Community Question: What Do You Want To See From Buick?
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When it comes to Buick, ideas of the brand’s direction seem to be all over the map. Should it stick to tradition and be a soft-spoken luxury brand? Should it be the “premium” niche brand between Chevrolet and Cadillac? Or can it perhaps operate in the same level of luxury as Cadillac, albeit with a totally different product portfolio?
While direction is one thing, nothing can be achieved without the proper products. So, we’re asking the ever-growing GM Authority community: what do you want to see from Buick?
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OMG BIG V8 AND RWD LOLOLOLOOLLL!!!11!!
Have any one of you who think Buick needs such a car ever stopped and thought why nobody is making them?
It’s not becasue it’s a market “waiting to be tapped by Buick”, and it isn’t “Buick ignoring their heritage”, it’s because nobody wants full-size RWD V8 cars anymore. Period.
all wheel drive standard on all vehicles
A revival of the GNX. That would be an AWD heavily boosted (300+hp) sedan available in any colour you want as long as it’s black.
Let me get a word in. I think GM knows what Buick is supposed to be competing against. I see a lot of people talking about BMW. No, folks. That’s the job of Cadillac. Buick is supposed to be GM’s answer to the lower ended (ie, front drive-based) Lexus models and Acura. Put that in perspective and it makes perfect sense.
I’d like to see a 2-door convertible. Call the luxury version the Skylark and the performance version the Skyhawk.
Call it whatever you want, I’d like to see a G6-like hard top convertible in Buick’s stable
I think Buick is just right where they are right now (Lexus competitor). But as we all see already, Lexus is making everything in their line-up to look like the new GS (sporty looking and being luxurious inside). So I think maybe Buick can add a little bit more sporty looking to their line-up. To me right now, the 2013 Enclave is already looking sporty (it looked like a boat on 2008-2012 but it still very good looking), and so is the Regal and Verano. As of LaCrosse, it can add a little sporty looking as a refresh.
http://www.lexus.com http://www.infiniti.com http://www.acura.com
Make a better version of every model on those sites….
It’s like World War II of luxury….Buick fights the Japanese brands and let Cadillac go to Europe to fight the Germans….Buick needs to go full luxury and don’t skimp on it….no more cloth seats, nothing but luxury and premium everything….
Buick will ultimately be killed off. There is no place for near luxury in the marketplace.
I love the Buicks, I would really like to see buick be the luxury brand than cadillac thats just my opinion. i would really like to see all the Buicks come standard with the safety features like lane/departure,hud, instead of having to add to cost of the car, it should be standard on all gm cars. I would like to see the Park Avenue make a comeback!!! Buick really does not need a large car I think the LaCrosse is just fine!! Of course i would noy buy anything other than a Buick (this is my 3rd Buick) I just think Buicks ride better and are alot more queitier than Cadillacs!! Sorry Cadillac!!
Please offer a High Performence Lineup, LSA and LS3 Engines
If we’re talking about Buick and the U.S. market, you folks are missing a key issue on one side of the equation. The U.S. (and probably Europe) are living on borrowed time. All but a small minority at the top are going to be looking to trim spending. We’re going to have stagnant or declining wages, higher taxes, inflation, or perhaps all of these, but ultimately less buying power in general. That’s a fact, and it won’t matter who gets elected. If you don’t believe that and are not preparing for it you have your head in the sand.
So what does it mean for the automobile market? I think all brands will be looking to trim costs just as their buyers will be trimming spending. Buick should undercut Lexus, which appears to be the strategy. But you can’t trim costs without innovation and speed to market, else the result is loss of market share. That’s the history of GM. If GM isn’t internally different today then the same fate will result. I’d like to see hybrid technology across all models, more practical body styles, engines with direct injection, diesels, more efficient transmissions, etc. But I’m a realist, so I have my sites set low on this one. I’m waiting to see if GM can redesign an armrest, and bring the revision to market without just dumping the issue into a mid-cycle refresh. That will tell me a lot about GM’s organization, and future.
They need to fix the current problem first. As the owner of a 2012 Regal GS, I’m already having transmission and steering component problems. No tune or hard driving on this car. It seems they tried to “market” this car to enthusiasts, but were really hoping bankers in suits would purchase them. It needs a sturdier clutch and beefier transmission components before they start trying to market this car as sporty.
Now, next up, the current line up is fine, however, if GM thinks they can pull the wool over people’s eyes by pushing FWD cars onto buyers, they’re in for an awakening. They need at the very least a mid size RWD car and it wouldn’t hurt to have a high HP RWD car for people who remember when Buick’s had some balls.
I just don’t get it. What kind of buyer chooses a sedan for a sports car, or for “sporty” driving — especially a brand oriented towards smooth, quiet, comfortable driving? I think of sedans as the car of choice for those who need to transport people — kids, carpool buddies, or old folks. But sporty driving? Don’t see it in a car more oriented for passengers. I’d choose a Miata, and dream of it being a Chevrolet made in Tennessee.
You don’t get it because you’re closeminded. The answer to your question is some people have families to include children, but still want to have a sporty ride. I gave up my MINI Cooper S for my Regal GS, which is marketed as a “sports sedan.” And just on the offset you didn’t hear, this is the new Buick. Long gone is the floaty ride cloud machines of yesteryear.
Offer a turbo in the LaCrosse, I seen reports where others are saying the e-assist is sluggish. I’m considering a Regal or LaCrose this yr but want a car with spunk.
I doubt they will offer turbo in LaCrosse. Because that’s where V6 comes in and Lexus only have V6 on ES350. But it’s possible that they can put turbo 4 on midlevels…
GM needs to shed some weight on these Buicks if they insist on these turbo 4s.
The LaCrosse is somewhat heavy in weight, it does need power, but the current V-6 gives poor gas milage.
