Rumormill: Buick Astra coming in 2011?
Further bolstering rumors that the Buick brand is set to receive rebranded products from GM's European Opel division are reports from GM Inside News indicating that a small car based on the Astra platform – initially planned for the now-defunct Saturn brand – has been transferred to Buick's entry-level luxury division.
Assuming these rumors are true, we can expect to see the new Buick in North America in late 2011 as a 2012 model. At this point, nobody is sure if the car will show up as a hatchback or as a sedan or what the car will be named. Skylark anyone? No?
We're hardly convinced this is good news for Buick. While Buick-GMC dealerships that are about to lose the Pontiac brand might disagree with our take, we have to wonder if an entry-level Buick might compete with upper-level versions of the upcoming Chevy Cruze. Sound familiar to anyone else?
[Source: GM Inside News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
jjpg2000 2:06PM (5/06/2009)
It would be the first Buick I've ever been interested in (save the GNX)
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James 10:53PM (5/06/2009)
Buick could revive the "GS" moniker from the '65-72 era.
A souped up Opel "Astra" GTI fighter under Buick...the "GSX".
Luis 2:08PM (5/06/2009)
Buick in the US = FAIL.
Keep Chevy and Cadillac. Kill Buick and GMC. Redundancy kills any chance at sanity for GM.
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inline6 2:21PM (5/06/2009)
Right, 'cause GM really needs to kill the divisions that are making money for the company...
Mr.Oak 4:13PM (5/06/2009)
Enclave not a failure, about to be phased Lucerne out not a failure. Upcoming LaCrosse not going to be a failure.
Cadillac = Luxury/Performance
Buick = Near Luxury (will compete with Lexus, Acura, Volvo, Infiniti) Killing Buick would leave a big hole in GM domestic portfolio. That would cause them to either water-down Cadillac, or make Chevrolets too expensive.
Chevrolet = Ford = Toyota >Dodge etc., etc....
John 2:08PM (5/06/2009)
I'm still trying to figure out why Pontiac got a complete and total death, and yet Buick is still alive. I mean really? What the hell does Buick have that is of any real value to GM? It is ALL badge engineered, and competes with other products with in GM. Why couldn't they kill buick and then leave us with a pared down Pontiac (I.E. a Solstice and G8 producing Pontiac)?
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Taglane 2:10PM (5/06/2009)
So I guess Pontiac's whole brand wasn't just rebadges....
John 2:13PM (5/06/2009)
Never said it wasn't. But notice the two vehicles I said to save are either going to die in the only other brand they are sold under (Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice) or are only sold in the U.S. as a Pontiac (G8)
Throwback 2:19PM (5/06/2009)
Buick lives for one reason, China. China is the fastest growing market and will surpass the USA in sales. Buick is huge for GM in China, on par with any luxury brand their. GM is smart to keep Buick in house. Pontiac alas, has been dead for years. is there anyone under 45 who remembers what Pontiac stood for, or what they stand for now?
John 2:27PM (5/06/2009)
Why keep Buick U.S. though? We have a GM luxury devision, it's called Cadillac. We have an every Joe car company, thats Chevrolet. Pontiac, if they brought the brand back in line with it's ideals, could be the performance/enthusiast (And admittedly a limited production) line. Buick... not seeing a point. And Opel/Vauxhall are GM brand abroad, but we don't see them in the U.S., so what's the point of keeping Buick again?
paul34 2:36PM (5/06/2009)
I keep hearing Throwback's excuse from a bunch of people. I don't understand why Buick China requires Buick US. The fact is that it doesn't.
Does the existence of Opel in Europe REQUIRE the existence of Opel in the US? No.
Jake B 2:38PM (5/06/2009)
Agreed about Pontiac. My buddy for instance doesn't understand why his Pontiac Sunfire blows so hard. Well it might be because it is a shoddy piece of junk that is very ugly. Also it might be because Pontiac used to stand for something, something lost a long time ago.
JZeke 2:41PM (5/06/2009)
Buick as a luxury division can chase a different customer than Cadillac can (and should).
Has anyone driven a new Buick lately? They're very much a Lexus - soft, controlled, hushed.
Cadillac on the other hand is brash, inside and out. They can chase the Germanic luxury titans, offering firm suspensions, nurburgring credentials, massive engines. It makes a lot of sense to go this route so that GM can effectively capture both types of luxury buyer.
Pontiac on the other hand is overlap central. Everything it does, Chevrolet does better. Article A) Corvette. Article B) Cobalt SS. Chevy needs the G8 (and prolly the Solstice), and circle is complete.
Tom Miller 3:17PM (5/06/2009)
Buick will be the mid-price GM brand, and since Buick is a big seller in China, it makes sense.
Where will the Astras come from? I guess GM will buy them from whomever owns Opel. Fiat/Chrysler or whoever buys Opel. Strange world.
Aprime 3:24PM (5/06/2009)
But there's Chevy in Europe to compliment Opel, Paul.
why not the LS2LS7? 4:03PM (5/06/2009)
Because Buick also sells SUVs/large crossovers. It's a more complete brand. Pontiac only sold vehicles and small crossovers that were also sold as Chevys (or in one case, a Toyota).
You need to get over this. Pontiac is gone.
tuxchown 4:37PM (5/06/2009)
Pontiac duplicates Chevrolet. Buick is not a duplicate of Cadillac.
Flamespoke 5:07PM (5/06/2009)
I guess you've not seen the products slated for the Buick line up. Quality wise Buick has always been at the top of the J.D. Power list. If GM could make a decent small near luxury vehicle, around 25K, competing with Acura TSX, Lexus IS series etc. It could have a nice hit on its hands.
As nice as the G8 Pontiac is, I haven't seen many on the highway and the G6 is just plain dated. Furthermore Soltice, even though nice (needs a little more development) doesn't sell in the volumes needed to keep it around.
jv2k 9:25PM (5/06/2009)
"So I guess Pontiac's whole brand wasn't just rebadges...."
Besides the g3,g5, and that odd suv(honestly what was gm thinking, especially considering that pontiac is already paired up with GMC) it wasn't.
jv2k 11:10PM (5/06/2009)
"My buddy for instance doesn't understand why his Pontiac Sunfire blows so hard. "
If he likes it who are you to **** in his breakfast? And honestly they really aren't bad looking at all(especially compared to the boxes that passed for economy cars back then).
Hell I'd even go as far as say the last design was attractive.
http://www.dragtimes.com/images/16269-2003-Pontiac-Sunfire.jpg
http://images03.olx.com/ui/2/94/93/f_17429193_1.jpeg