Buick is dropping its CX, CXL, and CXS trim levels, brand executives announced at last week’s Buick Immersion Program at GM’s Tech Center, where General Motors mapped out the keys to Buick’s continued success to employees who work with the premium brand.
“It isn’t befitting a premium brand. No other premium brand has those designations,” said Craig Bierley, Buick-GMC director of advertising and sales promotion. “It implies a hierarchy — that there’s a cheap one, a middle-level one and a really, really nice one.”
Instead, Buick will reconfigure the line-up, current and future, to have packages with increasing content levels for the 2012 model year. Customers will also be able to select major features such as navigation systems, sun roofs, and larger wheels in an a-la-carte fashion.
Mr. Bierley also said that the change will likely result in Buick increasing content in base models, including large color displays for electronics and cabin control. This would most likely increase the price of the base models, he said.
This is a step in the right direction for Buick in becoming a true premium brand to fight the likes of Lexus and Mercedes. Both of these brands have non-trim level packages that can be configured with different options, so the GM Authority crew welcomes Buick’s decision wholeheartedly.

The Buick Lineup for 2010. Notice the one vehicle that doesn't fit in? (Hint - it's the Lucerne)
It’s finally official! According to top Buick execs, Buick plans to add a compact car and a small crossover to its lineup in the near future. The third model is one we’ve known about for almost a year and is none other than the Buick Regal midsize sedan. It’s showing up in showrooms across the U.S. and Canada as your read this. These plans were announced at the Buick Immersion Program at GM’s Tech Center, where General Motors mapped out the keys to Buick’s continued success to employees who work with the premium brand.
By introducing the three new models, Buick will expand into 47 percent of the market, said Brian Sweeney, U.S. Sales and Service Vice President for Buick GMC. Currently, Buick only competes in two vehicles segments with its LaCrosse (large) sedan and Enclave (large) crossover.
“Buick is the fastest growing brand in the industry,” Sweeney said. “And we expect to double our sales in the next few years.”
Luckily, we’ve already caught a glimpse of Buick’s upcoming compact sedan in spy shots and in filings with the USPTO. It will share GM’s global Delta II architecture with the Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra and will most likely wear the Verano nameplate in the United States (Excelle in China). As for the MPV, we’re hearing reports that it will be styled like a “baby Enclave” and will use GM’s global Gamma II architecture shared with the all-new Chevrolet Aveo. Both Gamma-based vehicles will be produced at GM’s Orion facility, with tooling for the new Aveo being shipped to the plant soon.
Currently, we don’t know whether the Buick MPV will make its way to Buick’s other markets such as China. Stay tuned as we learn more!
[Source: The Detroit News]
