Next Buick Excelle = Opel Astra?

[steve333]

Originally Posted by zete

Yes! That makes perfect sense.

A bit of GM's plan (old plan) now makes sense. Moving Opel up market allowing Chevrolet to slot in underneath is a great idea. And it allows Buick and Opel to align.

The Astra as the Excelle also works as it definitely looks upscale. I can't believe they won't have the coupe and other models as Buicks in China. And I hope they have them here as Buicks as well.

I'm seriously starting to believe that the G8 will be redone as a Buick and be Buick's flagship car. Heck, even the Solstice could be redone with a Velite like look and fit in perfectly at Buick.

Moving Opel up market just means dumbing down the Chevy Cruze. It has already been reported that the Astra will have better steering and handling than the Cruze. Meaning, the Cruze is really another Cobalt, so there was no need to change the name (we knew that already) and the Cruze will get middling reviews (we're seeing that already).

[jckjds]

With Saturn out of the way soon, the Buick/Opel pairing is perfect. It works stylistically and fits within the branding scheme -- slotting right in between Caddy and Chevy. It should also reduce Buick's overhead costs to nearly nothing. Opel's already doing the R&D, testing, etc. Buick just needs to produce the cars in American plants (assuming importing from Europe is too expensive), and advertise a little. Actual product changes should be limited to asthetics, such as the grill. I also like the fact that Buick would be completely differentiated from Caddy in the sense that it would be generally FWD near lux while caddy is RWD sport luxury.

[Stovebolt]

So I guess it's going to be

Daewoo-EuroChevy-Chevy/Buick-Opel-Buick China/Cadillac

With Pontiac taking one or two out of Holden and Holden itself taking a few extra models from everyone else?

Sounds pretty decent to me.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by steve333

Moving Opel up market just means dumbing down the Chevy Cruze. It has already been reported that the Astra will have better steering and handling than the Cruze. Meaning, the Cruze is really another Cobalt, so there was no need to change the name (we knew that already) and the Cruze will get middling reviews (we're seeing that already).

And we're seeing reviews where they say the Cruze is a solid contender that is light years better than the Cobalt.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by zete

Yes! That makes perfect sense.

A bit of GM's plan (old plan) now makes sense. Moving Opel up market allowing Chevrolet to slot in underneath is a great idea. And it allows Buick and Opel to align.

The Astra as the Excelle also works as it definitely looks upscale. I can't believe they won't have the coupe and other models as Buicks in China. And I hope they have them here as Buicks as well.

I'm seriously starting to believe that the G8 will be redone as a Buick and be Buick's flagship car. Heck, even the Solstice could be redone with a Velite like look and fit in perfectly at Buick.

Yes, but who would buy it? NOT MY GENERATION!!! We want sport inspired cars, like Pontiac and Cadillac. Definitely not Buick!!

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by jckjds

With Saturn out of the way soon, the Buick/Opel pairing is perfect. It works stylistically and fits within the branding scheme -- slotting right in between Caddy and Chevy. It should also reduce Buick's overhead costs to nearly nothing. Opel's already doing the R&D, testing, etc. Buick just needs to produce the cars in American plants (assuming importing from Europe is too expensive), and advertise a little. Actual product changes should be limited to asthetics, such as the grill. I also like the fact that Buick would be completely differentiated from Caddy in the sense that it would be generally FWD near lux while caddy is RWD sport luxury.

Umm haven't you read that the SRX and the DTS replacement will be FWD? It's basically one brand now. GM should just rename it to Cadillacbuick.

[oklapike]

Originally Posted by Xenon

Ahem...




So your G8 idea is kinda redundant eh? Besides by the looks of it,Buick NA will probably get what Buick China gets (Remember the 2010 Lacrosse is Chinese designed.)

Another beaut. Which, by the way, is itself a retooled Statesman.

[Smoothcat]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Yes, but who would buy it? NOT MY GENERATION!!! We want sport inspired cars, like Pontiac and Cadillac. Definitely not Buick!!

