What We Know About Buick’s Upcoming D2XX-Based Crossover (Anthem, Envision, Or Enspire)
29
Sponsored Links
- What: a compact-sized premium/luxury crossover
- When: late 2014/early 2015 production
- Where: traditional Buick markets, including China and North America; expected in Europe as next-generation Opel Antara
- Platform: GM D2XX compact vehicle architecture
- Competitors: upcoming compact Lexus CUV, Lincoln MKC CUV
When Buick unveiled the Encore crossover at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, we were rather perplexed by GM’s decision to introduce a subcompact crossover to the Buick lineup before of a compact or midsize offering. After all, the three-row Enclave is as full-size as crossovers get, and the Encore is as small as they get, and the existence of one very large and one very small CUV presented a gargantuan opportunity to serve the most popular CUV segment — that of the compact crossover.
As the dust behind the Encore’s introduction began to settle, GM’s reasoning to launch a limited-market, limited-appeal vehicle such as the subcompact Encore before a compact CUV became clear: the automaker was bound by the release cadence of its upcoming new vehicle architectures — specifically, the new D2XX platform.
You see, the Gamma-based Encore (along with the Opel Mokka and Chevy Trax) has been part of the Gamma platform program from the get-go, while an architecture for a larger, compact-sized crossover that would be attractive to a significantly greater car-buying audience, wasn’t ready — and wouldn’t be for two to three years. Luckily, the platform to support a compact CUV offering from Buick will be ready shortly.
At this point, all we know is that the larger-than-Encore but smaller-than-Enclave Buick CUV could carry several names, including Anthem, Envision, and Enspire. It will ride on GM’s all-new D2XX platform that will also underpin the next-gen Chevrolet Cruze, Opel-Vauxhall Astra, and Chevrolet Equinox. An Opel-Vauxhall variant will be available, likely as the next-gen Antara thanks to the global alignment of the Opel-Vauxhall-Buick brands.
The two-row, five-seat Buick crossover will be available in the traditional markets served by Buick, including China and North America, while the Opel twin will be available in Opel’s traditional market of Europe. The Buick variant will significantly expand the market appeal of Buick’s CUV lineup — thereby increasing the Tri-Shield brand’s sales volume.
The upcoming compact CUV has already been caught undergoing testing while wearing a bevy of camouflage, so development is well under way as of this writing.
Sponsored Links
As a stop gap short term solution why don’t Buick sell the Antara until this model is ready
I used to think the same way, because the Opel looks pretty good on the outside; pretty much the last generation Vue. IMHO, the Antara is pretty much a re-badged Chevy Captiva/ Saturn Vue which is going out of production soon for the D2XX. I have read that the Antara is not very popular in Europe because it is very ordinary and doesn’t have the luxury features, sophistication, and quality of competitors. This vehicle would not only compete with the Equinox and Terrain, but also the SRX and Enclave. This would create the danger devaluing Buick. Thus, I think it was a good idea for Buick to take a step back until they get it right.
Actually the Saturn Vue and Chevy Captiva Sport were/are a rebadged Opel Antara. The Antara came first, just like the Insignia came before the Regal, making the Regal a ‘version’ of the Insignia. I regularly see this mistake made – ‘Opels are rebadged Buicks’
The Captiva is slightly longer than the Antara (35 mm), and allows 7 seats instead of 5 in the Antara.
There are more differences.
If the two were simply rebadges, they would not be sold by Holden in Australia side by side as “Captiva 5” and “Captiva 7” (or so).
BTW, the Chevrolet Captiva is the only Chevrolet which sells better in Germany than its Opel brother.
Why not just sell the Antara? The Saturn Vue Plug In / 2-Mode Hybrid sounded great! I would buy it. But instead of the 3.6L V6 in the plug in, they should put a twin turbo 2.5L I4.
I take everything you guys say with a grain of salt. Before you were saying that the new GMs full-size trucks would be more differentiated than ever before, and that turned out to be a big fat fib. I think you guys make stuff up to keep interest in your site and get advertisers.
Take everything you hear with a grain (or two) of salt. That being said, I find that a lot of GM Authority’s stuff is accurate… if not necessarily in the way we first thought.
John — it seems that you’re either misinformed or have the wrong impression of the goings-on here at GM Authority.
For starters, the new trucks *are*, indeed, more differentiated than ever before. That’s no (big, fat) fib — that’s reality, with different interior appointments and materials — which was not the case with the GMT900-based trucks. Are you aware of this? Heck, this is something that we were told by GM officials before the trucks’ unveiling.
