Flagship Buick Coupe under consideration

[Centurion]

Maybe our dreams will come true after all.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100215/OEM03/302159909

[JohnD1956]

Ahhhh...is it even possible in the new GM?

[Centurion]

Sorry, folks. The link is no longer working.

The basic message was that the design head for Chevy and Buick was discussing the need for a Buick coupe during the Chicago Auto Show. It sounded as though various concepts are receiving consideration.

[Guest my3buicks]

the Link is still working for me

[serb]

Me too, I just read it.

[Guest my3buicks]

Give it up Bryan, it get's old.

[Smartin]

I have to wonder why they want to introduce a smaller crossover. I see Hyundai doing the same thing, but the two vehicles look almost identical. I don't understand that.

But I DO love the idea of a coupe. Possibly the same platform as the CTS coupe?

[The Old Guy]

Adam

My wife loves her Rendezvous, but unless Buick comes up with another small crossover I will need to get her something else. The Enclave is just too big for her tastes.

[Guest my3buicks]

I'm in that same boat, I really love the Enclave, but it is really to big for my needs. Would love to see crossover built on the Lacrosse body, something Similar to the Car/Suv/Cross that Honda, Toyota, BMW, Acura have. Half car, half SUV.

[gsjohnny]

"My role is really being a zealot for getting Buick more youthful, more spirited and probing ideas [for] coupes, more expressive vehicles. That is really my job."

has he been reading the bca threads........

[Larry Schramm]

Is that Tim O?

[Reatta Man]

With what the Charger and Challenger did for Dodge now clearly evident, it would make sense that the new coupe be called a Riviera.

Since it would make sense for it to be called a Riviera, they will probably give it a meaningless name with absolutely no heritage....like Lucerne, Lacrosse, Rendezvous, Rainer or Terraza.

[Guest my3buicks]

While we love the names full of Buick Heritage and Glory, the old names conjure up old blue hairs to many buyers today. With Buick trying to reach a new age bracket and market, some of those old names just wouldn't cut it. Could see the young executive coming into work beaming with pride with his new 2010 Lacrosse (but for argument sake, let's say it's named Century) - He goes to his co-workers on break, and is bragging about his new Buick Century, and Mable the 72 year old secretary says, I have one of those also. Another worker pipes up, oh, my Grandma has one of those. All of a sudden, new Buick owner's ego deflated.

While Riviera is one of the few old Buick names that may just still be able to work. I have always felt Invicta on a high sedan would also work.

[NTX5467]

Valid points, Keith . . . also, reality to many normal citizens. Invicta might be nice, as would Wildcat, or something else which could mean "pizzazzzzyyyy" or "action-related".

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[Mark Shaw]

How about RIVICTA?

[Guest my3buicks]

Mark, if you add another T, you could include the Reatta also.

Rivictta!!

Seriously, Riviera, Reatta, Invicta, and possibly Wildcat(love to see this thrown on a variant of the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice) I think are all names that could be used without heralding back to Grampa and Grams old car. They still sound fresh.

[BUICK RACER]

Adam

My wife loves her Rendezvous, but unless Buick comes up with another small crossover I will need to get her something else. The Enclave is just too big for her tastes.

And they will, and it will be built in Michigan..............

[Thriller]

Seriously, Riviera, Reatta, Invicta, and possibly Wildcat(love to see this thrown on a variant of the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice) I think are all names that could be used without heralding back to Grampa and Grams old car. They still sound fresh.

1962 - last year for Invicta

1970 - " " " Wildcat

1991 - " " " Reatta

1999? - " " " Riviera

Certainly the first two have no connotation with the "grandpa car", especially since they were the performance oriented (while maintaining the luxury side Buick appointments) full size cars. The Reatta was a niche car with small enough production, as well as being a 2 seater, that it shouldn't conjure up the image of blue hair driving. Riviera is the only one that maintained a presence through the years, but again, being a performance oriented personal luxury coupe, I don't think it has the more negative connotation that perhaps Century, Skylark, and even Regal would (although personally when I think Regal, I think back to the 70s and 80s coupes rather than more recent versions).

Perhaps there is something original out there too. Maybe BMD could foster some good will with a contest (perhaps even just for BCA members...that's pushing it) to come up with a name. So long as you have some car folks be a jury panel to decide, it has the potential to work. Give away the first car off the line to the person who named it, or even something less costly.

[NTX5467]

Derek, I think they normally "jury" car names for reaction from "citizens" . . . but apparently, they didn't do "LaCrosse"? Plus possible ways they could do advertising (tag lines and such) for the model names under consideration?

As "Invicta" has been resurrected for a show car coupe, that might be where things end up--I think we could all live with that . . . maybe? At least "Invictaaaa" lends itself easily to theatrical speech orientations.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[LINC400]

I think most people would have no clue what an Invicta is. Most car guys don't even know that unless they are Buick nuts. I think Riviera or Wildcat would be a much better choice. Those conjure up sporty coupes from the past.

