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  • William Maley
    William Maley

    By William Maley •

    Rumorpile: Buick Is Showing A Coupe Concept For Detroit

      Buick Has A Surprise In the Wings For Tomorrow, We Have A Possible Guess As To What

    Before the Detroit Auto Show kicks off Monday, a few automakers will have events around Detroit. Buick will be one of those as they'll be showing off the new Envision crossover. But there is something else waiting in the wings. This week, The Detroit News learned that Buick will have a big premiere at the event. Officials at Buick were keeping their lips shut as to what this may be.

     

    “We have a very special program, and we had a surprise last year, so we’ll see if we can do something this year as well,” Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of Buick.

     

    However, Bloomberg may have learned what the surprise is. A source says the other vehicle will be a sporty coupe concept that is about the same size as the Chevrolet Camaro. No other details such as a name were revealed.

     

    You may remember Buick doing this same thing last year where they introduced the Cascada convertible and Avenir concept at an event before the show.

     

    We'll be at Buick's event tomorrow and get all of the details on both the Envision and the concept. In the meantime, you can follow all 2016 Detroit Auto Show news here.

     

    Source: The Detroit News, Bloomberg

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    hyperv6

    Well not sure it is an Alpha. A Lacrosse based Coupe would be a similar size.

    I would wager it is either a Buick version of Monza in Coupe form or possibly a Buick version of the GT?

    Just do not expect a GN as that would not fit the market. I would expect more of a A5 or A4 AWD coupe.

    Remember this car may represent a possible Buick but also Opel, Vauxhall and Holden.

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    El Kabong

    Makes sense for it to be an Alpha, but I agree that it would be a bit optimistic to hope for a GN.

    I would actually like to see something more along the lines of a 3/4 scale Regal if it is an Alpha car.

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    William Maley

    Makes sense for it to be an Alpha, but I agree that it would be a bit optimistic to hope for a GN.

    I would actually like to see something more along the lines of a 3/4 scale Regal if it is an Alpha car.

     

    Possibly named Skylark, maybe Wildcat?

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    smk4565

    I think there is room in the market for a "personal luxury coupe" as the old saying goes.  There are mature buyers out there that don't want a Camaro or Mustang, or don't want the noisy exhaust note and stiff suspension of an Infiniti G37/Q60.  There isn't a mid-size coupe on the market right now that is geared toward refinement and luxury, unless you pay $60k for an E-class coupe.  I think a $35,000 Riviera hits a sweet spot for those that want something nicer than the CamCord segment, but don't want a crossover or a big car like an Avalon, Cadenza or Impala.

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    Suaviloquent

    (I'M IGNORING THE BIG "SIZED" as Camaro and letting my imagination run wild)

     

    I think it might be a crossover coupe concept... I mean those count as coupes nowadays no?

     

    And then the production version will be a stylized crossover. Perhaps next gen Enclave. Perhaps.

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    ocnblu

    When the release says "Camaro-sized" of course my brain takes that as a clue that the car will be Alpha-based.  I am ready to be bowled over by Buick's concepts two yerrs in a row... Avenir rocked the house!

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    hyperv6

    Well here are things to ponder.

    #1 Buick is a global division. You know Opel, Holden and Vauxhall.

    #2 two of these divisions are RHD. Guess what the Alpha does not support RHD.

    #3 The new D2XX is very flexible and can support a coupe and could support AWD.

    Look for a Buick like coupe based on the Monza we saw from Opel.

    There is no GN as you know it. While it could be names that the concept of the original is too dated today. The car was based on a NASCAR stock car in the Grand National Series. Well Buick is not in NASCAR and NASCAR changed the name on the Grand National Series do it is way out of date.

    Buick is trying to change minds today of just who and what they are. To do that they need a new name and this car will be a car that will go, turn and stop unlike the GN that just has go.

    While we enthusiast all look back with fond memories on the GN you have to consider many look back and just see a car like their grandfathers Regal in black. Also if stock it is not as fast as some 4 cylinder cars today.

    The GN was a legend and time to leave it as that. I would on and create a coupe much like a Audi A5 with a Turbo engine and call it something new or if you were going to use an old name use Riviera.

    Finally this is not a production car as of yet so keep an open mind.

    • Agree 1
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    Robert Hall

     

    Why you so hyper?  I never mentioned any names.  And for Alpha not to support RHD, well, that is a basic mistake on GM's part.

     

    Which nations need RHD anyway?

     

    The UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, some Carribbean countries, and others...

     

    http://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/list-of-left-driving-countries/

    Edited by Cubical-aka-Moltar
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    hyperv6

    Why you so hyper?  I never mentioned any names.  And for Alpha not to support RHD, well, that is a basic mistake on GM's part.

     

    Which nations need RHD anyway?

    England and Australia mostly. This is the kind of car from Opel that could play a big part in Holden's future. Holden, Vauxhall, Opel and Buick are all joined a the hip and will rely on each other to make up global volumes.

    Buick is being targeted more at lower volume models sold globally and not volume models sold in one market anymore.

    Duncan also has stressed White Space cars. These are shared models with the other brands that would be sold in lower volumes and be the kinds of cars you would never expect from Buick. This means a possible future wagon, Hatch and even a coupe like this. Much of what we see will be shared and this I would expect would be one of them with coupe sales at the volumes they are outside the Camaro and Mustang.

