VenSeattle

All Over the Map: Buick Rainier SUV named by noted GM designer - Article at MyNorthWest.com

Actually, FCA is headquartered in the UK, not Italy. https://www.autonews.com/article/20140801/COPY01/308019978/fiat-says-ciao-to-italy-headquarters-as-chrysler-merger-is-approved

Yeah... But remember GM did this while changing Oldsmobile's styling to something unrecognizable to the brand, and at the same time GM replaced the Oldsmobile emblem to a completely different emblem/badge (a monochromatic and overly simplified side profile of a (not a) Rocket launching.) the combination of all three at the same time lead potential customers and existing Oldsmobile drivers wondering who made the vehicle and unable to determine which dealership to visit for more information. I would be concerned if Buick was also completely changing their badge but the article clearly indicates GM and Buick recognize the value and brand equity in the tri-shield. This is amplified by the fact Buick is in the process of phasing their tri-colored tri-shield badge back into their lineup as they renew their lifecycle.

dfelt, immediately came to mind about Prius mudslide: 1) Is this Toyota's solution so we can hear Prius' approach in electric mode? 2) I didn't see that hybrid propulsion option when I bought my Prius!?!?! 3) I wonder if it actually has better road feel and feedback in a mudslide? 4) building on #2 - Prius now with degenerative hill propulsion and Regenerate braking.... 5) "Let's Go Places" Can we narrow this down a bit, and maybe set some limits? 6) Damn resale value on that Prius will still be higher than on a 1 yr old Nissan Leaf... 7) I still think express Lane privilege is unfair to hybrid drivers... Etc etc etc etc

I'm pretty fond of this Buick commercial myself... especially when people try to say Buicks have only recently become reliable.

Thank you! I'm regaining my sea legs. Plenty of new features and forum categories. I intend to stick around. I'm tired of my sabbatical. :-)

I never saw the 200 as anything special. It's not an appropriate sibling to the 300. They look like they're built by two completely different manufacturers. One is a generic jelly bean and the other is a brick. And for the price, you can get a well equipped 300 for the price of a well equipped 200. The lower trim levels of the 200 have this dull charcoal colored interior and matte finished plastic where the wood would be surrounding the instrument pod on the upper trim levels. It just looked low rent. I saw several 200s at AVIS, Hertz, and Enterprise. I can believe the dealers' argument that FCA were inflating sales numbers. For comparison, the current Regal is nicer than the 200 and it's about to be replaced.

Nope, the Impala was 3400 and 3900 by then. The last year of the 3800 was the 2008 Lucerne... that was the last North American vehicle to carry it. Impala dropped the 3800 after 2005. Nope, the Impala was 3400 and 3900 by then. The last year of the 3800 was the 2008 Lucerne... that was the last North American vehicle to carry it. Impala dropped the 3800 after 2005. That's the first thing I thought of. The 3800 has been out of production for years. It was also never offered in China AFAIK.

Never allow this person to present another product to the public, again. I think the "exclusive leather" comment was the pattern of the perforation of the leather. The comment he made about haven't been in the back seat yet threw my patience with his stammering over its limit. Overall, it's a very nice vehicle. Small market though. I like the folding rear seats, interior color choice, the quality of the execution and follow through. The buttons don't bother me much.

Don't forget Buick was just assigned a new chief stylist, Bryan Nesbitt.... He's arguably GM's highest profile designer. Buick's directions with be international and not just for one market. I personally think GM wouldn't have placed Bryan in this position if Buick had already peaked in target markets. With a dedicated team focused on Buick's lineup and design strategy, I can see Buick being reintroduced to Australia and Europe. I personally believe Chevrolet should be reintroduced to Europe. Vauxhall and Opel should be absorbed by Buick. The European Dealer network should convert to Chevrolet and Buick dealers. One of the main reasons why Buick continues to survive in the US is because it can demand a higher purchase price than Saturn and Pontiac could with similar product. Chevrolet would cover mainstream pricing in Europe and Buick would be able to price itself towards the premium and luxury markets which Vauxhall and Opel continue failing to penetrate.

I have to agree with Cmicasa with both Buick and GMC. Buick needs to grow in the premium segments that are on fire. The Verano, Encore, and Envision are perfect products for Buick at the perfect time. Buick needs to be easily comparable to the premium competition and seen as a legitimate player. Buick and GMC do not and will not overlap with their CUV offerings. I do not foresee a person cross-shopping the Terrain and Envision. They're just completely different, even in Denali garb. It's the same reason Acadia and Enclave are successful while sharing the same showroom floor. GMC and Buick are both premium brands but their products target completely different markets. Buick and GMC combined are on target to sell over 700k vehicles a year through their dealer chain. That’s amazing for two brands that don’t make a lot of PR noise. If anything, GMC needs to continue differentiating itself from Chevrolet's offerings. Buick could use coupes (Cascada is coming, but a Regal sedan and coupe and/or Riviera coupe based on alpha would be excellent) and a proper flagship sedan positioned above LaCrosse (based on Omega to share cost development as has been rumored in the past) to properly compete against the Hyundai Genesis, Kia K900, and other Non-Cadillac segment contenders. Buick needs a proper replacement for the Park Avenue in China. We need one here too.

Congrats to the Encore being a runaway success! It looks like Enclave is on pace to beat last year's sales total. Ther Verano is outselling the Acura ILX more than 2to1. I look forward to see how the Envision is received here in the US. It's not official yet, but it'd be crazy for GM not to sell it here in the US.