Buick Surprises Detroit Auto Show with Stunning Sporty Concept Car

[Peter Gariepy]

-Alan Oldfield

 

Buick unveiled a stunning new sporty concept car to open the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 

 

Called Avista, the 2-door sport coupe was the second of Buick's new vehicles revealed at a party Sunday night at Detroit's Eastern Market. 

 

Avista was a surprise to the throng of journalists and GM executives assembled for the bash. Buick had already promised that its new mid-size SUV Envision would break cover in Detroit. But as a tease leading up to the Detroit show, Buick also promised a "surprise," 

 

The Envision alone would have been plenty of news for the automaker. Not only is it Buick's first mid-sized entry into the white-hot SUV market, but it is also the first GM vehicle to be imported to North America from China. That makes it plenty controversial for a company that just completed a new contract with the UAW, and for a company that took a taxpayer-backed bailout when it entered bankruptcy a few years ago.

 

But GM insists it has a solid business case for importing Envision. While a big seller in China (more than 147,000 units sold there last year) Envision is expected to sell only 40,000 or so in the US. GM says it could not build Envision profitably in North America at that level, but importing it gives US buyers more choice. 

 

Envision comes only in all-wheel drive, powered by a turbocharged 2.0 liter engine.

 

And it should be noted, the China trade goes both ways  - GM sells lots of Michigan made Enclave SUVs in China.

 

But it clearly was Avista that stole the show. Buick has been working hard to dispel its image as a brand for old people, and has had success - lowering the average age of its buyer from the 60s into the 50s in recent years. A concept car with just two doors and sleek lines will help to accelerate Buick's refashioning of its image as a brand desirable to Generation X and Millennials.

 

Avista is a 2+2 coupe, powered by a 400 horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6, with rear wheel drive. It has an eight speed transmission, with start-stop technology to save gasoline, and a glass roof. Although just a design study at this point, GM executives say Avista will influence how future Buicks look, saying Avista "rekindles" Buick's "historic performance roots."

 

Features of Avista include:

•

A 110.7-inch wheelbase and 63-inch front/62.9-inch rear tracks for sporty proportions and an aggressive stance

•

Twenty-inch aluminum wheels with color-toned accents match the car’s Dark Sapphire Jewel exterior

•

Front fender vents with chrome accents evolve Buick’s signature fender ports.

 

 

Ed Welburne, Vice President of Global Design, says Avista's design represents Buick at its heart.

 

"Sculptural beauty is at the core" of Buick, and "Avista is the perfect essence of future Buick design"

 

Duncan Aldred, Vice President of Buick-GMC says there are "plenty of new Buicks in the pipeline" to use the Avista design elements.

 

This is the second year in a row that Buick kicked off the Detroit show with a pre-official opening party, and delighting the press and show-goers with a striking and surprising concept. Last year's Avenir concept car was named best concept of the show. Its design heavily influenced the 2017 LaCrosse which is coming later this year, and is winning praise in the industry.. 

 

[jackofalltrades70]

As nice as they may look, as long as Buick cars are made in China, there will be NONE in my stable! Period! I don't care how many vehicles they purchase from us. Elimination of US jobs. Why? Because of the UAW, taxes, etc. the government has probably agreed to let them be imported tax free or at a lesser tax also. Ultimately, who wins? The consumer? Don't think so.

[smithbrother]

I see it different.

 

Today and for the future it is going to be a world market, there are tons of neat items made in other countries that we here don't make. 

 

I have purchased many QUALITY items made in China, a lot of the China made products are engineered here in the USA, and many parts and tools to make such are made here and shipped to other countries to be assembled.

 

I guess China and the world could tell its people, DON'T BUY AMERICAN, but we know they DO buy American made products, so as a country we should do what we can to lower taxes, and do what we can to PROMOTE American products. 

 

Forever products made in other countries have been purchased, and VALUED by Americans, and such will continue.

 

Just my opinion,

 

Dale in Indy

[jackofalltrades70]

Try to market a product in China and pay the import taxes and then sell it. Report back with your results.

They make it very dificult, if not impossible to sell our goods there.

