew Dowdell]

13 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I caught that too.  If the Trailblazer is built in Red China, it will go off my list so fast, heads will spin.

South Korea for the TB apparently.

[balthazar]

On May 29, 2019 at 3:32 PM, dfelt said:

Yup, since Tesla says their $35,000 Model 3 has to be sold for $75,000 in China due to Tariffs, I figure I would play on that with the Buick coming here and we just double the price.  

 

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

 

Well yes, but those are the ones it is building in China.  The ones that are imported have a high import duty.

[balthazar]

Right- 13% - or about $55K. $55K to 75K is not 100%. 

[G. David Felt]

5 hours ago, balthazar said:

Right- 13% - or about $55K. $55K to 75K is not 100%. 

Wish I could remember the story published about Tesla having a starting price of $72,000 or so compared to the US. Tariffs and all, but clearly the latest stories have a better picture of the costs.

[balthazar]

Price is Right is running 'Dream Car Week'- my wife (working from home) said they featured a Model 3. I asked how much it was, because PIR is NOTORIOUS for only offering no-option cars… and she said $51K. 

[G. David Felt]

34 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Price is Right is running 'Dream Car Week'- my wife (working from home) said they featured a Model 3. I asked how much it was, because PIR is NOTORIOUS for only offering no-option cars… and she said $51K. 

So this is not Bob Barkers Price is Right!

[ocnblu]

Here's a purple one: 

 

[G. David Felt]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Here's a purple one: 

 

Love that Purple color. Other than that, too small.

[ocnblu]

A traditional color of royalty