We’ve spilled quite a bit of ink over the past few weeks detailing Buick’s future plans and upcoming model changes, but we’ve saved the best news for last. And in this case, the best comes in two parts.
First up, it’s highly likely that Buick will sell the Opel Adam in the United States. According to an Automotive News report, the new Buick-badged Adam won’t arrive until at least 2018, at which time the model will already be up for its second generation. The Adam is currently unavailable in America since it wasn’t engineered to meet various U.S. road-going specifications.
Though we have received mixed messages on the Buick-badged Adam in the past (see here and here), selling the Adam in the States is welcome news for the premium brand, and would be another sign that Buick is ready to invigorate its car lineup, currently at three, with a new model. That said, the market for a three-door subcompact/city car in America is admittedly small… though not necessarily non-existent. It could even have a “halo effect” for the premium brand.
There’s also good chance that Buick will offer a wagon variant of the next-generation Regal in the U.S. and possibly in China. The vehicle will essentially be a Buick-badged variant of the next-gen Opel Insignia Sports Tourer, Opel speak for wagon, which is why we expect it to hit the U.S. market as the Buick Regal Sport Wagon.
2014 Opel Insignia Sports Tourer
A diesel engine in the Buick Regal Wagon might not be a choice of many, but it would certainly draw attention to the brand from wagon and diesel enthusiasts, helping to dust off its Septuagenarian sheen. And it should go without saying that we already have our fingers crossed for a high-performance GS model with all-wheel-drive and a manual transmission.
Comments
Adam is a no-brainer for Buick. In one move it lowers their demographic walking into showrooms and entry level pricing. Not to mention it will go after fumbling Fiat in America.
My only wish is that they find their way to a Voltish Adam. To go directly after Prius C. I think most young buyers can live without a real backseat and so this thing could get serious mileage.
You read my mind in regards to an electric, Bolt-based Adam to do battle with Prius. I, in the long term, think that there is market space for an Adam family of products topped off with a real Adam cross over to do battle with Jute and complement Mokka /Encore.
I’m still partial to Chevrolet getting Adam, however. Volume would be considerably higher and I’m not sure as to whether Adam fits into the premium space anymore than PT Cruiser did over at Chrysler back in the day. Quirky doesn’t necessarily equal premium and Buick needs to be a real threat to Japanese and Korean luxury.
That is why the wagon and Aveair are suck perfect fits.
It is a dicey proposition, isn’t it? Exactly what to put where and why…
I could see a world where Adam lives in both Chevy and Buick worlds, a la Trax and Encore.
In the Chevy world I’d see it as one ‘Scion’ trim level. No cheapness, no splurging. Just a car to finally rival the classic Volkswagon bug. It’s got everything including an engaging price. Perhaps like Scion it’s a fixed price. Lots of colors/interior fabrics if you’re willing to order one. A car any college grad could afford to own or lease. The problem would be stepping on toes of Spark and Sonic — but perhaps it’s time to step on those toes.
In the Buick world perhaps two trim levels — FAB and EDI. (FAB = fabulous trim, two tone paint, plus zippier engine. Edi = Edison = electric.)
I’m just spit-ballin’ but that’s basically the type of idea I see.
Regarding a wagon — I thought those things were over? Personally I don’t care what people think is ‘in’ or ‘over’ or I never would have bought a Buick in the first place. Just sayin’ there.
The Avenir has really grown on me. It is distinctive.
THIS JUST IN BEFORE EDIT TIME DIES — What is CRITICAL is that Chevy/Buick dealers can’t make the poopiface if Adam is all you can afford or want. Upselling makes it too tempting to offer a disappointing Adam.
Both Spark and Sonic make Kia look down right fancy. Neither model keeps pack with Opel’s Corsa or Ford’s Fiesta.
Within the Chevrolet lineup there is space for an every-man’s Mini Cooper sold at slightly below the Fiat 500 ‘s price point.
Such a strategy would create profit from volume and help Chevrolet regain the coasts and major cities. An inexpensive Adam could be the first step in creating lifelong Chevrolet drivers.