A coupe would be great…….more standard items…..lumbar, power seats, etc in base Verano for a start……
Ever missed a Buick Road Master? well Buick was never in the same level as Cadillac even with Road Masters or Rivieras. BUT they were still Buicks. not Chevrolets not Cadillacs, but Buicks. long time ago Buick meant something. Buick WAS a character. but now it means almost nothing. It cant compete with Mercedes, BMW, Audi or even Lexus, Infiniti, Acura. the game has changed but Buck has not. nobody even follows the Buick news! you wanna know why? cause when you buy a Buick you cant say that I chose it between BMWs or Lexuses. you can only say that chose it between Buicks! it almost competes with nothing! no one leaves Cadillac, Mercedes (and of course BMW and Audi these days!) for a Buick but it’s OK. just as I said before Buick was never in that Class. BUT people should leave Lexus, Infiniti and Acura for Buick cause that is the class Buick should be in. Cadillac is now seeing better days and they are going to be the best as they were (when BMWs were jokes) and I say Buick must see better days too but in the right direction.
Give Buick back its own brand identity without badge-engineered Opels!!! Opel cars do not fit to the American and Chinese markets.
I think some of the answers have gotten off-track. For Buick to be successful, they have to define who they are in the marketplace. GM used to have the stair-step marketing niches in place back in the day – but most people don’t care about that kind of snobbery any more.
Lincoln is having the same issue: where are they in the marketplace and why should people buy one vs. a Ford?
Bottom line: with only four GM divisions (really 3 plus a redundant truck division of GMC), they have to fill the gap between Chevy, which is basic transportation, and Caddy, high end luxury performance.
It should capitalize on that very gap: more than basic transportation but not redundant, which means premium and sportier options in the near-luxury market space but not as much chrome and flash of Cadillac. Understatement but not as anemic and boring as Olds or Buicks of the 1990s – 2000s were.
I agree. The market for Buick is to undercut Lexus. I don’t see them being successful competing at the same level with the same products. Lexus and the others are too established, already offer considerable variety, and GM would just be playing catch up with Buick when they already have Cadillac anyway. Buick would be most successful capitalizing on what they do well (smooth and quiet). Where they need to improve is in their power-trains.
I think they also need something unique to attract attention. Boring sedans — more of the same — won’t get that done. Everybody offers sedans, so it’s already intensely competitive, and GM’s in particular are overly conservative looking.
When I saw the Envision Concept I thought “That’s It.” The odd, impractical doors one could do without, but the futuristic interior and outward design — that is what Buick needs to attract attention. But, of course, we will probably never see it. Too risky for the conservative thinkers that run GM.
Well, let’s backtrack a bit to figure out how we got here:
Lexus made its name and came to be what it is today by making smooth, quiet, luxurious cars of all sizes and classes. Reliability was also a big factor for its success. But 15 years ago, Lexus was nothing compared to the already-entrenched Benz and BMW. In saying that, I don’t think there’s such a thing as being too established… And if Buick wanted to, it could definitely be successful in eating Lexus’ lunch.
Ironically, the Lexus of today is confused and crazed with seemingly chasing BMW to a point that it has walked away from what made it great in the first place. Today’s Lexus emphasizes performance over comfort, sporting driving over silence. By doing so, it has/will alienate many of those who bought a Lexus because it was NOT a German performance luxury machine. And Buick should be there to scoop up the detracting customers.
So, Lexus doesn’t need competing with. It will erode its own loyal customer base without help from a competitor. Buick needs to do what Lexus did in the 90s and early 2000s: soft, quiet, luxurious, reliable, comfortable vehicles that have class. The kind of car you take to the Opera house… The kind of car a soft-spoken CEO would choose to drive.
Now, the question of styling is interesting. Buick doesn’t need outlandish styling, but it doesn’t need to be conservative either. It needs to be just right — simply beautiful and classy. Not brash and bold (Cadillac), but warm, elegant, and tasteful. That should describe the entire brand.
Finally, when we talk about the GM products we see today, let’s remember that they were all started at the Old GM (with the exception of the ATS). So until we see the wave of products that were started and finished by New GM, it’s not fair to characterize the people who run the company as conservative… or otherwise.
Well said Alex!
Agreed!! I beleive this is why Hyundai is getting successful. They’re not afraid to put out cars like the Veloster. Then again, after the Aztek fiasco, maybe this is why GM is afraid to experiment. Whatever the case, Buick needs to really take it up a notch.
Buick stayed when Pontiac died because Buick consistently was profitable for GM and Pontiac lost money as in major deficits. Buick customers are the most loyal and the brand makes money year after year. Also its quality of product was better with far fewer customer complaints. If all the rest of GM had operated as well as Buick there may not have been a bankruptcy. Now, for the other side of the coin…there is really no reason why Buick cannot have RWD or AWD performance coupe to replace the old GTO, such a Stage 1. It could have a ram-air twin turbo V6 or supercharged V8 similar to the ZL1 Camaro. Bring back the functional fender vents like the Regal GNX.
A Riviera GS sports coupe with similar power options would be a real statement that Buick can cover all the bases for its expanding customer base. Since Cadillac is going to have a flagship model, why not consider a new Roadmaster or Park Ave at the top.
This all cannot happen at once but continue with new models and use cylinder deactivation/stop start to save fuel with V6’s for Buick. Limit the 4’s to base engines as Regal GS needs a turbo V6 and there should be a LaCrosse GS with turbo V6 too. My first car was a 1967 GS400 with the star-wars air cleaner, it was totally unique just like the 67 Riviera GS. I want Buick to get back to being something special and unique to keep new buyers interest. Its not impossible for Buick to offer cars like Pontiac made so long as done gradually with emphasis on quality.