It might just be coming!

[gm4life]

2008 Buick Park Avenue Might Come Stateside!

Reaction to the Chinese Park Avenue has made GM reconsider bringing the Park Avenue over to the US. The original plan was to do a full reskin on the car a la Enclave, however GM is now planning to bring the Chinese Park Avenue to America as early as Spring of next year. Built in Australia, their will be a decontented base model starting at around $40k, excluding the luxury features of the top end model. The ultra-luxury model will be offered, with all the features of the Park Avenue sold in China. Finally, GM will have a true luxury car, and suprisingly, it will come from Buick. Base engine for the Park Avenue is rumored to be the 3.6L DI engine found in the CTS, outputting around 300hp. A Super model is possible down the line featuring the new 6.2L LS3 found in the '08 Corvette. Sales for the Park Avenue are expected to be around 20K units per year. Bringing over the Chinese Park Avenue would be a stopgap move until a Zeta based Buick specific replacement arrives sometime in 2010, starting in the $30ks and replacing both the Lucerne and the Park Avenue sourced from Holden in Australia"

Park Avenue Via GM Insiders

Edited May 9, 2007 by gm4life

[Intrepidation]

Works for me!

[gm4life]

I just hope the interior is as good as the showcar in China's is!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Works for me!

Are you buying one?

[Intrepidation]

Are you buying one?

Nah, I like the G8 more, but who cares? It means Buick won't have a dated FWD vehicle as their top car.

Reading the article, it seems good that they will bring Regal back..sounds better than LaCrosse and I would think it would have more equity. It would be pretty sweet if he Riviera did make it into production that would be most kick-ass.

Edited May 9, 2007 by Dodgefan

[Drew Dowdell]

Are you buying one?

I might.

I'd take one over a G8..... not that there is anything wrong with the G8, but the Park Ave is more my style.

[CSpec]

I don't think this is too credible.

[ocnblu]

God, that gray profile shot makes the car look sooo boring... it is so generic it can fit any GM nameplate, yet flatter none of them. The interior is exquisite, of course. Passersby don't see the interior of a car, however. Lucerne has infinitely more brand character.

[gm4life]

I hope it is creditable seriously, I think it is possible given the out-cry of people like us. It is about time GM listens to customers!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Nah, I like the G8 more, but who cares? It means Buick won't have a dated FWD vehicle as their top car.

Reading the article, it seems good that they will bring Regal back..sounds better than LaCrosse and I would think it would have more equity. It would be pretty sweet if he Riviera did make it into production that would be most kick-ass.

Are you buying the G8 then?

[big blue]

Like I said when I first saw the Chinese Park Ave, it needs to look less like an Impala, especially if it comes over here.

[Northstar]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[gm4life]

The Lucerne with the 3.6L V6 and a 6spd. automatic had me very excited. I hope and would assume the DTS will get the update too, with a 6spd. automatic! I also would assume it would be paired with the Northstar V8 as well! Other news of the Rendevous makes me hope for a new Torrent sometime along with the GN news and a new Regal! That is all great! Seriously GM and Buick might be an exciting place again! Up next PONITAC! The Park Avenue coming in 2010 also has me very excited, but I can't help but imagine the current one wouldn't due just fine!

[VenSeattle]

Are you buying one?

I probably would. I would take a 2 or 3 year lease on this one and then trade in for the next-gen in 2011 or so. Sounds good to me.

[thegriffon]

Ehh, the Park Avenue isn't built in Australia, and Holden is not known for that kind of differentiation, especially for the interior.

[Intrepidation]

Are you buying the G8 then?

I might...I was gonna save for a Charger...but when I saw the G8...tough call man....

wtf is with the 20 questions?

Edited May 10, 2007 by Dodgefan

[turbo200]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

everything on GMI seems hard to believe. there's never anyone to stop the wild speculation, from when I've been over there, which is rarely since it's such a maze.

[Chris_Doane]

[Drew Dowdell]

It took me 5 minutes to get that.....

