Kansas City Star: GM Fairfax plant expected to build redesigned Buick

[1957wildcat]

confirming and adding to information discussed on this website: click below
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/821497.html

[Ambalanche]

Wow, I was expecting a sooner launch of the new LaCrosse. I was hopeing this had something to do with the Riviera.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

Wow, I was expecting a sooner launch of the new LaCrosse. I was hopeing this had something to do with the Riviera.

I feel that if Buick does not build the Riviera and soon, they have GM's classic corporate death wish.

[eb110americana]

Historically, large coupes have not done well in the US since the 1980s. The Lincoln Mark VIII, Thunderbird, Eldorado, Grand Prix coupe, and even the Riviera all died due to lack of demand. When things are more prosperous, people get a little more confident with their spending, but the way things are now, there's no way a large coupe would be a big seller of any kind. Sales volumes of the Mercedes CL, BMW 6, and the dieing Lexus SC430 are most likely very small.

The only way that a car like the Riviera could justify its existence would be to come exclusively as a hardtop convertible with 4 true seats. If they could parts-share the LaCrosse into this, it might work as a replacement for the G6 hardtop 'vert. These types of cars are often seen as must-have halo vehicles, especially with empty nesters and women who want a nice luxury convertible, not a cramped roadster, not a muscle/pony car, but a decently priced open air car. I could see Buick winning a lot of sales if they priced it between $30-45K. It would also make a nice flagship for Buick. None of that matters of course, if GM doesn't have the money to develop a Riviera...

[GMusa]

Originally Posted by eb110americana

Historically, large coupes have not done well in the US since the 1980s. The Lincoln Mark VIII, Thunderbird, Eldorado, Grand Prix coupe, and even the Riviera all died due to lack of demand. When things are more prosperous, people get a little more confident with their spending, but the way things are now, there's no way a large coupe would be a big seller of any kind. Sales volumes of the Mercedes CL, BMW 6, and the dieing Lexus SC430 are most likely very small.

The only way that a car like the Riviera could justify its existence would be to come exclusively as a hardtop convertible with 4 true seats. If they could parts-share the LaCrosse into this, it might work as a replacement for the G6 hardtop 'vert. These types of cars are often seen as must-have halo vehicles, especially with empty nesters and women who want a nice luxury convertible, not a cramped roadster, not a muscle/pony car, but a decently priced open air car. I could see Buick winning a lot of sales if they priced it between $30-45K. It would also make a nice flagship for Buick. None of that matters of course, if GM doesn't have the money to develop a Riviera...

Back when Chrysler was in trouble the first time around they did the Viper to show that the company is alive and going forward. The Riviera could do the same for Buick.

[Buick Riviera]

spring 2009 for the Lacrosse sedan.

[GMforME]

RIV
yes 09 CY 010 MY

[saturnista]

what does that mean 09 cy 10my?

[Hitman1970]

The Aura will go away in about a year from now?

Where will they produce the next Aura?

[nsap]

Originally Posted by Hitman1970

The Aura will go away in about a year from now?

Where will they produce the next Aura?

At the moment it sounds like Oshawa will get the Aura. Oshawa will also likely get the Regal (Buick badged Insignia), which will be for Canada and China. Currently the US is not slated to get the Regal.

GM has been shopping for a third Epsilon II plant for awhile now, and all indications are that the package the Canadian government provided them for Oshawa sealed the deal for them...

[rbost]

It is going to annoy me to no end if the Regal ( 'Buick' Insignia ) is sold in Canada but not available to us in the US.

Why not !?

[Hitman1970]

Originally Posted by rbost

It is going to annoy me to no end if the Regal ( 'Buick' Insignia ) is sold in Canada but not available to us in the US.

Why not !?

Do they have Saturn in Canada? If so, then it is not because of an Aura rebadge job. Would like to have the option of owning a Lift-Back Regal here in the U.S. I would take a Lift-Back Aura for that matter too.

[Z284ever]

Originally Posted by GMforME

RIV
yes 09 CY 010 MY

Woah. For a second there, I thought you meant that the Riviera is coming in CY '09.

[KingElvis]

A 'four door coupe' ala the Mercedes CLS could be a very viable Riviera and Buick's 'flagship.'

This new epi II chassis has some really doggy aspects to it - especially the cowl/firewall from hell. It looks like a minivan that was chopped and chanelled to become a 'sedan.'

[andretti2008]

Originally Posted by eb110americana

Historically, large coupes have not done well in the US since the 1980s. The Lincoln Mark VIII, Thunderbird, Eldorado, Grand Prix coupe, and even the Riviera all died due to lack of demand. When things are more prosperous, people get a little more confident with their spending, but the way things are now, there's no way a large coupe would be a big seller of any kind. Sales volumes of the Mercedes CL, BMW 6, and the dieing Lexus SC430 are most likely very small.

The only way that a car like the Riviera could justify its existence would be to come exclusively as a hardtop convertible with 4 true seats. If they could parts-share the LaCrosse into this, it might work as a replacement for the G6 hardtop 'vert. These types of cars are often seen as must-have halo vehicles, especially with empty nesters and women who want a nice luxury convertible, not a cramped roadster, not a muscle/pony car, but a decently priced open air car. I could see Buick winning a lot of sales if they priced it between $30-45K. It would also make a nice flagship for Buick. None of that matters of course, if GM doesn't have the money to develop a Riviera...

great point never thought of it like that.