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!

 

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!

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

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.

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!

 

since when is the G6 moving to Delta II?

 

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?

 

looking at that picture makes me want to hurl.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

well in answerto the original question, depends if its a lightly reskinned G5/Cobalt or a Lexus ES type.

 

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.

In the 80s and 90s, the Skyhawk was Buick's J-car (Cavalier, Sunbird/J2000, Cimarron, Firenza, etc.) and the Skylark was Buick's N-car (Grand Am, Cutlass Calais, Achieva). The N was a little bigger and more luxurious.

I really think that the style of Skyhawk pictured in the first post is one of the ugliest cars GM has ever let escape from its styling studios. WTH were they thinking?? Also, kind of dumb to have two cars similar in size with such similar names. Change two letters on one and you get the other's name.

1989 Skyhawk:

1990 Skylark (is that a GS or T-Type? I dig the blacked out grille):

 

Delta II Buick, then what- Cadillac Cimmawrong revival!
A small buick should wait for Alpha.

 

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

Oh please... all the fluff will be revealed in a couple years.

You know what's funny? The date in the article isn't right, either. I suppose it still could happen, but it's not in the books yet for it to come here, and again the date in the article is wrong.

How about your other predictions? Is the Chinese LaCrosse coming? How about that "infighting"? Has it been settled yet? Or will you all of a sudden "confirm" your mostly BS article once again when it doesn't debut until after the Opel because Opel "won" the fighting?

It may come here eventually, but I will have a good laugh when the Skylark doesn't even debut in China until well after your "confirmed" date.

I will be surprised if the PA comes. It is more likely now that Zeta has been slightly delayed again, but before it wouldn't have made any sense.

 

Delta II Buick, then what- Cadillac Cimmawrong revival!
A small buick should wait for Alpha.

i kinda agree.

 

Great, (sorry for the partial re-post from Next Buick Excelle to be sold in North America? ) but:

I like the idea of a smaller Buick but think it should be based on the Made in Poland Astra 4-Door Sedan

http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm...our-door-sedan

This car is much newer in design and already offers the superior Ecotec engines, it has more room in it and could be joined in Buick showrooms by the Astra Estate and the Twin Top convertible.

I have no problem with Saturn offering the Astra Sedan, Estate and Twin Top as well, Buick can offer a standard 6-speed automatic and higher content.

Buick should offer a V6 in the "Astra" (Buick models would have either the Excelle or Skyhawk/Skylark name) at least when the Delta II is updated. The 3500 V6 should fit, not sure about the 2.8, 3.2 or 3.6L.

I really like the look of the Astra Sedan and the fact it has tons of room (both passenger and cargo) does not hurt and I am glad they are using a Buick name that meant something in it's early history.

 

Before the '80s the Buick Skyhawk and Skylark coexisted in the late 1970's. The Skyhawk was a Chevy Monza, Pontiac Sunbird (1st generation), Olds Starfire clone, while the Skylark was a Chevy Nova clone. My parents had a '79 Skyhawk hatchback with the 231 V-6 and a 4 speed manual with overdrive. It wasn't exactly the peppiest car around.

Buick has had a small car since the first Buick Special/Skylark compact in the early 1960's. This new car could be well received or it could keep Buick's name tarnished depending on how it is put together.

I think Buick could use both this entry level model as well as a new RWD flagship in its lineup to grab some badly needed sales. If Buick can build a strong momentum with the Enclave in the coming months, this Skylark and a new RWD Buick could definitely turn the brand around in a short period of time.

 

Terrible, terrible idea. Buick is supposed to be going after Lexus customers, is it not? How much demand do you suppose there is among those buyers for a compact car with a four-cylinder engine, four-speed automatic, twist-beam rear axle suspension and the same roofline as a Cobalt? Oh, I forgot, it will have a plasti-chrome waterfall grille, leatherette seats and plenty of plood on the inside.

Give me a break. Kill Buick before you ever give it a modern-day Cadillac Cimarron.

NOTE: This post refers to selling this Skylark in the U.S., not in China.

 

Wrong again.

I thought we covered this with "Chevrolet_Reviveds" factual yet "dream" line-up regarding past and present names?

 

Oh please... all the fluff will be revealed in a couple years.

You know what's funny? The date in the article isn't right, either. I suppose it still could happen, but it's not in the books yet for it to come here, and again the date in the article is wrong.

How about your other predictions? Is the Chinese LaCrosse coming? How about that "infighting"? Has it been settled yet? Or will you all of a sudden "confirm" your mostly BS article once again when it doesn't debut until after the Opel because Opel "won" the fighting?

It may come here eventually, but I will have a good laugh when the Skylark doesn't even debut in China until well after your "confirmed" date.

I will be surprised if the PA comes. It is more likely now that Zeta has been slightly delayed again, but before it wouldn't have made any sense.

Ouch -- okay, I take it you didn't like his article?!

 

i thought Buick was supposed to upscale.. why on a cobalt