General Motors is still in the process of acquiring the trademark for the word “Riviera”, GM Authority has learned. Originally filed on May 3, 2012 with the USPTO, the status of GM’s application was last updated on March 12, 2013 with the status of “Published to USPTO Gazette for opposition period on 3/12/2013.”
The status, in particular, signifies that the trademark and its details has been published in the Trademark Official Gazette (TMOG), which is released every Tuesday. Publication in the TMOG commences the period of opposition for some of the marks listed in the publication, providing those against the trademark application being approved an opportunity to oppose the filing.
Since Opel showed its Cascada convertible, the two-door soft-top cabriolet variant of the Astra, enthusiasts have recognized the likelihood of the car making its way to North American markets as a Buick. Last week, Opel’s chief of strategy Thomas Sedran confirmed a directive from General Motors to explore the possibility of bringing the Cascada to China as a Buick… and we think that Riviera would make a great name for just such a vehicle. So, given that GM is still pursuing the Riviera name, we think there’s a better-than-average chance that The General will use this name for Buick’s Cascada… at least in North America.
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Comments
NOOO, no FWD vehicle should be called the iconic Riviera. What a disgrace to that vehicle!!
Whoops, The Riv was FWD:)
Glad you corrected yourself! What you meant was that the cool ones were RWD (except for 77-78 “LeSabre” rivs). I liked the ’79, BUT wow those drove weird with their 70/30 weight distribution. Felt like driving a tractor.
Growing up a family friend had a mint 67 with “seafoam green” paint, it looked like the Batmobile!
Give it 2 more doors no one whets a 2 door now a days. Make them suicide doors. Let’s mix it up a bit.
I think a 2 door convertible would be fine.
However an Astra sized Riviera does not seem right. Rivs were always larger vehicles.
Two more doors is the Verano minus the middle seat in the back.. have you used suicide doors? They are an absolute pain in the ass
Some names are best left inside the history books.
Amen to that! Grand National & GNX should also be left alone. If Reuss is determined to offer performance Buicks stick with the “GS” and possibly “GSX”.
You’re right. I remember than Opel introduced the new Opel GT in Europe which was a rebadged version of the Saturn Sky roadster, and was criticized by fans and journalists for it, because this car had nothing in common with the original GT from the 60s with its unique styling. The same thing with the Cascada, where most people thought that Opel would call it the Calibra and many were against it because a new Calibra needs to be based on the Insignia and not on a compact car such as the Astra. Sometimes it makes sense to take a new name.
The Cascada is a premium large convertible with exceptional build quality & performance & fit to have whatever name Buick decides.
It says it is a 2 door Astra. So it is even smaller than an Astra?
C-segment. Compact vehicle. I think the size of a Cruze?
Here in the US that is a pretty small vehicle. Very unlike the last Riv.
Riviera 207″ long
Astra 3 door 169″ long.
over 3′ shorter.
It’s based on a stretched Astra platform & called Cascada aiming at BMW 4 series & Audi A5. (Maybe we may get a smaller Astra convertible in the future not sure).
OK, it is bigger. 185″, but still 2′ shorter than the last one.
For all intents and purposes, the Cascada is a convertible Astra. Yes, it is stretched (very, very, very slightly), but the underlying architecture is still that of a compact vehicle range (Astra, Delta II).
This doesn’t make the Cascada “large” or “midsize”… in fact, midsize would be 190-195 inches in length (think Regal/Insignia coupe, CTS Coupe). Rather, the Cascada is clearly a compact, and Opel is being coy by (trying to) market it as a size larger. It’s a good marketing practice, but customers will notice its size (positive or negative) upon looking at it, sitting in it, or driving it.
As attractive as it is, this drop top Astra is no Riviera. This Opel Cascada tuned Buick is at best a “Skylark” or perhaps simply a “Buick Verano Cabriolet”. Save the “Riviera” name for somthing really special!
As for V8 large saloons & coupes with aggressive body kits on, wide wheels & two/four large exhausts, blacked out rear lights (and of course RWD) that’s what me & some others want wether they build it, well that’s another thing.
Tbh I like the old names & wish at times they’d stuck with them, they mean things to people (life’s experiences, fond memories etc).
Cascada btw is longer than a Audi A5 cabriolet.
But here in the US the A4 and A5 are considered small/inexpensive/entry level cars (for luxury vehicles). The A6 is what most successful/established professionals buy and that is more like what the Riviera market was. And even the A6 is a foot shorter than the Riviera.
Early Rivs were 224″ long.
Just saying that here in the states a tiny car like the Cascada would not have the presence of the past Riviera. Good or bad.
If I saw correctly Automobile Magazine suggested that the Riviera is coming back as the Buick version of the Large Alpha or on the Omega platform with a Twin Turbo 3.6.
Not sure of the drawing they had but it was one hell of a good looking sedan. It had a little Maserati flavor to the quarters and roof with a Buick nose and port holes.
Opel’s chief of strategy ; Thomas SEDAN? Is this an early April Fools Day article?