[NTX5467]

To me, the reality is that unions came to exist ​ for a reason. And it's really those who orchestrated the situations which motivated the birth of the unions to accept the blame . . . but they aren't around any more NOR would they probably have admitted fault, back then.  Be that as it may.

 

GM is a global company, as it's always been.  Buick was the "export" brand for GM and many vehicles were shipped to China from the start.  Unfortunately, it seems that many who champion Buick in the USA might not still be Buick BUYERS.  AND . . . with the huge following that Buick vehicles enjoy in China, might it be the Chinese who cherish "The Essence of Buick" more than some in the North American region?

 

What GM is planning to do for the Envision is nothing new, either.  In the last two years of Chevrolet ElCamino production, that production was shipped to Mexico, due to the lower sales volumes of that vehicle.  If Buick only is planning for 40K units, no financially-viable reason to go to the expense of getting a plant configured for them in North America.  We might not like it, but they are making a decent business decision in this situation.

 

I predicted a few years ago that as GM was touting how "global" it is, that doing so might come back to "bite".  Especially for those that consider Buick to ONLY be a North American/USA brand of vehicle, built here, not there.

 

But those things could be discussed for quite some time with no real conclusion being universally reached.

 

IF this Avista, or something similar to it, does NOT make it into production, then THAT might rile MORE people than a Chinese-made Envision, to me.  We marveled at the Avenir and predicted that if produced, it would scoop the market.  Unfortunately, when the 2017 Lacrosse was revealed, the presenter was quoted as saying the Avenir had NO CHANCE of production, as if we should forget about it.  Just having "styling themes" from a concept car doesn't really "make it" for me.  I'm sorry.  Personally, I'd rather see a North American produced Avista-type car for $40K than a cargo ship full of Envisions.   Looks like GM should re-take a page from the Lutz days of Chrysler (as a point of reference) in the 1990s where concept cars were really about 90% production-ready vehicles when they hit the show circuit and THEN sold very well when produced about two years later.  Doing "styling exercises" might have their place, but it still costs money for which there is no real return on that investment.

 

Thanks for the great article and pictures from the show, Peter!  It's great to see Buick getting some tongues wagging again!!

 

NTX5467 

[FLYER15015]

I think a jag emblem would fit nicely in the grille.

[jackofalltrades70]

I will stop after this one. Mexico is still part of America. We have a free trade agreement with them that mutually benefits both.

I love the look of both vehicles. Many products, good products are made in China. But, given the chance to purchase out of a lineup. I will puchase one made here because I am just hardheaded and stuck in my ways.

[MrEarl]

I think a jag emblem would fit nicely in the grille.

I think the grille would fit nicely in a jag ;-)

[60FlatTop]

Something about it makes me think of Australia.

Bernie

[58L-Y8]

Like it or not, its a transnational auto business and market now.   Most buyers could care less where their new car is built as long as they can afford to buy it, its has the expected assembly quality and it returns reliable, generally trouble-free service.  Country of origin is of no consequence to them.

 

My only beef with Buick is they spring these slick concepts on us, like this Avista and last year's Avenir......then never bring them to market!  Note to Buick "If it looks good, it is good, just build it!"

[TxBuicks]

"I am just hardheaded and stuck in my ways." Me, too, Matt. Given a choice, I'd rather buy something I know was made here. I also shop at smaller, locally owned stores when I can. I just feel better about it.

Edited January 12, 2016 by TxBuicks (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

Something about it makes me think of Australia.

Bernie

 

Something about it makes me think of 1955

 

 

 

[smithbrother]

Makes me want ONE.

 

I would leave the SCALLOPS in the spray gun, hehe.  MAYBE!

 

Cool piece, kind of wonder how it would look with the water fall grill.

 

Dale in Indy

[FLYER15015]

Something about it makes me think of 1955

 

 

 

Yup Lamar, and you could add your own "Dagmar's". HE HE>

[MrEarl]

 

 

 

 

 

kind of wonder how it would look with the water fall grill.

 

 

 

 

.....better....

[smithbrother]

EVERY manufacture builds concepts, have been for years.

Concepts styling OFTEN shows up on a given model, GM is at present building 2-door great looking/performing cars, WORLD class pieces.