[Sixty8panther]

MOre and more I'm begining to think all this back-n-forth

is juat smoke & mirrors to drum up interest & demand

for these cars. Zeta HAS to be the answer. It's ZETA or

dye for Buick & Pontiac if you ask me.

I love the nose of this car... bold, european & yet also

very luxurious. I hope they give it a BIG chrome waterfall

grille & a liberal spash of chrome on the side.

God, that gray profile shot makes the car look sooo boring... it is so generic it can fit any GM nameplate, yet flatter none of them. The interior is exquisite, of course. Passersby don't see the interior of a car, however. Lucerne has infinitely more brand character.

Call me crazy but I say put four portholes on the REAR 1/4

panel above the rear wheel... & give the tail lights some

mroe chrome accents.

[gm4life]

I just really like, and trust me I hope it is coming over stateside.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

MOre and more I'm begining to think all this back-n-forth

is juat smoke & mirrors to drum up interest & demand

for these cars. Zeta HAS to be the answer. It's ZETA or

dye for Buick & Pontiac if you ask me.

I think Pontiac's future rides on Alpha... Both figuratively and literally.

[VenSeattle]

Call me crazy but I say put four portholes on the REAR 1/4

panel above the rear wheel... & give the tail lights some

mroe chrome accents.

IIRC, I remember reading that the B-Body Roadmaster had a strip on the C-Pillar to stylistically represent Buick's portholes of yore. I couldn't find any pics though to illustrate. However, I thought I remembered it having Roadmaster written into the strip also.

[Sixty8panther]

Yeah, it's subtle but there is a hint of 1980s portholes on the C-pillar.

[gm4life]

Ahh yes the Roadmaster what a fine car indeed. I see alot of older people in very nice area's with them and like 20,000 miles on there 350's!

[VenSeattle]

Yeah, it's subtle but there is a hint of 1980s portholes on the C-pillar.

Thank you!

So, at least there's one vehicle that had this "effect" in a place other than the front end. It looked appropriate on the Roadmaster. The C-Pillar was huge.

[gm4life]

Here since rumor has it that we are getting the Park Avenue, I went ahead and made 3 possible covers for a brochure. Tell me what you think and what one you like best!

[ocnblu]

American style? Maybe in the grille and wheels... otherwise, I don't see it.

[gm4life]

I umderstand that Blu but uh I just took an old Buick tag-line. What is there current one anyways? I just like that one.

[HarleyEarl]

I'm just not feeling this car. It doesn't have anything Buick about it.

Generic, dull, listless, boring, ho-hum.

Buick is in danger of going the

way of Oldsmobile.

This will not

help.

[ocnblu]

A fine car let down by totally invisible styling, and styling is such an important part of eliciting an emotional response in a potential customer.

[gm4life]

Bland sells seen any Camry's or Impala's today? If you left your driveway I am sure you have. I don't think its bland I think is sophisticated and modern certainly enough to merit 20,000 sales per-year.

[Cananopie]

A $40k car with a $20k rear end... yea that'll bode real well for Buick's image.

The Chinese Park Avenue is good...

but not that good. I will call it out now- if this car ever gets sold in the US it will be the most amazing flop in Buick history most likely even selling less than the Reattas. When someone has 40k to spend on a vehicle they will not spend it on an Impala rear-end. I don't care how nice the interior is or the fact that the front end is relatively aggressive and unique...

There is nothing sincerely impressive about this vehicle to sell it at the price of two Impalas or 4 Aveos. Nothing.

Whatever is to replace this Park Avenue in China should be specifically Buick and sold in both US and China. Too late to cart this 70% good 30% bad vehicle over here because in a year it'll be 60/40 and the following year nobody will even think twice about it anymore.

[gm4life]

A $40k car with a $20k rear end... yea that'll bode real well for Buick's image.

The Chinese Park Avenue is good...

but not that good. I will call it out now- if this car ever gets sold in the US it will be the most amazing flop in Buick history most likely even selling less than the Reattas. When someone has 40k to spend on a vehicle they will not spend it on an Impala rear-end. I don't care how nice the interior is or the fact that the front end is relatively aggressive and unique...