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    hyperv6

    Why you so hyper?  I never mentioned any names.  And for Alpha not to support RHD, well, that is a basic mistake on GM's part.

    Why so narcissistic? I never even read your post so it was not a response directed at you.

    As for GM not making a RHD Alpha it was a call made at the early time of rebuilding and they were more worried about fixing North America than the world at that point. Hind sight is 20/20 and it is what it is.

    Today Buick is part of the global plan with Holden, Opel And Vauxhall along with Buick of China. When we look at Buick today it must be in a global context not just North America.

    The game for Buick has changed in how they operate and how they will be used. The key here is they will need to reflect a global base and not old memories of 1985 here on a Saturday night.

    If Buick wants new people to buy they need to do new and different things. We have seen this with the Encore but we also will see it in many other products. As long as you do not want to get all sentimental and retro this could be the most compelling division GM has moving forward. I expect the most surprised from them vs. any other division.

    They will be what Pontiac could or should have been starting in the 60's. The division to take risk and make special cars for customers that want to be special. Not a division trying to relive the past on what few high marks they have had in the last 40 years.

    Why you so hyper?  I never mentioned any names.  And for Alpha not to support RHD, well, that is a basic mistake on GM's part.

     

    Which nations need RHD anyway?

    The UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, some Carribbean countries, and others...

     

    http://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/list-of-left-driving-countries/

    Nice list.

    You may also want to list South Africa that Holden already makes cars for in RHD.

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    El Kabong

    I'm sure that GM could adapt Alpha to suit the markets they plan to sell it in.

    In any event, an Alpha Buick would still be a go in China, where they drive on the same side as we do here.

    Edited by El Kabong
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    hyperv6

    Well the new Opel GT is to contain the look of the Monza. It is going to be based on the new D2XX platform.

    The new Insignia is to be the basis of the new Regal and it is to contain the new Monza look.

    The new Lacrosse carries some of the new Opel design in the front now too more than ever.

    With that said I would peg this car as a D2XX. Take a Camaro sized car but with the D2XX and make it all wheel drive. Get it to be a car similar to the Audi A5 like class coupe.

    Or even could this be a down sized Omega that takes a part Avenir and adapts it to a coupe?

    Either way I do not expect it to be an Alpha as we have it today. Being it is a styling concept and not a prototype for production it could be presenting a case for a new Coupe on the updated Alpha now being worked on.

    I'm sure that GM could adapt Alpha to suit the markets they plan to sell it in.

    In any event, an Alpha Buick would still be a go in China, where they drive on the same side as we do here.

    Don't forget Hong Kong. RHD.

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    smk4565

    I love the idea of a grand touring coupe.  I don't like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe ripoff taillights or the Infiniti front end.  The grille looks like it came off a Ford, the front is similar to the Mustang.  It is a decent looking car, but to me it doesn't look very American or Buick-like.    If all the badges were off it, I would think it was Japanese.

     

    I do hope they put it in production though, it reminds me a bit of the Chrysler Firepower concept that they never made.

    firepower_concept.jpg

    • Disagree 1
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    balthazar

    The top end & concept arena of larger coupes, unfortunately, is increasingly homogenizing. Short high tail, long diving hood, angry headlights, low grille, rear fender haunches, some sort of front fender vent/scoop…. that just about is the complete recipe for designing one of these. There's going to be overlap because the range of coupes gets tighter & tighter (outside heritage designs such as the Camaro & Challenger)

    Add to that scenario the supposed "need" for all 'competitive' brands to offer (or display a concept) coupe, and you have more players than ever, it seems.

     

    No surprise here, whatsoever.

     

    That said, I think the Avista is very well executed.

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    smk4565

    I agree most of these coupes look similar because there is one best way to design them. This concept does have the body shape similar to the DB9 and Jaguar XK which is what you want. I like the body shape of the car, the headlights and tail lights just don't look like a Buick. Where is the waterfall grill?

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    hyperv6

    I think I'm going to just go ahead and hyper

    ventilate on this.  This car is EVERYTHING!

    Yes it is everything but production.

    I will caution here as they stated clearly this is a styling exercise just as the Avenir was.

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    hyperv6

    I like this car a lot.

    I just worry that with Buick for two years has hit Concept car home runs but we have of yet to see anything in production. People will tire of the tease unless they come through at some point.

    I would also caution too that the car would be difficult to build as a true hard top. It would add a lot of weight to do it that way other wise the Camaro would have been that way too.

    This is a true take on the Euro GT class and it would be a great car for Opel as well as Buick.

    To me it is a mid luxury version of a Bentley GT.

    Anyone really want a GN now? It is time to create new legends and not repeat the past.

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    smk4565

    They should build it for sure. We need coupes and interesting cars on the market, everything is becoming a Camry, Accord or crossover and that is boring.

    The key for the production model is pricing. If it is too expensive they won't get any volume, and you can't really price it above an ATS. Plus I think you want a car like this to steal sales from Lexus ES, Avalon, Acura TSX, etc. And those are all sedans but I bet a lot of buyers of those cars never use the back seat anyway.

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