Buick unveiled the 2016 Cascada convertible yesterday at the Detroit North American International Auto Show. For better or worse, it’s a rebadged Opel of the same name, propelled by a 200-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder engine.
The Cascada’s thunder was somewhat stolen by the reveal of the gorgeous Buick Avenir concept. But that hasn’t stopped our own staff from remaining divided on the car: on the one hand, it is a Opel model based on the very dated Delta platform that has been on sale in Europe for months; on the other, the engine isn’t anemic — especially in terms of volume-specific power output — and the Cascada is (for now) the only avenue by which to get it. It’s also a well-trimmed convertible that has a certain aura of cuteness and appeal around it. But ultimately, the Buick Cascada need only sell well enough to offset the production slump of GM-Opel’s plant in Gliwice, Poland.
So, in case you missed the big moment of the Cascada’s reveal, or you just wanted to see the unveiling for yourself, here is the recording just as it occurred a day ago.
Comments
I really like Cascada. It looks sleek and no more pedestrian than convertibles by Audi and BMW.
This car its dissed due to a botched launch and weak European sales.
Delta is no more dated than platforms currently used by Lexus or Honda due to the delays in each brand’s modularity programs.
Cascada has great potential.
Why slope the windshield so much that it compromises seating height and visibility . This fashion at all cost is foolish . This is the Buick brand and it is developing at to a true benchmark for the company . It appeals to the mainstream North American….from Mom and Pops to everyone in between . I see more and more of this fashion at all cost from GM these days , frankly , if you have to resort to this in today’s marketplace , you have a basic problem with sales in your market segment , to begin with ! Giving the Cascada three more vertical inches to the windshield would not have changed the impact of the vehicle a bit and would have opened the interior , its driveability and its appeal to all types of drivers !
In all, I like the car! It reminds me of the Volkswagen Eos for some crazy reason… My only complaint is to redo the dash gauge cluster and center console as this layout has been used for several years on several models and to me, it looks old and dated. As a first thought, something more modern looking like the current Regal Grand Sport dash for example. That has less buttons and looks cleaner and more streamlined. Of course, just my thoughts.