There is nothing sincerely impressive about this vehicle to sell it at the price of two Impalas or 4 Aveos. Nothing.

Whatever is to replace this Park Avenue in China should be specifically Buick and sold in both US and China. Too late to cart this 70% good 30% bad vehicle over here because in a year it'll be 60/40 and the following year nobody will even think twice about it anymore.

Sir I hope your wrong and I most certainly beg to differ.

[Robert Hall]

It definitely needs a Buick rear...real Buicks have horizontal taillights...not vertical Impala lights.

[carstar]

Sir I hope your wrong and I most certainly beg to differ.

first of all this car is a half ass effort to bring buick back. It's nothing like the solstice or the 1st gen CTS that bring hope to their brands.

Both of them were designed from the ground up unlike a lazy rebadge. Also their designs were beautifully distinct, yet the chinese PA a 40-50K car has a similar rear end, sides and greenhouse of a 22K impala. You said

Bland sells, seen any Camry's or Impala's today?

Since there's some resemblance bewteen the Impala and the PA, it's like saying the PA is bland as well.

[turbo200]

okay i'm not gonna lie, can you pm the explanation?

[Cory Wolfe]

okay i'm not gonna lie, can you pm the explanation?

Come on... It's not that hard... Hog... Wash... Hogwash!

[Cory Wolfe]

It definitely needs a Buick rear...real Buicks have horizontal taillights...not vertical Impala lights.

Agreed. That is the one and only complaint I have with this car.

[ocnblu]

It's absolutely drama-free in profile. Where are the ventiports? Where is the kick-up at the hip? The Enclave drips with Buickness, this doesn't drip anything, it is dry, a completely clean slate, generic to the point of invisibility.

[big blue]

A $40k car with a $20k rear end... yea that'll bode real well for Buick's image.

The Chinese Park Avenue is good...

but not that good. I will call it out now- if this car ever gets sold in the US it will be the most amazing flop in Buick history most likely even selling less than the Reattas. When someone has 40k to spend on a vehicle they will not spend it on an Impala rear-end. I don't care how nice the interior is or the fact that the front end is relatively aggressive and unique...

There is nothing sincerely impressive about this vehicle to sell it at the price of two Impalas or 4 Aveos. Nothing.

Those are my feelings too. Definitely impressive on the inside, the outside is lacking anything distinguishable and most people who are in the price range of 40k will NOT spend that much on a PA that looks like an Impala from the rear. I can imagine how it would go if someone bought a new PA and showed it off:

"Wow nice Impala"

"No no no, it's the brand new 40k Buick Park Ave."

"40k for an Impala look-a-like? Or rather 40k for a BUICK?"

"Wait till you see the inside though"

"Oh wow that's pretty nice, still...why is that Buick so expensive? How come you didn't just buy a Lexus?"

"...."

It was mentioned that the supposed original plans were for a complete reskin, which I'm in favor for if it is made more distinguishable and upscale looking than the current form.

If the Chinese PA was brought over EXACTLY as it is, I would hope its sales would be better than the Acura RL as that car also suffers from bland outside, beautiful inside syndrome, although the RL is 10k more.

Come on... It's not that hard... Hog... Wash... Hogwash!

lol..I didn't get it either until you spelled it out. I kept thinking what does the Durango looking like a pig have anything to do with this? Edited May 11, 2007 by big blue

[z28luvr01]

It is not a good idea to have this car in the US. I've made my feelings known about the G8. and I even even like the PA on its own merits, but having these two cars in the same showroom will not work. Since the G8 is set in stone, we're better off passing on the PA and waiting for a more Buick-like Zeta.

[Cananopie]

Sir I hope your wrong and I most certainly beg to differ.

Big Blue also helped bring my perspective to a more clearer idea on why it won't sell.

I think a lot of you who really like this car aren't considering the length it'd take for GM to approve, ship, and sell it in the States. Ever since I joined C&G GM has needed forever and a day to approve and bring something to fruition. The absurd idea that this could be sold here within a year is extremely extremely unlikely.