Concepts serve the automotive world well, we ALL know they AREN'T what will hit the showrooms, but they are key to the future.

I'm a GM person, but know there are other makes that are great pieces toooooooooo!

Dale in Indy

[38Buick 80C]

2nd, whatever happened to last year's trot out the Cascada convertible (er, Opel) ???  Never appeared, delayed etc. 

 

Bryan,

Comes out "early 2016"...I suspect one could go place an order now or in the very near future. Just an FYI...

[NTX5467]

Autoblog.com has a gallery, plus some press release photos.  A few would make a nice background for your computer screen.  Plus a short video presentation, which is pretty nice (the girl and the car).

 

Add some modern Dagmars and it could be the next James Bond Car!!

 

With those generous door openings, they might support an "Electro-Swivel" seat, memory seat, of course.  Remember, too, that the front seats typically are at the rear of their travel to accentuate the spaciousness of the front seat area, fwiw.

 

Might need to do without the glass roof, though.  Not good during hail season!

 

NTX5467

[60FlatTop]

It's a Camaro with chrome around the windows and a Jaguar grille. Pretty sure that's Holden.

 

At least they aren't making Bentley knockoffs. Like they've been doing for a while. Nice to see them copy something different.

 

"Mitchell gave GM designers the assignment of combining Rolls Royce and Ferrari styling cues to create Buick's classic 1963 Riviera."

 

Bernie

[smithbrother]

GM had stated it's Camaro platform, I see some Camaro hints, it has a Caddy engine, BOTH proved winners.

Not the first model/manufacture to use another of their platforms. Smart!

Dale in Indy

[Larry Schramm]

Well,  I will be at the show on Saturday morning.  Will try to take some pictures.

 

GM was using the same car frames, body parts etc... for decades. 

 

That was how GM used to make so much money in years past.  Fisher body made sure that everything that the customer could not see or touch was the same for all makes and models.

 

Their moto was if it was not an "A" surface it was required to be common. 

 

If you look at maybe a windshield washer pump in older cars they were the same on everything from an entry level Chevrolet to the most expensive Cadillac.   Same goes for electric window motors, and the list goes on and on.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[BUICK RACER]

Now read this!!!

http://mashable.com/2016/01/12/2016-buick-avista-concept/#dWb6S_jeJGqp

[smithbrother]

Cool story, very cool.

 

Thank You for SHARING,

 

Dale in Indy

[BUICK RACER]

i DON'T HAVE A FRICKING CLUE! i HAVEN'T WORKED FOR THESE IDIOTS IN 7 YEARS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, i  don't care what you or anyone else thinks, you are part of the problem with the world as we use to like it!!

[Guest bkazmer]

I was at the show today.

The big RWD coupe looks very nice (I kept thinking "Riviera") but I can't see a business case for it.  And remember Cadillac has turf to guard above Buick's price point.

The Cascada still looks like a Chrysler convertible "me-too" that might sell 15,000 - 20,000 cars in FL and AZ

 

The whatever-UV's from China and the US are similar, which is to be expected.  Remember the Chinese market is why Buick is still here and Pontiac isn't.

[60FlatTop]

Interesting topic. It inspired me to spend about an hour digging up my old user name and password for http://www.jag-lovers.org. I'm certainly not a new Buick buyer. I would choose a Silverado for new any day. The 30 year old they targeted can have my new Buick. I'll take a couple of old cars instead. And another Jag XJS would suit me just fine. It would be my third and I swear I'll keep the next one.

Funny how I am attracted to the original versions. They took the XJS and made it ride rough and noisy like a Ford Mustang and called it an Aston-Martin.

 

Did Robin every say "Holy Rolex, Batman! It's another knockoff."

Bernie

[smithbrother]

Some, SOME of The 30 age group may not be able to afford the car, do to price, but DON'T kid yourself, there are a lot of that age group making enough money to buy one. Also, it will help get that age groups ATTENTION towards Buick.

I'm a LOYAL Buick guy, NOTHING you can say is going to change my mind,

Dale in Indy

PS. You were 50 when the Reatta built, not 30.

Edited January 14, 2016 by smithbrother (see edit history)

[CarNucopia]

It's a Camaro with chrome around the windows and a Jaguar grille. Pretty sure that's Holden.

