Autoblog

Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, Cadillac, GM, Rumormill, Luxury

Cadillac's on-again, off-again plan to replace the aging DTS and STS with one flagship product - which may or may not be known as the XTS - is reportedly back on track. According to Motor Trend, the original plan to use the Zeta platform of the Holden Commodore and Pontiac G8 has been shelved in favor a stretched version of Cadillac's own Sigma chassis that underpins the smaller CTS. If there's any truth to these rumors, we should expect to see the new Caddy for the 2012 model year.

The demise of the DTS also spells impending doom for the Buick Lucerne since the two vehicles are built atop the same platform at the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant. MT reports that Buick will get two new models to replace the Lucerne, one of which may revive the old Invicta name from the 1960s. That mid-size sedan would replace the canceled Saturn Aura and be based on the Opel Insignia, which uses the same Epsilon II platform that's used by the 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

The second new Buick will reportedly be a notch smaller and will share its compact Delta guts with the Chevrolet Cruze but be fitted with the suspension adjustments pioneered on the Opel Astra. We'll just have to wait and see how that car goes along with Fritz Henderson's proclamation that he's 'not a fan of rebadging' if it ever sees the light of day.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Cadillac flagship to use stretched CTS platform, two new Buicks on the way? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick Reatta a design flop?

Chris Tutor — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Buick

The Buick Reatta a design flop? That's what a University of Michigan professor told The Wall Street Journal recently. Really? The Reatta is the one car that he could find to pick on as an automotive design flop? Sure, the high-tech coupe was overweight and underpowered, overpriced and under-appreciated. But a design flop? I think most of us would agree there are uglier, slower, more poorly-made cars in the history of automobiles. Our Dan Roth even called it a Future Classic not too long ago.

The story is part of a larger collection of design studies that looks at everything from blue jeans to concrete saws. One other automotive element of the series is a gushing story and video about Buick's Invicta concept car. If the piece is to be believed, the LaCrosse that may be based on the Invicta, will surely never make it onto a list of design flops.

So by that logic, fake, plastic portholes insure design success, but sexy, restrained style doesn't.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

Buick Reatta a design flop? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maximum Bob talks about Invicta and how not to rebadge cars

John Neff — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:34:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Buick, GM

Click above for high-res gallery of the Buick Invicta Concept

GM Vice Chairman Bob "Maximum" Lutz published a new post today on the corporate GM Fastlane Blog that addresses the automaker's newest concept that debuted recently at Auto China 2008 in Beijing: the Invicta. The concept heavily hints at what the next-generation Buick LaCrosse will look like, but Bob points out that the global architecture underpinning the vehicle will be the basis of new cars for Chevy, Saab, Opel/Vauxhall and more. In the past, we would've expected those accompanying models to be rebadged versions with different grilles, headlights and taillights, but Bob explains how GM's new global platform sharing process is different than the rebadging of old. In a nutshell, he says that the money saved from sharing common platforms see will be put into making everything that customer's will see - exterior and interior design, specifically - completely different. While it's great to hear Bob talk about how GM finally "gets it" when it comes to producing common products across an empire of brands, it's something that other automakers like VW/Audi have been doing for years while the General kept feeding us "triplets" of every model it made. So kudos to GM for finally getting it, but it took 'em long enough.

Gallery: Buick Invicta Concept

[Source: GM FastLane blog]

Maximum Bob talks about Invicta and how not to rebadge cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 May 2008 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beijing 2008: Live reveal of the Buick Invicta concept

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:18:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows

On the eve of the Beijing Motor Show ,General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner and Design VP Ed Welburn along with their Chinese colleagues unveiled the Buick Invicta concept. Your regular Autoblog team didn't make the trek to China for this show, but our cohorts at Autoblog Chinese showed up for GM's Premier Night party to check out what will be the replacement for the current LaCrosse. The car was revealed sitting on a pool of water, perhaps implying that it is Buick's messiah, standing by to breathe new life into the brand Stateside. Buick is of course thriving in China, and some of the same team that created last year's Riviera concept participated in the styling of this new model. This design riding on the Epsilon II platform is expected to make the transition to production pretty much unscathed although the roofline might be slightly higher.

Gallery: Beijing '08: Buick Invicta Concept

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

All Photos Copyright (C) 2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc.

Beijing 2008: Live reveal of the Buick Invicta concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Buick Invicta designers talk about their new concept

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:34:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows

General Motors has just put a video featuring the designers of the new Buick Invicta concept discussing their new creation. The video is part of a series of "Studio Stories" episodes that GM has been producing over the past year. Exterior design lead Justin Thompson and other members of the team talk about the approach they took to create the concept that debuted at the Beijing Motor Show today. Although the Invicta is labeled as a concept this sleek four door is thought to be very close to the LaCrosse replacement that will probably debut sometime next year. The Invicta carries over a lot design elements from last years Riviera concept that also debuted in China and was a joint effort between members of GM's North American and Chinese design teams. If the next new Buick actually stays true to this concept, there may be hope for the brand yet. Check out the video after the jump.

