China, your latest Buick vehicle has arrived. And we’re sure it will sell like hotcakes. Buick revealed the all-new 2016 Buick Verano during the Shanghai GM Gala night before the car will take the stage at Auto Shanghai 2015.
For North America, expect to see the Verano name continue on, but Buick previously announced the 2016 Verano would be called the 2016 Buick Wei Lang for the Chinese market. Following the name change, plenty of changes have been made over the outgoing car. For starts, it looks quite good.
Buick says the car has been inspired by the 2013 Buick Riviera concept, but designers wanted to “capture the essence” of the Buick Avenir concept. Avenir styling cues can be seen in the wing-tipped LEDs up front, which continue to the rear tail-lights as well. The windshield has been positioned at a steep angle, joining a fast-back style roof and tidier C-pillars, perceiving the car to be longer than it actually sits. Buick says this design embodies classic styling, while taking an innovative new approach in elegance and dynamism.
As we previously reported, the power comes from a new 1.5-liter SIDI EcoTec four-cylinder engine, the most powerful engine to wear the EcoTec branding. A seven-speed DCG has been tweaked for Chinese tastes, and smoothly shifts the 166 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque provided. Standard start/stop technology increases efficiency and sets a new standard for fuel consumption in the Chinese market.
The 2016 Verano will set above the Buick Excelle and Excelle GT as “mid-range passenger sport sedan” in the brand’s growing lineup. It shouldn’t be too much longer until our North American Verano receives similar updates.
Comments
Beautiful fusion of Buick and Opel design. Ironic that Opel was using the sweap spear pre cooperation.
This is the sort of car needed by Cafillac. This car could rival 3series.
In no way would a front wheel drive based entry level chassis compete with a purpose build premium rear wheel based one.
It would have the premium feel or driving dynamics needed to compete in this segment.
It looks pretty good considering you only give us one photo. Other places have better pictures that help its looks. I think they could have done better with the sweapspear though. I’m anxiously waiting for some interior shots too.
I need to see it in person first and also the finished American version. So far I am not feeling it.
Short time ago, Buick China revealed the new Excelle GT. “The all-new Buick Excelle GT was launched today [i.e. on March 2, 2015] in Sanya, Hainan, by Shanghai GM. ” GM China press release: http://media.gm.com/media/cn/en/buick/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/cn/en/2015/mar/0302_buick.html
I am at odds to understand the difference of this with this other compact car called Verano. I can’t see one.
The old Excelle GT was a badge engineered brother of the Opel Astra sedan and the Buick NA Verano.
Did they just decide to change the name of the vehicle in the last moment?
And here is the press release on the Verano: http://media.gm.com/media/cn/en/buick/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/cn/en/2015/april/0419_verano.html