The last generation Camaro was Holden. This car, the 2016 Camaro and the Caddy ATS are the Alpha platform, which is different.

One of the challenges in justifing this car is the fact that the Chinese don't buy coupes. If the car doesn't sell in Buick's biggest market, it's a tough business case to make. The only rationale I can think of for making it is that they want to get serious about restoring the brand in the US and need an iconic car to help the process.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Buick64C (see edit history)

[Guest bkazmer]

the US market for coupes is also pretty weak.  If you make it a sedan (the Acura show car took that approach), how do you sell it in Cadillac's price range?  Maybe by the alternate style approach - it's much more attractive than all the origami style with a giant tacky shield exercises over at Caddy.

 

 

For the alternate approach, the new Lincoln Continental just screams old man car to me.  Dumpy and lumpy.  Bring on the vinyl roof.

[smithbrother]

What's WRONG with being OLD??? YOU certainly aren't saying US old fellows shouldn't buy/drive a coupe are you? I have a 600 HP Vette, I ran the quarter at 11.02, 122 MPH, also have a street touring Buick that loves 80 MPH, so at 80 still feel young.

I'm not a fan of the talk, "That's an OLD MANS CAR".

I'm having the time of my life at 80,

Dale in Indy

[smithbrother]

Imperial62,

 

Your profile says you are 78, that confused me.  SORRY.

 

Dale

[NTX5467]

IF Cadillac can make a business case for the CTS coupe, THEN one can be made for the Avista.  Reason?  The Avista is more "normal" in body shape with a rear window that's not basically horizontal.  At least it LOOKS useable for seeing out of, rather than that of the CTS coupe, which is flatter than the old Torino Fastback from the late 1960s, which did not have to have an inside rear view mirror from the factory.

 

For many, it's not the MSRP that matters, but the monthly lease payment.  In the first year of production, when demand is highest, the residual will probably be higher and the payments will be lower . . . at least for that first year.  Might need to pay for some "gap insurance", though, for good measure.  Notice how higher some of the newer Lexus monthly lease payments have become?  Much less Audi?  THAT can be a successful marketing tool for Cadillac!

 

I'm not "in-love" with the TwinTurbo V-6, but it's been in Cadillac products for a few years now, in the USA.  The engine family pre-dates that in Europe, I believe.  AND, to many younger customers, that means "high-tec".  Remember how Lexus drove much of what appeared on USA brands, including Cadillac, just for them to "keep up"?  Tires don't care how many camshafts or valves make the crankshaft turn, just that it turns.  Or that cars like Corvette and Viper seem to be excluded from the "got to be an OHC or DOHC 4-valve engine" discussion, as other cars seem to be right in the cross-hairs for that discussion to be considered "modern tech"?

 

The prior-gen "new" Camaro might have had Holden roots, which might also include Opel in that bloodline, but it was "Americanized" in design and construction, which can give it more "USA-cred" for many AND minimized some of the service issues we had with the G8s.  The current Alpha platform might have been designed to underpin higher-level products (as Cadillac) and then expanded to the Camaro as a "volume" move, which makes good business sense.  The basic chassis architecture can then be further customized for the intended vehicles' market with suspension tuning and such.  Still . . . the prior-gen Camaro was no real slouch, possibly a little "over-weight" in some areas, though.  Google DSSV Multimatic to find the SAE paper on the Multimatic spool valve shock absorbers AND how much tech is in that chassis!

 

In the later 1960s, Ford produced upscale Mercury sedans on the SAME wheelbase as the LTD, but with a few styling tricks and the general orientation that Mercurys were bigger than Fords, had great success doing that.  But by the time the middle 1980s had arrived, the Crown Vic could have been termed "import" due to its lack of USA/North American parts content if they'd sourced a VERY few more parts "off-shore".  Be that as it may.

 

NTX5467

[NTX5467]

Roberta, that is a GREAT article!!!  Kind of reminds me of some of the stories in Lutz's book about when he was at Chrysler in the 1990s.  How some "young guns" ended up doing some suspension re-tuning to make the particular small/midsize car better than the competition, rather than just another "floatmobile".  There are some things which have real, additional costs to do them, but others which can be done for the same cost as something mediocre or "follow the leader".  Suspension tuning/geometry is one of them, which can be leveraged to make cars that look great and ride/handle great, too.