But even if we can ignore that and say it could get here within a year how many of us here at C&G alone would purchase it? There are many who like it but I bet nobody has $40k to slap down on this vehicle... and even if you DID have $40k... would you seriously spend it on a base model Park Avenue? This not-very-credible article claims that $40k will be the bottom-of-the-barrel PA. Aside from heavily heading in to Caddy territory (while still trying to shake off a Chevy image from the 90s) the vehicle will not bring in NEW buyers.

I bet those of us here who have shown praise for the PA and would be willing to buy it are already Buick fans to begin with. The whole reason why Buick's image is what it is, is simply and completely that Buick only sells sedans (and its occasional SUV). Buick is having a hard enough time being allowed to have 3 vehicles and if there is any money going to be put in to a 4th vehicle it needs to NOT BE A SEDAN. That is the foremost reason why Buicks image is still where it's at. Sedans appeal to people who have families or who are older and not appeal at all to younger more exciting groups that raise popularity of brands thus making more people, still including older people and families interested. Buick needs to make a convertible, a coupe, anything but a 4th family vehicle. Diversity is the key to survival. Look around you and realize that is true for anything. Buick's image is so narrow that people are dismissing it for creating the same thing over and over and over again... which is FINE because it sells well to those who already like it (ie me or you or anyone else who likes Buick) but they need a different vehicle.

On top of it I refuse to give it the credit it almost deserves almost completely because of the Impala-rear-end. If you think I'm being shallow about that wait until the auto-reviewers get a look at it here states-side. Buick could make Perfection-in-a-car and auto-reviewers would still have something against it because it's Buick. But the blatant Impala rear end steal? Mios Dios I can't imagine the scathing reviews in mediocre design (once again as they'd say).

The Impala rear-end has looked cheap to me ever since it got redesigned. I find the last gen Impala more unique than this very bland redesign. It's pathetic that the Impala still gets its own symbol from what its become. The signature circular tail lights aren't even considered anymore. The metal strip on the back reminds me of the chrome-paint-on-plastic GM used to use on vehicles in the 90s that wore off in five years and turned a dirty yellow. Now I don't know for sure but my guess is that the Impala "chrome" strip isn't even metal and thusly neither would the rear end of the PA. I might be wrong on that part, but I don't feel I'm wrong on any other part. And either way it looks cheap and stolen.

The interior is beautiful, the front has the aggressive style I want to see from Buick (The Riviera concept from China is much more foreign to me in front fascia styling) but unless there was a severe redesign of the rear-end this car will not be taken seriously by anyone outside of the Buick loyalists... and even though I am one, I wouldn't consider purchasing it even if I had the money.

I say save the good ideas for the next-gen, improve on them, and make a killer Buick that can be sold globally and can say "Yea, I am 100% pure fresh Buick"

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Go to this link and watch the video:

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...showtopic=17227

[gm4life]

I think port-holes would be nice.

[Camino LS6]

It is not a good idea to have this car in the US. I've made my feelings known about the G8. and I even even like the PA on its own merits, but having these two cars in the same showroom will not work. Since the G8 is set in stone, we're better off passing on the PA and waiting for a more Buick-like Zeta.

X2

[gm4life]

I personally I think if they can sell a few more car why? Not and get the idea of a new Park Avenue over here why not. Many of us were very bummed after we found out it wasn't for us. Are we changing our minds now? I still say bring and it even if its sells 5,000 more Buicks in this country it is worth it. :AH-HA_wink:

Sounds like were getting low volume import. They are re-evaluating it, sounds like a low volume below 5,000 import kind of thing. Also Bob sounds excited about a TRUE Buick flagship. I say do it. A few more cars is better than none at all. I already like the Lucerne CXL V8/CXS and DTS this would make it tricky for me to make a choice! :wink:

Options are good after-all right?

Edited May 12, 2007 by gm4life

[Oracle of Delphi]

Except Buick dealers have already told Lutz, they don't want a Zeta Buick in North America.

[ToniCipriani]

Stopgap, maybe, permanent solution, no.

[FAPTurbo]

We already KNOW the durango looks ugly and piggish. What's that got to do with the Park Avenue?