Gallery: Buick Invicta Concept

[Source: GMnext]

Continue reading VIDEO: Buick Invicta designers talk about their new concept

VIDEO: Buick Invicta designers talk about their new concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beijing 2008: Buick Invicta Concept debuts, say hello to next LaCrosse

John Neff — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, China, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for high-res gallery of the Buick Invicta Concept

Buick has dusted off the Invicta name, which hasn't been used by the brand since 1959, for its newest concept that debuted today at the Beijing Motor Show. The mid-size sedan previews the look of what U.S. customers will get with the next redesign of the LaCrosse sedan, and draws much of its design inspiration from Buick's most recent concepts like the Riviera and Velite. The Invicta features traditional Buick design cues like its waterfall grille and portholes, relocated on this car to the hood rather than the front fenders, but the rest of its styling is modern and fresh in a decidedly un-Buick way. The high beltline is a common element in many auto designs today, and is used well on the Invicta to give the concept a big presence for a mid-size car. We particular the shape of the lower air intake up front and the "sweepspear" character line along the side of the car. The sweepspear looks a bit like the sheetmetal kink on the Dodge Avenger, but so much better. The interior, meanwhile, appears surprisingly production ready with a wraparound dash and self-contained location for all controls above the sweeping center console.

Power for the concept comes from a turbocharged, direct-inject four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque, which is hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission. Since it's a concept, however, the Invicta's powertrain is pretty immaterial. We're interested in its styling since it's likely what we'll see on the next-gen LaCrosse, which is scheduled to switch over to the Epsilon II platform that's shared with the Chevy Malibu when it debuts as a 2010 model. According to spy shots, things are coming along quite nicely.

Gallery: Buick Invicta Concept

[Source: Buick]

Continue reading Beijing 2008: Buick Invicta Concept debuts, say hello to next LaCrosse

Beijing 2008: Buick Invicta Concept debuts, say hello to next LaCrosse originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beijing '08: Buick Invicta concept to be 4-door coupe

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:06:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Sedan, Misc. Auto Shows

During a pre-Beijing Motor Show conference call today, Buick provided some more hints about the new Invicta concept that it will reveal this weekend in China. We've had a couple of teases about what to expect and won't actually be seeing any detailed images until Saturday, but what we do know now is that the Invicta (from the Latin for 'Invincible') is a four-door coupe following the current trend started by Mercedes with the sleek and sexy CLS. According to Buick designer Dave Lyons, getting a coupe to look great is easy, but the four-door layout is something that holds more market appeal. The Invicta picks up where last year's Riviera concept left off and extends that design language. It continues with what he called the "Sweep Spear" curve over the rear fender. On the inside, the cooperating design teams in Michigan and Shanghai worked to create an environment that is both functional and a reported work of art, and the driving environment is meant to impart a feeling of calm and quietness to help reduce blood pressure. Also, in spite of the low roof-line, the designers tried not to compromise rear room like in other four-door coupes. Unfortunately, at this point all we can say is, "We'll be the judge of that!" Based on the description given by GM today, the Invicta looks very promising and we will likely see hints of the next generation Lucerne in this car. But until we actually see it, it's all just hyperbole.

[Source: Buick]

Beijing '08: Buick Invicta concept to be 4-door coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick releases second Invicta Concept teaser

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:33:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, China, Buick, Misc. Auto Shows

General Motors has been enjoying some serious success in China with its range of Buick models, and it hopes to continue that trend with the unveiling of the Invicta concept at the Auto China show in Beijing. We've already seen one teaser shot of the Invicta in profile and this newest image (on the right) gives a faint hint of the front end. We messed with the image in Photoshop to draw out some of the fascia's details, but the only thing that's really obvious is the swooping, Saab-esque headlamps and the kinked beltline originally seen in the profile shot above.

The Auto China show is right around the corner, so look for a full report in just over a week's time. Hit the jump to view the unmolested teaser.

[Source: GM via Carscoop]

Continue reading Buick releases second Invicta Concept teaser

Buick releases second Invicta Concept teaser originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick to show Invicta concept next month in China

Drew Phillips — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:26:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Buick

Click above to enlarge

Buick gave a sneak peak today of its Invicta concept car that will be revealed next month in China at the Beijing Motor Show. The design will be an evolution of the sleek Riviera Concept, and was a collaboration of efforts between various GM Design Studios around the world to create what Buick hopes will be a vehicle with international appeal in its two largest markets - the United States and China. The Invicta, a name which hasn't been used by the Buick brand since 1963, will also feature retro design cues from Buicks of the past. A short press release can be found after the jump, and look for the full details on the Invicta in just over a month when it makes its official debut in Beijing. We'll, of course, have someone there to relay back all the info on this Sino-American hybrid.

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Buick to show Invicta concept next month in China

Buick to show Invicta concept next month in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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