 

It's also great that those two mutineers were given the power/empowerments to run with their minds and putting their dreams into a beautiful piece of hardware!  It's also great to hear that such motivations and desires still exist in "This Younger Generation", too.  Perhaps they can rise in GM as Ralph Gilles did in Chrysler?  NOT to forget that Brian Nesbitt "transferred" to GM from Chrysler and followed Lutz there.

 

IF GM had built the Cadillac 16, or one of the stunning concepts that came after it, it sure would have looked better on the showroom floors (and in buyers' driveways or in the parking lots of corporate executives) than the slab-sided DTS models they built!!!  "Elegance and Presence, with well-executed Technology" would have been

a better successor to their "Art and Science" orientation.  But SOMEBODY claimed it could not happen, and it didn't.  So we ended up with boring Cadillacs, at least until the Current Gen CTS and ATS appeared.

 

When Chrysler was molding golden eggs in the 1990s, their product approval process was streamlined and their innovative products came to market in about 36 months, which saved MASSIVE amounts of development costs AND allowed them to be more responsive to product orientations.  All of their assembly plants were running full-time and the workers received large profit-sharing bonuses . . . as GM and Ford were laying people off.  The cars which GM developed in a manner similar to Chrysler, with suppliers being at the same table when products were being priced, the late 1980s GM H-cars, were some of the best and most trouble-free cars which GM has ever produced.  But, in seemingly-typical GM fashion, back then, when those projects were completed, the staffs were scattered to other areas and "business as usual" seemed to return . . . rather than building on those accomplishments in a manner of gaining momentum in how to best do things.

 

There are times when the tail needs to wag the dog!  Let's hope that GM doesn't let their younger talent, Millenial Talent, get pigeon-holed such that their creativeness and respect for prior Buick models (or the prior models of whatever division they are working for) is NOT stifled!!!  Synergistic combination with engineering/production to "make it happen" can be great investments for GM to make to regain their prior position of a USA Car Company that's also "global" in nature.

 

NTX5467 

Edited January 15, 2016 by NTX5467 (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

Importing Chinese manufactured products, automobiles or furniture, can have things going on behind the cheerleaders. This article is interesting. It was brought to my attention by a local 90 year old furniture store owner, not a world class business millennial: http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-decline-of-an-american-furniture-maker.

 

I think GM was a "global" business back in the 1940's, as well. Didn't they retool the auto plants to build bombers to wipe out the Opel ball bearing plants?

 

I have one car from Detroit, three from Flint, and two from Texas. History can be overlooked at times, but the guy sitting across the table cheating today ain't going to sit well.

 

110 years worth of Buicks from Flint, plenty for me to pick from.

Bernie

[NTX5467]

THANKS for that link, Bernie!!  Sometimes, "stockholders/investors" can cause more problems than the extra money they desire to be in their pocket can pay for.  Being "fair weather friends" can be part of the mix, though.

 

NTX5467

[AC Fuhrman]

I really like the looks of the Cascada - have not seen one in person yet - but looking forward to it! (And I think it's an Opel design, from Germany to be built in Poland?) 'When Better Automobiles are Built, Buick will Build Them,' they never said where...

[avgwarhawk]

Avista.  I like it. A lot.

[NTX5467]

MSN Autos has a nice article, with help from "HOT ROD".  Kind of along the lines of the "MASHABLE" article.

 

NTX5467

[Thriller]

1st of all, it will never be built, so it's moot. Every year Buick trots out a Riviera-esqe concept to get our juices all fired up then like Lucy and Charlie Brown, it's aaaaaahhhhhh, boom!   And my back hurts as it is.

 ...

GM and Buick should know better and quit putting 2 door concept cars at the shows.  They are a four door sedan - SUV company. I would not be surprised to see them badge engineer the GMC Sierra.

LOL

Hey, if Buick had a medium duty truck, I could replace Max and have a Buick-only fleet. I'm thinking an Envision may just be in our future but I'll need to take a closer look.