Buick News: Don't Expect the Opel Adam to Come As A Buick Anytime Soon

[William Maley]

Buick's brand manager Duncan Aldred is 'thrilled' with how the brand is doing.

 

"It's a wonderful portfolio. We'll have three sedans, three crossovers and a halo. I think most brands would say, "Yeah, that's a great portfolio.' I'm thrilled with it," Aldred told Automotive News.

 

That doesn't mean Aldred isn't open to possibly a new product, such as a flagship. But one model that has been taken off the table is the Opel Adam. Previously, Aldred has said he would like to bring the Adam over to compete against the Fiat 500 and MINI Cooper. But with the rise of crossovers - like the Buick Encore, has given Aldred second thoughts.

 

"I very much did feel when I came over that that could really help accelerate the Buick brand story. I don't see that as much. Whether the market shifted or the fashion nature of those cars has changed, I don't know. But I wouldn't be looking for a small, B-segment car today," said Aldred.

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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[David]

Bummer as that is exactly what Buick should have in their stable. I will disagree with him and wonder if it is because the moron in charge of Cadillac does not have his ducks in a row yet.

[aurora97]

If only GM found a way to bring back Pontiac with cars like this.

It could easily be a Le Mans that goes against the Fiat 500 and Mini Cooper.

Sporty, personal performance.

[regfootball]

The Adam is so unique and interesting, it would be a tremendous brand entry car and attention car for Buick.  Instead, they bring over the cascada.  Primarily to stuff rental fleets.

 

The Adam is a no brainer to me, but what do i know, Buick just wants to sell snooze mobiles again.

 

The Adam is one of those designs people would talk about.

[William Maley]

The Adam is so unique and interesting, it would be a tremendous brand entry car and attention car for Buick.  Instead, they bring over the cascada.  Primarily to stuff rental fleets.

 

The Adam is a no brainer to me, but what do i know, Buick just wants to sell snooze mobiles again.

 

The Adam is one of those designs people would talk about.

 

I agree reg, but the question is could Buick sell them? I look at the sales of the 500 and Cooper, and they are not doing so great.

Yes, it would be a car that people would be talking about. But I don't think many people will buy them.

[regfootball]

I think they could sell 20,000 of them, which for some of GM's products seems to be ok.

[oldshurst442]

I dont know how well the Opel Adam sells in Europe, but even for the Adam in Europe, its a car that came to the scene too late, let alone for Buick to have profited from the micro car frenzy in North America...

 

The Opel Adam as a Buick should have hit our shores a year or two BEFORE it actually made its first appearance in Europe as an Opel Adam...

At the very least...the same year it launched in Europe.

In 2016/2017...

That ship has sailed.

The train left the station.

The little bird has flown away.

 

Buick needs to concentrate on the up and coming fad, not the one that has just became a cliché.

 

The Encore...THAT is where its at...

Great call...PERFECT car, PERFECT timing...

 

THAT is how one leads the fads....by creating them, not chasing after yesterday's dreams but by creating tomorrows'..

Edited March 29, 2016 by oldshurst442

[hyperv6]

This would be just another Fiat 500 that would struggle in the market. 

 

Now bring over the larger three door hatch with the turbo engine and offer it in the OPC trim along with standard trim and you would have a good sporty GTI and Mini competitor. 

Americans are not fans of these small cars at this point and the segment still needs to find it's place. Many Fiat dealers are in trouble or are regretting they even picked up the brand. 

 

FYI Pontiac is dead and will still remain dead. Adding a small useless FWD car designed and built for someone else  is what killed them in the first place. 

[smk4565]

They don't need the Adam.  Even the urban hipsters aren't buying the Mini Coopers and Fiat 500s, those little cars don't sell.  The demographic that shops for Buicks surely isn't looking for a car that small.  Better to focus on crossovers, that is what selling.

[Drew Dowdell]

Gas is too cheap.

Mini is already floundering.

Fiat stalled before it started.

SMART looks pretty dumb.

Scion is dead.

 

Why would any brand manager want to dip their toe in that water?

[balthazar]

The Adam is one of those designs people would talk about.

In that 'it so reminds me of the fiat/mini' ?

[smk4565]

Buick could build a crossover coupe convertible version of the Encore and it would outsell the Adam here.  No one is buying a subcompact car, that is why the Honda Fit is basically dead, but the HR-V sells even though it is the same chassis with the same engine, crossover = sales.

[hyperv6]

Buick could build a crossover coupe convertible version of the Encore and it would outsell the Adam here.  No one is buying a subcompact car, that is why the Honda Fit is basically dead, but the HR-V sells even though it is the same chassis with the same engine, crossover = sales.

 

Just like that Nissan no one bought with the top chopped off?

[GMTruckGuy74]

I'm in Denmark for work this week (fly home tomorrow). Grabbed an Uber to the closest Opel dealer today, hoping to see and grab an Insignia brochure (Estate model primarily). Saw the Insignia wagon, no brochure, but also saw the Adam and Astra. The Adam, while "cute", would suffer in sales I believe. Now the Astra Hatch and Estate - those need to come to the US pronto!!