Adam is too basic for a premium /luxury brand. The vehicle with be compared to FIAT which will harm brand image. I also think Adam will be too inexpensive for a premium brand.
This is more like it! The Buick brand is sure to see a surge in growth and notoriety with the likes of the Adam and Insignia Wagon; and with the OPC boys and gals hard at work with the performance-oriented variants for the next gen models, this could mean that the Buick brand is poised to rightfully usher in some premium, small performance cars with an affordable price tag!
Now hopefully GM will get us that 2.8L TT V6 to grace the Buick lineup!
there’s a good chance that Buick will offer a wagon variant of the next-generation Regal in the U.S. and possibly in China. The vehicle will essentially be a Buick-badged variant of the next-gen Opel Insignia Sports Tourer,
great, this good information. thanks.
auto Price release
The last Opel that I know of in America was the Cadilllac Catera, a rebranded Opel Omega. Let’s hope they do a better job with marketing and quality this time.
Buick Encore/Chevy Trax = Opel Mokka. Buick Regal = Opel Insignia
The Saturn Astra was a re-badged Opel Astra…..
The Buick Verano is essentially the current Opel Astra.
The upcoming Buick Cascada will be a re-badged Opel Cascada.
opel omega was super this days- qality and other things. and all disain outside and inside.
and black
The wagon looks sweet. I’ll need a replacement for a Saab Sportcombi in a few years – that looks close.
I hope Buick doesn’t tart it up too much. The Buick hood vents for example on the Encore really add undeserved tackiness.
Perhaps one could seek the aftermarket rebadging kit – turning a Buick back into an Opel.
Well a wagon and Adam are risk in this market but Buick is just where you take these risk. Their price point and their sharing with Holden and Opel along with China sales will make them profitable even at lower volumes here. So this minimizes the risk.
I think that the Adam will be more targeted at the Mini vs. the 500 as it will cost more but it will be a better car than the 500. Lets face it the little more the Mini cost it is a better car by far.
As for Volt like Adam. Here is the problem. Where are you going to put everything? If you do a battery only it will be a Spark electric and the price difference with in GM will kill you. Even the other all electrics in this range are not seeing great sales. GM would love to see it but the sales just are not there.
Second if you do a Volt like drive line where would you put the gas engine and battery. The Volt battery is larger than the Adam and the place the electric motor goes would also have to house a 3 cylinder engine too. Not sure you could fit all that into a car this small. It would be nice but I think there might be size limits on the volt driveline.
I doubt that a NA spec Adam would be a 3 cylinder. Also, the Adam, like Corsa, will be riding on a new, presumably scalable platform, so one might expect a larger Adam varient on par with offerings by Mini and Fiat. (I suspect a small family of Adam offerings including a small CUV option).
New platform will allow for an electric power train depending on the market demands of 2018. GM would be foolish not to utilize it’s leading electric and Voltec across a wider range of autos given development cost.
Without doubt, future free trade agreements with make Opel-based products pure profit here in the States while also jelpihelping helping GME utilize capacity.
No it will be a 4 as Chevy already offers the 3 in a Spark.
I do not expect an Adam CUV with the Encore already here.
I do not expect Voltec there as too little room. Now Bolt Technology you have the room for the battery by removing the engine. But you have to make sure to you do not step all over the Bolt price or over price the Buick.
Voltec is difficult in very small cars as where do you put a ICE, Electric Motor and a battery large enough to get you anywhere along with 4 passengers. Look at the Volt Battery and see how much room it takes to just go 52 miles.
Now in the future with smaller batteries it will get easier but they are not here yet.
“As for Volt like Adam. Here is the problem. Where are you going to put everything?”
You’re mixing lots of things in one series of responses. Firstly I’ll reword part of your response to the question, “Is an Adam Bolt technically feasible?” Adam Bolt = entirely electric Adam.
Answer — I don’t know. However, I’d presume that if the bigger Bolt with it’s big backseat is, a smaller Bolt without a backseat (Adam) is reasonably possible.