Then your generation (I'm 26, maybe ours are one and the same) is collectively a bunch of idiots. And understand, I'm not saying you are one of those. Anybody that would not buy a car they otherwise really like just because of the badge or name attached to it is a moron. The people of our country continue to amaze me in how they only care about what other people think of them. If I like a car I am going to buy it and not give a rat's behind what anybody else thinks about me. And if somebody DOESN'T like me or thinks less of me because of the car I drive, then I don't want to be associated with them in any way.

If bringing us (or keeping) these great cars means they have to be badged as Buicks, then by all means let's do it. I will buy a Buick. Heck, all it will take is one person that is "cool" to buy a Buick and the rest of the lemmings will follow anyway.

[chade]

Originally Posted by Smoothcat

Then your generation (I'm 26, maybe ours are one and the same) is collectively a bunch of idiots. And understand, I'm not saying you are one of those. Anybody that would not buy a car they otherwise really like just because of the badge or name attached to it is a moron. The people of our country continue to amaze me in how they only care about what other people think of them. If I like a car I am going to buy it and not give a rat's behind what anybody else thinks about me. And if somebody DOESN'T like me or thinks less of me because of the car I drive, then I don't want to be associated with them in any way.

If bringing us (or keeping) these great cars means they have to be badged as Buicks, then by all means let's do it. I will buy a Buick. Heck, all it will take is one person that is "cool" to buy a Buick and the rest of the lemmings will follow anyway.

I have to preach this to my wife all of the time. She is in her mid-20s and says that she can never drive a Buick because it's built for old people. However, I tell her to look at the new Buick (LaCrosse) and tell her its a different car company now. Much sportier than the LeSabre and Lucernes of old. I went to the auto show with her/my brother-in-law who is also in his 20s and is a german car buyer. He said "Wow" when he saw the LaCrosse and said he wouldn't be embarassed at all to have that car.

[Eric77TA]

Originally Posted by oklapike

Another beaut. Which, by the way, is itself a retooled Statesman.

From everything I've heard, we'd probably have the Chinese Park Avenue NOW if it weren't for the fact that Buick dealers said they didn't want it - that the Lucerne was more what their buyers wanted.

[CamaroCrazy]

Originally Posted by Eric77TA

From everything I've heard, we'd probably have the Chinese Park Avenue NOW if it weren't for the fact that Buick dealers said they didn't want it - that the Lucerne was more what their buyers wanted.

I remember the hellstorm that erupted on this board when we found that out. The gov't and the media says GM is resistent to change? It goes deeper than that.

I love the idea of having a Buick Astra in the US. But I'm going to join the argument that it needs a different name. If you want to get people my age (late 20-somethings moving into their 30's....growing incomes and starting families) I think you need a better name than Excelle or Skylark. We still remember the crap 80's and 90's Skylarks and the Hyundai Excel. Also, in this tech generation, Excelle in our minds = Microsoft Excel. I don't want a luxury hatch named after a spreadsheet or a bird that no one knows!

Enclave and Velite are great new names. Give us something with some freshness, style, and sex appeal.

Anyone else notice this new Astra doesn't have those ugly fender vents? Those things are useless, they really ruin the Regal/Insignia for me. Leave the portholes off too.

[mpsrent]

In Europe the Astra is a great car with far more engine options and features than the cheapo version that came to North America as a Saturn.

I see an Opel/Vauxhal/Buick marriage as the perfect fit.

Small cars don't need to be cheap cars and no one knows it or does it better than the Europeans. Even here in Canada we have a small Acura that isn't available in the U.S. The CSX has done well over the years for Acura as it has provided many Acura buyers with a way to get into their line up.

A quality small Buick would lead many buyers into the Buick line up. A great idea.

[Gerard]

If GM can get this Opel thing working here for once, maybe Buick can survive. The Astra proposal looks great.

[ChevroletGuy]

Perhaps the Astra will do better here as a Buick rather than as a Saturn.

[RedVee8]

Seems perfectly sensible to me. Allows Chev to sell the Cruze in China and Europe under the Astra from Opel and Buick. So, will Buick be stretched to the rest of Asia? or, is that an Opel zone?

re Park Ave, looks a beauty to me. They seem to be wearing the nicest wheels of all the Statesmen/Caprices/Veritas'/ParkAves around the world also.