Did you take the R out of SedRan to make you a horfinator?
I think you made the same joke the previous time Mr. Sedran’s name was mentioned.
Many executives over here buy 5, A6, E class etc & their performance counterparts, also this class of car buyers tend to be very loyal (possibly why Cadillac struggles) & also as to why we need a new Omega & even Senator flagships.
Opel won’t bring a coupe version of the Cascada to the market because it would cannibalize the sales of the Astra GTC which is actually their coupe.
I’m okay with GM bringing that over as a entry level Buick of some sort to fill out their lineup. But if that’s their idea of a Riviera, GM better get used to being the second or third largest automaker.
My gut feeling is the dark days are behind GME & I’m expecting Vauxhall, Opel (some/all may go to US as Buick’s) to launch (this being the first of) a new Calibra, new Monaro, new Omega, a replacement VXR8 & Maloo & a new large SUV. Hope I’m right 😀
On the Internet there are many pictures of future possible Vauxhalls, Opel’s just not sure if genuine probably non are however there is a nice desirable 2dr Insignia (Regal) nicknamed Calibra.
Calibra needs to be Insignia based.
The VX220’s replacement the GT we never got here because it was LHD (and also fwd if I remember).
The GT was a totally flop in Europe. Opel/Vauxhall needs practical sports or luxuary cars with a strong image and higher sales figures. The Cascada is a good example and I am waiting for a new Calibra based on the Insignia. They had a great concept car called the GTC Concept.
GM needs to bring more Opel cars to the US whether imported or produced locally. The US and Canada do not have high duties like China, so an import of various Opel cars would pay off. What about Astra 5 door, Astra GTC, Astra Sports Tourer or Cascada?
You won’t be disappointed the Vauxhall & Opel brands produce excellent high quality cars at a higher end of the budget. Performance models VXR Vauxhall & OPC Opel are the quick ones, SRi (Vauxhall) reasonably quick.
They’ve also had a large coupe called Enigma witch uses a 6.2V8 looks ok but me personally would like to see more aggressive styling on it (spoilers, air scoops, skirts, wider wheels etc) not sure if its coming or just a one off design. Future Monza/Royale or Monaro maybe?
It’s RWD though 🙂
The OPC models are the best but often more than what most here would pay for a Buick.
The Insignia OPC did not come here as the GS with AWD and the Turbo V6 as no one would have paid the price here for it. I think it was near $60K in Europe.
It is a shame as it was a very good car just expensive.
I wish they would bring the small 3 door hatch here Astra hatch here with the 270 HP Eco Turbo. It would make a great challenger for the Focus and Mini. I believe they could price this one here reasonably.
This car should NOT carry the Riviera name. The last time a smaller car carried the Riviera name, it flopped. The 1986-1988 Riviera was a 187 inches long. That Opel Cascada is smaller than the current Regal. The downsized Riviera from that era is only five inches longer than the Cadillac ATS. It was a huge disaster because the car did not deserve to carry the name “Riviera” . It was too small. Riviera is a prestige name for a larger luxury Buick car. They could use Velite or Cascada.
Buick could be pursing the name for use on something else.
Great memory on what a POS that Riviera was.
Astra VXR 276 bhp fastest hatch in class 😀
Insignia VXR quickest car for less than £30,000 😀
Name one rebaged opel that has sold well in the us?
Regal, Verano and the Encore are doing well. Not mainstream competitors to Toyota but they are doing well in their segments. Regal has lost some of its initial steam because the Verano is priced so well.
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/04/almost-half-of-early-buick-verano-buyers-switch-from-a-non-gm-brand/
Ok, I’ll play.
Saturn Vue (Opel Antara) and Buick Verano (Opel Astra sedan).
Please–Don’t bastardize the Riviera name by putting it on some overpriced, undersized, underpowered, FWD, aero-blob. DO make a RWD/AWD off the same platform as the Cadillac CTS/CTS-V with lots of power in the standard version and have as much optional power available as the Caddy-V and top-output Camaro. Price it between those two. Utilize the styling talent that produced the 2014 Stingray, and have them capture the uniqueness of the 1963-65 and 1966-67 Rivieras. I am not saying to just make “retro” cars, but capture the sleekness and aggressiveness those cars had. Make both coupe and four-door versions. (Yes, there were 4-door Rivieras from 1950 through 1962.) Don’t think you’re married to the “waterfall” grill or any other styling cliche.
Buick badly needs an image car, just as it did in 1963 after its huge sales decline in 1958 and later. It offends my eyes and sensibilities to go into the Buick dealerships today and find NO decent performing, premium, sedans or coupes.
I have a current AWD LaCrosse. It is a nice, very quiet, smooth, cruiser, but it has abysmal acceleration, and it gets 20% lower highway mileage than did my supercharged 3800 Pontiac GTPs. CO2 anyone? I know, the 3800 had PUSHRODS, but it outperformed the “High Feature” V-6 in ALL ways and cost much less to produce than the 4-cam engines.
