Rear Wheel Drive Buicks on the Table, but not yet Approved

[nsap]

Alpha based Buick's aren't a go yet, and may depend on a Chevy counterpart.
www.GMInsideNews.com
December 3, 2012
By: Nick Saporito

Late last week speculation surrounding the potential of rear-wheel drive Buicks was reignited. In a report from Edmunds, it is asserted that General Motors is going to launch a Buick based on the rear drive Alpha platform that currently underpins the Cadillac ATS. While performance Buick's are currently under consideration, final approval may hinge on a sister car for Chevrolet, one similar to the Code130R concept car.

In recent months GM has been renewing trademarks for legendary Buick nameplates, such as the Grand National and GNX. It isn't uncommon for manufactures to hang on to historical names just in case, but the timing does appear to be peculiar considering other speculation surrounding rear drive Buick products.

Sources familiar with GM product plans have told GMI that Alpha based Buicks are indeed under consideration by the company, but at last report, have not been given the full green-light for production. The holdup is allegedly surrounding the business case of the program.

One source mentioned that the viability of Alpha based Buick's is likely hinging on the decision to produce a higher volume Chevrolet Alpha car, similar to the recent Code130R "youth concept" that GM launched earlier this year in the auto show circuit.

Rear drive rumors are nothing new at GM. Numerous speculation consistently surrounded the company's Zeta rear-wheel drive program that underpins the Holden Commodore. Unlike Zeta, the Alpha program has been given the global designation within GM product development, providing another hint that the company intends to leverage more global scale out of the Alpha architecture than it has with the larger Zeta platform.

Aside from the Chevrolet counterpart, sources have also said the company will likely test the waters with a Buick coupe concept car prior to stamping the program for approval. Buick employed a similar strategy with the Regal GS; showing the car as a loosely veiled concept car, gauging reaction, then putting the car in production. It's likely a safe bet Buick will examine the market's reaction to the Regal GS as well, considering it is the brand's first sporty car under its new direction. Early this year the GS was accounting for a respectable 12 percent of total Regal sales.

It is far too early to speculate engine offerings in potential rear drive Buicks, but GMI can confirm that the Alpha engine bay can fit a Generation V Small Block V-8, like the Edmunds report confirms. GMI sources did bring up a good point: if the ATS-V is going to use a twin-turbo V-6, why would a Buick get a V-8?

Currently only the Cadillac ATS is being produced on the Alpha platform, with an all-new CTS slated to launch next year on an enlarged version of the platform. It has also long been speculated that the sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro will be built on a variant of Alpha as well.

Sources have not been able to confirm when GM will make a final call on Alpha based Buicks, though it sounds like the company is still putting together the business case, and a concept car may be showing its face in the near future to help the business case along.

[poncho1982]

Rename it Monza, and for the love of God redesign it! I like the idea of the 130r but the Azteciness just gets to me.

Buick needs a small RWD to fill out it's lineup. Seems like a no brainer to me.

I like how they say the new Camaro will be on a "variant" of Alpha. A little bigger than the ATS perhaps?

[Live001]

Nsap do you have any news on the Code 130rs/Tru 140s? Any production plans in the future?

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[nsap]

Nsap do you have any news on the Code 130rs/Tru 140s? Any production plans in the future?

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Nothing has been decided on them (to our knowledge). GM is still gauging reaction from them as they wanted global input on them, not just North American reaction.

[Cobaltss_King]

Like I've stated before I hope we see a Buick based on a longer version of alpha and not one the same size as the ATS. Let Chevy produce the smaller varient.

[EJD1984]

This sounds like there is going to be an Alpha based Buick concept at the 2013 NAIAS.

I just hope it's not a Code 130r sized vehicle. That would seem way too small as a Buick rwd sedan.

[John Wilde]

Starting to save my pennies now. I need another turbo Buick.

[ChevroletGuy]

Nsap do you have any news on the Code 130rs/Tru 140s? Any production plans in the future?

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The Tru 140s would be a great Cruze coupe.

[Smee]

Like I've stated before I hope we see a Buick based on a longer version of alpha and not one the same size as the ATS. Let Chevy produce the smaller varient.

Agreed!

[tripowergto]

"It's likely a safe bet Buick will examine the market's reaction to the Regal GS as well, considering it is the brand's first sporty car under its new direction. Early this year the GS was accounting for a respectable 12 percent of total Regal sales."


If 12% of sales is still accurate(I doubt it remains such) that would amount to a whopping 132 Regal GS sales in Nov. Far from a solid business case for a future performance Buick variant. I like the idea of a mid-size RWD Buick but they best offer a coupe if they're gonna make the investment. Buick doesn't need another 4 door sedan or crossover.

[chris442]

No surprise it's not a done deal. It all seemed a bit too well sorted for never having heard about this before. Especially since this is GM we're talking about, and we all know that any actual decision to build a car must be proceeded by months of rumors. I think it's some obscure corporate bylaw that carried over from Old GM.

That said, I've always loved fast Buicks, so I'd love to see a new car that can go fast with class.

[PHAT-JAY]

I feel the 140 is not going to happen, nice car I guess, but still too 90's. I do see the Code 130r being produced for sure, it may not look like what we see now, but something similar to it...

[PHAT-JAY]

Good news, because I do see a chevy in the future.

[ne_one]

Nothing has been decided on them (to our knowledge). GM is still gauging reaction from them as they wanted global input on them, not just North American reaction.

At this point they've shown the two concepts in Moscow, Paris, Beijing and Guangzhou in addition to Detroit and LA.

The next public exhibit is a toss-up between Uzbekistan and Toronto.

[EJD1984]

BTW - Isn't Buick rumored to get a flagship variant of the Omega platform? A Park Avenue top-tier Buick.