Buick to revive Skylark nameplate in China

[CaymanS]

The Skylark had its days in the 80's and 90's. The impression that remained of the Skylark was certainly not positive. However, GM did not market the Skylark outside of the US. So the nameplate will be revived in China for the successor of their Excelle compact sedan, based on the Daewoo Lacetti. The Skylark will sit on GM's new Delta II platform, which will underpin the next Cobalt, G6 and Saturn Astra.

The Skylark will be engineered and built in GM's Chinese facilities and it may be one of the first vehicles from GM China destined for the US. While we have little or no idea on how it will shape up, we can predict that it will be widely received in the US. The Park Avenue, based on the Holden WM Statesman, had a distinct interior designed in China and we still hear pleads from GM enthusiasts to bring it over to the US. While GM already had three compact cars in the pipeline, it wouldn't hurt for a fourth one. But the real question is: Are Americans ready for a compact Buick? We'll wait and see how GM plays the deck with this one.

[Source: Autoblog]

http://thecarblogger.blogspot.com/20...eplate-in.html

[paul8488]

They're wrong about the G6 being on the same platform (with luck there won't even be a FWD G5), but otherwise, interesting bit of info. Cheers to Buick and a second chance in China!

[paul8488]

Actually, upon rereading the story, I realise it's not very well written. A small Buick would NOT be widely received in the US. A fourth version of a small GM car certainly IS a bad idea. I don't like any of the sentences... they're all awkward.

Ummm... errr... hey, they're bringing back the Skylark name! Yay!

[kenman923]

Just take a Cobalt and put a Buick grille on it, then you have a Skylark.

[bhoppes]

I don't think there will be anything wrong with a compact Buick. People are looking for a car that is well built, dependable, and has good gas mileage. A compact Buick will be great. I think most people who buy gas-saving cars don't really car much about what kind of car it is....as long as it gets them from point a to point b.

[ChevroletRevived]

Wow, more of my Buick article gets confirmed everyday! This is really something I can imagine for some of the the naysayers who said it was "fluff". This is what Edmunds (the original source) has to say about Park Avenue:

"The new Park Avenue is based on the Holden Statesman and goes on sale shortly in China. IL has learned that Buick's U.S. dealers have asked for the car in late 2008 as an '09 model. GM has tentative plans to assemble a redesigned Park Avenue, based on its Zeta rear-drive architecture, in North America in late 2010, alongside a new rear-drive Chevrolet Impala."

All that in addition to saying the small car will becoming to the US in 2010 (same as my article predicted) and the name Skylark returning. Amazing.


You heard it here first:
GMI's Inside Sources Report on the Future of Buick

[Butz]

Yay we pleaded for the Park Avenue but we'll be getting the Skylark. I'm so happy

[nadepalma]

Excellent news -- it kinda coincides with a previous post dealing with the Excelle coming to the US market from earlier in the week.

I'm not sure if I like the Skylark name since I remember some bad things from the past.

Does anyone know what the difference was between the Skyhawk and the Skylark? Personally I like the Skyhawk name better, but that's just me.

Originally Posted by bhoppes

I don't think there will be anything wrong with a compact Buick. People are looking for a car that is well built, dependable, and has good gas mileage. A compact Buick will be great. I think most people who buy gas-saving cars don't really car much about what kind of car it is....as long as it gets them from point a to point b.

I like the idea. As folks are looking for smaller and smaller cars, I'd imagine that having a smaller-than-LaCrosse FWD vehicle will do well for Buick and PBG showrooms.

In addition to this, while everyone has made mention of the size, has anyone thought that perhaps it WILL NOT be exactly the same size as the Cobalt/G5/Astra? Honestly, it will be based on Delta II, but does anyone think that perhaps Delta II will be somewhat flexible and we'd see a Skylark with a slightly larger dimenions? For all we know a Buick Delta II based product that is stretched a bit might come in a bit closer to the size of a current Mazda6, TSX or old Ford Contour than the size of the current Cobalt or G5. Not EXACTLY as larger, but certainly maybe they'd get an inch or two in the wheel-base or an inch more in the width -- not that far of a stretch to image -- and Buick would get a more "bespoke" C (or C/D?)-segment product.

Just a thought -- but it very well might be what GM is thinking.

I like the idea.

Originally Posted by ChevroletRevived

Wow, more of my Buick article gets confirmed everyday! This is really something I can imagine for some of the the naysayers who said it was "fluff". This is what Edmunds (the original source) has to say about Park Avenue:

"The new Park Avenue is based on the Holden Statesman and goes on sale shortly in China. IL has learned that Buick's U.S. dealers have asked for the car in late 2008 as an '09 model. GM has tentative plans to assemble a redesigned Park Avenue, based on its Zeta rear-drive architecture, in North America in late 2010, alongside a new rear-drive Chevrolet Impala."

All that in addition to saying the small car will becoming to the US in 2010 (same as my article predicted) and the name Skylark returning. Amazing.

You heard it here first:
GMI's Inside Sources Report on the Future of Buick

Yup, all good stuff Tony --- well done!

[civilzues]

since when is the G6 moving to Delta II?

[CaymanS]

Paul, I don't think you're understanding the meaning of "widely received in the US". As both the Chinese LaCrosse and the Park Avenue were widely received in the US, especially with their amazing interiors, we expect the Skylark to do the same. It's coming from the same department, so why be so pessimistic?

[SRX7697]

looking at that picture makes me want to hurl.

[CaymanS]

civilzues, that's what I had in mind as the G6 is a mid-size vehicle. However, both Autoblog and Inside Line are reporting that the G6 is also in the pipeline to be based on the Delta II platform.

[steve333]

I would buy a small Buick. Buick for some reason makes more reliable versions than Chevy.

[GotAWD]

I think Buick should worry about getting sales better before getting more into the portfolio. it seems to be a good idea but for now just get back to crawling then walking then you can run for the sales.

[CaymanS]

You can see that when Buick fetches in a competent vehicle such as the Enclave, sales are going up. The Enclave has waiting lists everywhere and Buick hasn't faced that for a long time. The Park Avenue and the Skylark (depends how it will shape up) can be the "next" Enclave and face the same sales success. That will transist to higher sales because the current Buick line-up, except for the Enclave, is dull as it is and they need to act quick and bring in what we want.