Now, that’s not to say that we’re right 100% of the time — but we do make a significant effort to provide the most accurate information… and believe we do a very good job in doing so.
Now, do you have anything objective to state surrounding the upcoming compact Buick crossover at hand?
I personally take everything John says with a grain of salt.
And for f&9ck’s sake… it’s called “what we know” for a reason. Dumba$$.
John have you ever driven both new trucks??
I think you have problems that your not telling people you love which leads you to your comments on this site!
Those people will learn your secret one day!
I seem to recall a certain member of this site that used to provide a lot of very accurate insight into what was happening at GM. I haven’t seen him post in a while, but I sure hope he would chime in a bit more often. That said, GMAuthority is not perfect at news reporting, and I doubt it was ever intended to be, nor can it ever be. GM executives change their minds all the time (as do executives from all other companies) and sites like GMA can only be reactive conduits. They can hardly be proactive or predictive. But the truth is that it is the excitement brought on by us (the members) when we bicker that drives up the ratings. Not the posts that Alex or Manoli make. Just saying…
Richard — that’s a very fair and appropriate assessment. We try to be as accurate as possible, and exercise a great deal of restraint in publishing information sent to us (there is a lot of it) that we haven’t confirmed with our sources. If we didn’t do that, our traffic would be noticeably higher… to the detriment of our credibility.
Also, I think you’re referring to JD. We miss him dearly 🙁
Speculation aside, I think this new compact SUV from Buick will be worth waiting for.
Since it’s a D2 based car, it will be a compact… midsize will be E2.
This is the right way to go as they once considered the Saturn for Buick and it was a mistake in the present form. Buick needed product but it would have not advanced the Buick like with a Vehicle so many would have remembered as a Saturn.
The Captiva as a Chevy was the best thing as it has taken the fleet hit with no impact on the Nox or Terrain resale. Smart move.
This is one of these deals we need to look at big picture vs. the single model.
Now as for the trucks they may look alike but even most fools will understand all the changes under the skin. I do feel they should have changed the styling a little more to reflect all the change but even as it is they will sell more than very well.
Keep in mind this is a concept drawing so do not complain when there is a B pillar and other changes when we see it in sheet metal.
Not that anyone will complain LOL!.
What’s wrong with a b pillar?
So I was driving south from Milwaukee heading to Chicago suburbes and saw a black Encore in front of me I was really impressed with its presence on the highway so I sped up and passed it to get a better look, truly impressed. This specific one looked stunning, the right amount of chrome treatment ect. The vehicle has a great stance and look on the road… Honestly I think once people start seeing these on the road they will really start selling and will pave the way for success for the nameless vehicle we are discussing.
I wish gm would limit each platform to two versions of the same vehicle or actually change the dimensions to make them more unique. I assume gmc is getting one of these too. Hope it’s not made in Mexico.
Call it the Anthem or the Envision, but not the Enspire. That name just looks dumb. Put the 1.6T and 2.0T in it. I think it will be a great vehicle and hopefully it will sell well in the huge but very competitive market. I also hope it will be a slightly different size than the upcoming Equinox replacement, not just a rebadge. That vehicle is supposed to shrink a bit, but hopefully it will be a bit bigger than the Buick variant.
The 2.5L and the 2.0T
You really think people buy cars based off names?
From what I understand, these will be analogous to the Encore/Mokka and Trax, Cruze and Verano, Terrain and Equinox. However, the level of differentiation should (theoretically) be even higher with this generation of vehicles since they’re “New GM” products that were designed from the ground up under the “new reign”.
I love how people comment on posts trying to be negative or rude. Than they don’t try to rebutal when alex for example responds. If you’re going to insult the website or GM, than you shouldn’t be on the website.
This post is the best one ever
Hope this one come with a Voltec drivetrain, need to replace my 2002 CXL Rendezvous with a 40+ mpg vehicle but the Encore is too small and lacks memory seats and other accumens of a value-luxury proposition from GM
a plug in hybrid with 2-mode technology, and a twin turbo 2.5L I4. That would be awesome, I would buy it right away! That thing would get at least 75 mpg for the first 50-70 miles and then it would still get about 30-45 mpg with the 2-mode I4!
Why does this site allow people to come on here and bash GM? This is a pro GM site!
Whatever Buick decides to call this vehicle, I think it will be received well, and fills the much needed gap between the Encore and the Enclave. I would like to see it compete with the RX350 if Buick continues the trend of making their vehicles more upscale, like the ’14 LaCrosse and Regal.