Reuss: Upcoming Buick Flagship Described As “Much More Beautiful Panamera”
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Rumors of an upcoming full-size Cadillac flagship sedan have been rampantly circulating since the brand debuted the Ciel and Elmiraj concepts while GM was trademarking the LTS name. And when the flagship Caddy finally does arrive, likely in 2015, a Buick flagship will also surface.
Of the many things (besides a medium(ish)-duty pickup truck and next-gen Cruze hatchback) GM’s Mark Reuss revealed during a recent interview with Forbes was the possible direction for a flagship model for Buick. Reuss described the upcoming car as “a much more beautiful (Porsche) Panamera.”
If this vehicle is green-lit for production and makes it to showrooms, It’s unclear if it would utilize the same Omega vehicle architecture that will underpin Cadillac’s upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 rival, which we believe will be called LTS.
To give us some sort of hint, however, was the Opel Monza Concept from Frankfurt. Pictured above, the rakish concept did have more of a rounded off hiney akin to the Panamera, and with gull-wing doors to boot. And with plans for Opel, Vauxhall and Buick to share more products going forward, the Monza Concept could very well be our first look at what’s to come.
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German paper “AutoBild” mentioned some months ago that there will be a fastback version of the next generation Opel Insignia which will be positioned between Audi A5 and A7. Perhaps this is what we will see as a Buick/Opel “Panamera”-style car…
http://www.autobild.de/artikel/opel-und-vw-zukunft-4396024.html
Observer7 says that the new Buick flagship is going to be as long as the Buick Enclave but not as high….its got to be bigger than the Lacrosse since it is going to be positioned above the Lacrosse and since the Lacrosse has poor trunk space…it would be a good idea for the new flagship to have good cabin and trunk space.
Let it step on LTSs yours. Vertical luxury competition means bigger profits for GM.
The auto world should learn a big lesson from Kia/Hun when it comes to the huge profits to be gain from vertical internal competition.
In todays fragmented auto market Sloan`s latter is dead. GM would be wise to simply redskin similar designs on par with Optima and Sonata, except in this case with luxury touches. This way, GM can target very different demos with only a small investment.
There is a rumor that we will not get next gen Insignia. Instead, the modular platform would be common but each design would wear different skin, and be sized differently.
Insignia can not be larger than LaCrosse; a flagship can not be smaller. Maybe the car will bee sized differently for each market given the flexibility of modular.
Do you think Buick will make a Omega full-size flagship?….I see the LTS is going to be about 205 inches long maybe the Buick Omega can be just a little smaller…..about the Impala or XTS size with differint styles.
I don’t know but doubt it. An Impala sized flagship puts it in conflict with La Crosse, which should be shrunk but won’t.
I’ve read the flagship would rIde on Alpha. Not sure if I believe this do to cost issues but who knows?
Then again, there are now rumors that next gen Holden Commodore will be FWD. I’m convinced that this car will somehow work its way into Buick this time outside of China.
GM is on its way to a “One” strategy like Ford in terms of how the regional brands are being linked. This should be interesting.
Alpha would be too small for a flagship…I hard the the next generation Buick Regal is going to ride on Alpha.
Why can’t Buick just build a full-size Omega flagship with different styles and engines than the LTS.
Not if they shrink Lacrosse. Remember, Lacrosse was intended to cover two segments, midsized and large because the car debuted before Regal.
To properly fight Lexus and Acura, Lacrosse needs to lose a few inches which would then allow for a Buick flagship the same size as CTS, and be RWD on Alpha.
The car does not need to be huge and would be positioned one slot below Chinese Park Ave which is a popular executive car.
I do not buy that…..the CTS size is alittle too small..why do Buick has to be so small.
the Alpha is not for flagships…200 inches long would be good for a Buick flagship…and than they can shrink the Lacrosse…maybe 4 or 5 inches.
Alpha can only go upto 195 inches long… for them to have the Buick flagship on Alpha..they would have to shrink the Lacrosse about 10 inches…smaller than the Regal……I just do not buy that at all.
Alpha can stretch at least 195 feet, putting it within range of you 200 foot quote. Alpha has been linked to Opel Monza, as well any future Buiuck GNX/Grand National by this site. Also, a few years ago Motor Trend wrote a article on Alpha linking it to a future Buick.
The era of huge Buick Park Ave sedans has passed. There is no market, it would be a money looser. The cars would serve as NYC taxis replacing the Town Car.
Also, it is predicted that Alpha will be used for the next Holden Commodore range which currently serves as the Chinese Buick flagship. ://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-platforms/alpha/
Here Monza is discussed on Alpha, as well as other possibilities. All are big enough for a modern flagship as defined by the Japanese luxury brands.
LTS sound like a disease, reminds me of ALS, and I’m not trying to be a glib jerk.
I’m all right with a 200 inch long Alpha Buick flagship……the park avenue is about 205 inches long and your right it is a little too huge and it’s also a gas pig….200 inches is not that huge if it’s efficient…modern flagships can be large better and efficient at the same time….but not as large as the park ave.
Why is Buick referring to the Porsche soloon sedan as a Buick flagship…I think the Porsche soloon is ugly…what about a large hatchback like sedan with a bigger trunk… the trunk on the Porsche sedan looks vary small. I don’t think the Porsche sedan fits as a Buick flagship…it can be sort like it but not as small. I think the Porsche sedan is a better fit for the Grand National.
A larger sleeker Porsche Panamara with a bigger truck… is more like it for the Buick flagship.
GM will next build two unique Buick cars for NA. GNX will be the flagship, and will attain such status not from size but, instead, from its speed and RWD platform.
A flag ship plus GNX would just be too much unless they plan to drop La Crosse, and only sell Regal (Insignia) in Europe…a rumor that I don’t believe. That many sedans plus Cascada which is currently being Federalized, would be to large a line up.
Buick flagship was talked about long before Omega platform. I would love to see it used but Monza is already on Alpha
Porche Panamera is 195.7 inches long. GM will not build two unique Buick cars for NA. GNX will be the flagship, and will attain such status not from size (195 inches) but, instead, from its speed and RWD platform. Seems like Mark uses the ters halo and flagship interchangably.
A flag ship plus GNX would just be too much unless they plan to drop La Crosse, and only sell Regal (Insignia) in Europe…a rumor that I don’t believe. That many sedans plus Cascada which is currently being Federalized, would be to large a line up and to expensive for the company.
Buick flagship was talked about long before Omega platform. I would love to see it used but Monza is already on Alpha