Of course it makes no difference what it is called if the car is no good. The new Cadillac CTS coupe is a huge disappointment. It looks like a cheap hatchback with a Cadillac grille. Except it isn't a hatchback, and it is nowhere near cheap.

[Guest BJM]

The name and continuity are important I think - at this stage of the game. I doubt you will see Honda drop Accord or Toyota Camry.

One of Mazda's issues is frequent name changes. Buick too. Does it not imply some sort of failure to end a name after 4-5 years? Even the started - restarted Riviera name plate. I have no issue with Buick using that but please don't pull it after a 4 year run.

Unlike the old days, there is no planned obsolescence. With development and implementation costs, manufacturers put an 'all-new' car out there and really don't want to touch it for at least 4-5 years to get their money back.

The LuCerne, Rendevous, and the Enclave fall under that umbrella. The LuCerne and Rendevous are one and dones. Is the Enclave? Will we have a version of the Enclave 15 years from now?

[John_Maine]

Never made sense to me that Chevrolet brought back the Impala and Malibu nameplates, yet Buick "invented" new names to replace their old ones - names that mean absolutely nothing. Still, the "new" small Buick is going to be the Regal - go figure. I think GM made a huge mistake by doing away with the old names - first Oldsmobile, then Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac. If someone says they have a CTS, I have no idea what model Caddy they are talking about. I I used to know what an Eldorado, Seville and Couple de Ville were. Now I don't have a clue. Ford has done the same thing with Lincoln - MKS, MKZ, MKT, MK whatever. I have no visual image of the car. Can anyone really tell which is which?

[Guest kaycee]

' Member the old days when cars were fours, sixes, Big sixes, eights, big eights, twelves, or sixteens, or model numbers or letters? Or in our case, the 'newer' Special, Century, Roadmaster, or Limited? Or even LeSabre, Invicta, Electra, or Riviera? Today, they all look the same regardless of make anyway so why not call them Little Blob or Big Blob?

kaycee

[Guest my3buicks]

' Member the old days when cars were fours, sixes, Big sixes, eights, big eights, twelves, or sixteens, or model numbers or letters? kaycee

How does that differ from today then? Many car lines use letters or number designations? Wonder if the people on the Buick forums then made such a big deal when the Buicks went from number series, to god forbid NAMES and OH MY changed the names in 59 and dozens of time through the next 5 decades.

Edited February 24, 2010 by my3buicks (see edit history)

[Guest BJM]

How does that differ from today then? Many car lines use letters or number designations? Wonder if the people on the Buick forums then made such a big deal when the Buicks went from number series, to god forbid NAMES and OH MY changed the names in 59 and dozens of time through the next 5 decades.

Initial numbers series were from an age when that was used by everybody, either a letter or a number.

Thanks to Harley Earl and the golden age of marketing, naming cars became important and Buick stuck with those names from the mid 30's to the 1958.

I always found it interesting - the name choices for the 59 rollout. Until one does more period research, I never understood Electra and Invicta. LeSabre was a show car name, so I understand the choice, but still have no idea what a LeSabre stood for.

I don't know if I ammaking a big deal about it, I'm just applying thought to the process and believe only time will tell. I like the LuCerne and believe that if a buyer gave it a chance, it rewarded. Conservatively. I know, I know, we need to get younger but my mom and step dad bought their new LuCerne 2 years ago with cash. Old people have that! I would have to buy an off-new LuCerne.

[LINC400]

How does that differ from today then? Many car lines use letters or number designations? Wonder if the people on the Buick forums then made such a big deal when the Buicks went from number series, to god forbid NAMES and OH MY changed the names in 59 and dozens of time through the next 5 decades.

I think the difference is that years ago, there was one basic car for each manufacturer. For example, with the exception of the Corvette, all 1957 Chevys are basically one car. 150, 210, BelAir, basically all the same just changes in trim level, engines, exterior trim, etc. So when someone says 1957 Chevy, you know exactly what that is and looks like. So for many prewar cars a simple number designation would just tell you if it has the 8 or 6 cyl., longer wheelbase, etc. What was important was the manufacturer name. The numbers would just signify variations on the basic car.

On the other hand, if someone says 1975 Chevy, a simple number designation for 6 or 8 cyl. will not tell you if it is a Nova, Chevelle, Malibu, Impala, etc. So those names are needed to specify a specific model.

So when there are a bunch of different models, simple numbers and letters really do not put a specific image in your mind. especially when they add more numbers and letters to designate trim packages. Then add to the confusion by the cars not having much visual difference in appearance between models today. Compare the visual differences between the LaCross, Lucerne, new Regal as compared to a 1975 Skylark, Regal, Electra, and Riviera. Plus if you say Regal or Riviera, you immediately think Buick. If you say 300, is that Chrysler, Lexus, Mercedes, car or SUV, etc?

Personally I think the worst is the current Lincoln line up with everything MK something, regardless of what it is. None of them have anything to do with a Mark series Lincoln, and one letter at the end really doesn't put an image of anything in your head.

Edited February 24, 2010 by LINC400 (see edit history)