There isn’t any truly premium Buick available today, nothing that even approaches the old Park Avenue Ultra, much less the 1960’s Electras and Rivs, in image or relative performance. It is really sad.
Give Buick a true “halo” car to get prospects in the door. If they look at the Riviera but buy the Regal, so be it, but at least give them a reason to come in!
@Joseph I’d challenge your opinion by asking “why”.
Why does Buick need an image car? Its sales are doing great, it’s slowly moving upmarket (to eventually occupy a true spot in the automotive luxury market), and it is greatly profitable.
If anything, Buick’s image car shouldn’t be a high-powered, red-blooded performance-focused model, but rather a world-class luxury cruiser ala the 2nd and 3rd generation Lexus LS, one that’s desired not for its 0-60 times and ability to turn in gut-wrenching Gs on the street or at the track (Cadillac territory), but rather for its superior comfort, silence, refinement, and ability to coddle occupants during their commute or journey, separating passengers from the harshness of highways, loud trucks, and other jarring elements of modern automotive travel. This vehicle would be full in size, look elegant and classy, and have wondrous elegance. That’s what Buick needs more than anything… that’s what will elevate its image in the most effective way and with the most direct carry-over to the rest of its lineup, creating a direct connection to Buick’s purpose and to the lesser Buicks (LaCrosse, Verano) that embody the same spirit.
Cadillac is for performance luxury, Buick is for soft luxury. There isn’t room for two high-performance luxury makes, and each is best suited to do one of the luxury elements extremely well.
Also, how sure are you that the 3800 outperformed the current high-feature V6? Don’t think this is the case on paper (vs real world), whether looking at power or fuel economy figures… the only aspect that the 3800 might have outperformed the LFX in is the torque.
Buick’s halo vehicle is the Enclave today. It keeps increasing sales every year. Has all the Buick attributes and is the most expensive vehicle in the stable.
Could Buick use a top end Riviera? Yes. And it looks like it is coming. But it should be larger than the current Regal. Two door. convertible possibly. 300 hp base engine and 400 hp available. Riv should exude opulent luxury with powerful powertrain.
The old Grand Prix had a lot less weight to carry around.
3.8 had less emission controls.
It was a great simple engine but to put it into one of today’s vehicles would really show its short comings.
And I loved the Regal GS, I was at Buick at the time and it was my vehicle. But the new Lacrosse has it all over it in almost every way.
It’s not just Buick that needs a replacement RWD V8 saloon & coupe. We wait to see what comes, in the meantime this Cascada (Vauxhall/Opel/Buick) is a ample convertible & shouldn’t be put down – yes unfortunately it’s no RWD V8 but it wasn’t designed to be.
Any Vauxhall and of course Opel that makes it over to America as a Buick will beat its Audi & BMW opposition.
Observer7, Read the article. It clearly says the man’s name is SEDAN. I didn’t remove any letters and had no idea his name is SedRan. Apology accepted.
Guys, please accept my apology for the mis-spelling. That was my fault.
Sorry, hofinator, I did not notice the typo, because it is a well known name, which had been mentioned serveral times on this blog before, for examplae in the bold entry “Opel Cascada Could Be Exported As A Buick, Says Opel Exec” and after this blog entry, but on the same day March 19, even in the article’s title of “Thomas Sedran: Next-Gen Opel Mokka To Be Made In Europe”.
My apologies. I noticed that the typo has been corrected in the mean time. Thanks for that!
Ah yes, proof reading is important!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the vue is probably the best example but it still never sold over 90k so I’d consider it more of a nitch. The Verano i believe only sold 40k last year which isn’t very sizable. The saturn astra, buick regal, and Cadillac Catera are great examples of why slapping a different grill on an opel doesn’t work regardless of the quality of the vehicle. My personal opinion is that buick still needs to develop it’s personality and have unique products that represent it. cadillac is bold performance luxury, chevy is nice cars for the average joe, but buick is what? Sportyish, luxuryish? why would I be willing to pay more for it?
I’d rather have the only rear-wheel-drive luxury sport car(s) from Buick be a Grand National and/or a GNX in coupe and/or sedan form based on the Alpha platform. A return of the Riviera would be really cool, but I think that name should be left in the past. If you’re going to make it rear-wheel-drive and use the Alpha platform, then go for it because the Riv didn’t have any dignity left at all when it died. If the Grand National, GNX, and Riviera all came back as rear-wheel-drive coupes/sedans, it might clutter the lineup with rear-wheel-drive cars. I don’t think that would a bad thing at all, but others might. Buick has been avoiding sporty cars so they don’t cannibalise the sales of Chevy’s budget sport cars like the SS, or cannibalise the sales of Cadillac’s luxury sports sedans. There’s a fairly thin line Buick has to walk when it comes to mixing luxury with performance. We all love the killer history of GM (and for me Ford, Chrysler, AMC, Packard, and so forth are included in that), but some past names must stay in the past.