LOL, now I know you’re going to stumble over that no backseat concept. I think there is a market for young buyers who don’t need seats three and four. But they do want the hatch storage. A car missing two (lame ass) seats is also missing the cost of additional airbags, rear vents, etc. That would create room for batteries. Plus — if a car is limited to two people in it, it would get slightly better mileage because the back would typically be empty. Lose the spare if you need more battery room — but you probably won’t.
“If you do a battery only it will be a Spark electric and the price difference within GM will kill you.”
Who said the Spark must be kept?
“Even the other all electrics in this range are not seeing great sales.”
You do understand EV cars are still in their infancy? And ultimately unavoidable? Right? That we don’t have a choice to go back to petrol based on poor EV sales? Right?
The reality is that once Tesla and Chevy spoke of future Bolt like cars all Volt like cars were screwed. Suppose the Bolt comes out and starts off as a big hit. But then seven months later someone at GM says, “Umm, in three years we’ll have a Bolt that charges in 15 minutes as electric ‘gas’ stations!”
Guess what’s going to happen to Bolt says? No, go ahead. Guess.
John you really have a lot of good ideas of where the industry wants to go but the fact is we are no where near getting to these ideas.
Size of batteries still have a ways to go. The weight of batteries have a long ways to go. We will not see 15 min charging in anything but Toy RC cars in the near future. Even now the charging we have that is faster generally shortens the batteries life.
Even then 15 mins is way too long for many people when they can refuel their gas car in half that time.
The problem is you are dealing with ifs and the industry can not survive on if’s. What dictates the futures are the whens. It is when we get faster charging, when we longer range, when we get smaller batteries. It is a matter of time but there is no time table as we are still doing the work to make these things possible. You can not put a time frame on that. Then you have to make sure it can be done at a price you can sell the product at once you do discover it.
The EV market is a slow growth segment and that is what we need. We can not over sell these cars and disappoint customers as if we do then they will be reluctant to return. As the products improve more people will come into the segment.
Right now EV cars are more a live style vehicle as you have to plan your life around them vs. an ICE where you can just about do anything anywhere you want in the time you want and as long as you want and not have to change your plans for charging and the path you choose to travel. Majority of the people are still not willing to give that up.
Like wind and solar power. When I was a kid we were all told we would all be on free solar and wind power. Well it is here but the growth is small. We are not exactly close to being able to power everyone to their full needs on these technologies. Some would like to make you think we are but we are far from it. Even now we are at risk not being able to power the future growth on normal power plants as the government has slow permits to build the ones needed.
The EV market needs to be here or no investment will be done. With no investment improved system will not exist. With out improved systems the vehicles will never improve or become cheaper. If anything I hope the investment into the Mars Program will surge our technology investment and speed things up. We gained so many things from the Moon program and a Mars program will change life here on earth in ways we can not imagine. The speed at technology growth today with such a program will be to the 4th power compared to the moon.
One of the keys to the program is energy systems. That will effect our lives at home and on the road.
So right now deal with what we have and not the what if’s and the suppose concepts. You have the right idea where this is going but you are farther down the road in expectations than what we really are.
Should say — “Umm, in three years we’ll have a Bolt that charges in 15 minutes AT electric ‘gas’ stations!”
My understanding is the next gen Regal and Insignia will ride on an E2XX platform like the new Malibu.
The Malibu has a very nice Volt derived hybrid system. I would love to see a Buick Voltec Wagon with the Volt’s 18.4KWh battery. In fact I would be waiting cash in hand for one.
1) A diesel Regal wagon would replace my aging TDI Jetta wagon perfectly. It would be my first Buick. Anyone at Buick listening?
2) If they import the Adam, they’d need to re-name it.
I say call it a Buick Opel. Leave the blitz badges in place. If Fiats sell in the US, Opels would sell. They’d sell a handful to weirdos like me who’ve been driving German Opels all of their adult lives; they’d cash in on some European snob-appeal; and they’d be giving some overdue props to the GM division that has saved Buick’s bacon.
Anyone at GM listening?
THE 2018 BUICK OPEL