Detroit 2008: Buick Riviera Concept makes it through Customs
click above for more high-res pics of the Buick Riviera Concept
General Motors has released new photos of the Buick Riviera Concept, which reminds us that we are that much closer to getting our first up-close look at this concept designed in China. The Riviera, which made its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show last year, will make its first North American appearance in Detroit in just a few days. Designed at GM's Pan Asia Technical Center, the Riviera will supposedly set the tone for the next generation of Buick vehicles. Design highlights include carbon fiber bodywork, gullwing doors, and a futuristic interior with blue ambient lighting. We doubt much of that will ever make into a production vehicle, but we do give two thumbs up to the team that designed the exterior.
While our first live shots of the Riviera Concept won't come for a few days, the new studio shots from GM can be found in the gallery below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Guenther 8:42AM (1/10/2008)
Re-inventing a brand is risky business- look at what was no longer my father's Oldsmobile and the new Bill Knapp's. Sure, neither were exactly on fire, but they had a reasonable customer base that ended up being scared away.
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The Other Bob 9:09AM (1/10/2008)
You are right, but Buick really doesn't need to reinvent itself. Instead, it needs to return to its roots, but do a better job at it. I think the Enclave does that in a modern way. If the Lucerne was a little more adventurous in it styling and interior, it too could do the same.
Dan 10:42AM (1/10/2008)
I'm sorry Guenther and Bob, but the only way for these traditional car companies to survive is to reinvent themselves. Let's face it, as you guys get older, the buying demographic gets younger and younger. They need to inject some edge into their production lines.
The sad thing is that they've got a ton of young design talent at their disposal, but the bean counters and traditionalists like yourselves hold the company back from truly breaking free and forwarding the design of the auto industry as a whole.
This is not to say that all cars need iPod docks, fruity details, and fugly quirkiness... but they DO need designs that don't look like they were crapped out of the 1980's design bin with modern internals (ala the new Taurus).
Domestics can no longer afford to let Japan and Germany push the design envelope. Time to be a leader.
On a side note, I like how the concept Buick pretty much looks like an Infiniti G37 with gullwings.
Richard 2:25PM (1/10/2008)
Dan wrote "... Let's face it, as you guys get older, the buying demographic gets younger and younger. ..."
That would be a big fat "No." Dan is describing Third World demographics, not demographics in Western Europe, North America, and Japan. In these countries, the birth rate does not meet the replacement threshold. Without immigration, populations in First World countries would actually decline. As they are, their populations are getting older, not younger.
What is more, older workers have more money. Because they are living longer and working longer, they crowd-out advancement opportunities for younger workers.
Advertisers may love the younger demographic, but it is the old people who have the money.
Kunikos 6:04PM (1/10/2008)
They may have money but money doesn't give you good taste. :P
DCragtop 8:47AM (1/10/2008)
Nice car...but all of the blue lighting gives me headache.
Hmmm...if this were in all black, w/red lighting...it could've been in the running for KITT. snnnkk...I jest. But the car does look really nice. Let's hope it gets through Detroit customs.
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C. McFeeny 8:51AM (1/10/2008)
I really do like the new design language that GM is using for Buick. I can definitely see the design cues on this concept in the Enclave. And I could definitely see this concept making it to production.
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John R 8:57AM (1/10/2008)
Some iteration of this should have come like 5 years ago. Does GM have any luxury coupes on a par with the G37 or 335i?
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Ligor 9:06AM (1/10/2008)
the CTS is supposed to bring that tye of competition
this should be softer otherwise GM will start to compete with itself again
John R 9:18AM (1/10/2008)
But there isn't a CTS coupe. That's my issue.
I don't think a Buick coupe would interfere with much, if any, CTS sales. The G35 sedan and G35/G37 coupe don't step on each others toes. Same with the Bimmers.
FThorn 9:12AM (1/10/2008)
This is a good looking design, and continues GM's recent swing away from crap.
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Jason 10:05AM (1/10/2008)
I just bought GM stock. This is getting out of hand with them. IMO every vehicle from them lately seems to be a home run and each one has a purpose. We've seen Saabs, Volt, CTS safety, the Caddy Provoq, Malibu is killing it, and people are actually liking their cars again. The stock is near a 5 year low. Time to buy...
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gotsmart 10:26AM (1/10/2008)
This is an absolutely stunning design (even without the gullwing doors).
Unique, distinctive, tasteful. There's nothing else on the road that looks like this. I would totally lust after one of these if it came into production. I'd probably buy this over a G35 coupe.
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Ron 10:28AM (1/10/2008)
DON'T TOUCH IT! Chinese paint is known for lead contamination! ;)
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GSP 11:44AM (1/10/2008)
一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。
tanooki2003 1:31PM (1/10/2008)
Ron you truly are an ignorant monkey
TriShield 10:32AM (1/10/2008)
Producing cars like the Riviera, Enclave and Holden-built Park Avenue isn't reinventing the brand, it's taking back to what made it great in the first place.
What is Buick without cars like the Regal, Park Avenue, LeSabre, Wildcat, Grand Sport or Riviera? It's nothing, a soul-less shell of what it once was.
Cars with striking design and heritage are vital to old brands like Buick who have a rich heritage and image they can build on. It's time GM made real Buicks instead of milquetoast cars that GM tries to say are "just like Lexus". American brands shouldn't be remodeled after foreign brands, they should be remade into what made them great in the first place.
As for the Riviera, it's a good basis. It's too Asian looking but with some restyling it could be a killer luxury performance car for Buick.
Make it so GM.
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tanooki2003 10:37AM (1/10/2008)
Wow now this is amazing.
It took traditional bad American GM design and also mediocre to sub par quality to drive me to complete hatred towards GM for many years. It now takes the Asian GM design to almost completely win me back over to GM. Go figure.
Maybe there is something here that needs to be said for all American auto designers for not just GM but Ford and Chrysler.
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Dan 10:45AM (1/10/2008)
Agreed.
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Martman 10:58AM (1/10/2008)
This looks stunning, and this is where Buick could be headed. Now all we need is a turbo diesel option.
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