When GM first showed off the 2016 Buick Cascada convertible, a good share of the reactionary sentiment was something along the lines of, “With the Chrysler 200 Convertible discontinued, what will it compete with?” Besides this theory, we think we’ve finally found the perfect answer.
The primary rival to the Buick Cascada will be the Audi A3 Cabriolet.
The more we thought about it, the more we came to realize that the Cascada and the A3 vert are more alike than they are different.
2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet (European Model)
The Buick Cascada rides on slightly modified variant of GM’s compact Delta 2 platform, the same one used by the Buick Verano/Opel Astra range. Coincidentally, the (first-generation) Chevrolet Cruze also rides on the very same second-generation Delta architecture.
Keeping that in mind, congress that the Audi A3 Convertible is based on the Volkswagen’ Group’s MQB vehicle framework that debuted with the third-gen Audi A3 and seventh-gen Volkswagen Golf family. The next-gen Volkswagen Jetta will also ride on the same platform.
Hence, both the Buick (Opel-Vauxhall) Cascada and the Audi A3 Cabriolet are variants of mainstream compact vehicle ranges — the Chevy Cruze in the case of GM, and the Jetta in the case of the Volkswagen Group. One could say that the Cascada is a fancy Chevy Cruze, while the A3 is a tarted-up Volkswagen Golf… though that is quite a primitive way of reasoning about platform sharing, so let’s leave it at that.
Both the Buick Cascada (and its associated Buick-Opel family) and the Audi A3 family have a transverse powertrain layouts driving the front wheels, at least by default. The only difference, however, is that the Audi A3 Cabriolet features optional quattro all-wheel-drive, while the Buick does not, a circumstance that is rather unfortunate.
The Buick Cascada and Audi A3 Cabriolet are also quite similar from a dimensional standpont. Though the Cascada is slightly longer due to a longer wheelbase and front overhang, the Audi A3 makes better use of its footprint by being more space-efficient. Plus, the infamous heft of the Delta 2 platform shows, as the Cascada is several hundred pounds heavier than the Audi.
| Measurement | Buick Cascada | Audi A3 Cabriolet |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 106.1 | 103.8 |
| Length | 184.9 | 175.4 |
| Height | 56.8 | 55.5 |
| Width | 72.4 | 72.2 |
| Front track | 62.5 | 61.2 |
| Rear track | 62.5 | 60.1 |
| Curb weight | 3750 – 4003* | 3373 |
| Measurement | Buick Cascada | Audi A3 Cabriolet |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 2595 | 2636 |
| Length | 4696 | 4455 |
| Height | 1443 | 1409 |
| Width | 1839 | 1960 |
| Front track | 1587 | 1554 |
| Rear track | 1587 | 1526 |
| Curb weight | 1700 – 1816* | 1529 |
Both the Buick Cascada and the Audi A3 Convertible are powered exclusively by turbo-charged four-cylinder engines. There are not six-cylinder motors in either of these vehicles, nor in the vehicle families on which these two compact sport-luxury verts are based.
| Measurement | Buick Cascada 1.6T FWD | Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.8T FWD | Audi A3 Cabriolet 2.0T quattro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 200 | 170 | 220 |
| Torque | 206 (221 with overboost) | 200 | 258 |
| Measurement | Buick Cascada 1.6T FWD | Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.8T FWD | Audi A3 Cabriolet 2.0T quattro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power (kW) | 149 | 126 | 164 |
| Torque (Nm) | 280 (300 with overboost) | 271 | 349 |
To note, the Buick offers one engine choice — the turbo-charged 1.6-liter Ecotec four — in the Cascada driving the front wheels. Audi, meanwhile, has its turbo-charged 1.8-liter four as the base motor driving the front wheels, with the turbo-charged 2.0-liter four being optional and driving all four wheels.
There’s no fancy-shmancy hardtop convertible options, as both the Buick Cascada and the Audi A3 Cabriolet have soft-top convertible tops. Coincidentally, neither the Cascada nor the A3 has a hard-top coupe variant… though we really would love to see a Cascada coupe.
Knowing all that, the Buick Cascada’s primary and (possibly) only rival will be Audi A3 Cabriolet. Thoughts?
[nggallery id=700]At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
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Buick is nothing but rebadged old FWD Opals that weigh 4.000-plus pounds.....sad
cascada vs audi a5 cabrio
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/news/opel-cascada-gegen-audi-a5-cabrio-offene-groessen-fuer-4-6657759.html
vw, bmw vs cascada
http://www.autobild.de/bilder/cabrio-vergleich-cascada-gegen-3er-und-golf-3884876.html#bild1
bmw 4 seria vs cascada
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/vergleichstest/bmw-420i-cabrio-gegen-opel-cascada-16-ecotec-turbo-9689555.html
audi a3 vs cascada. cascada not heavy but could better weigth
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/vergleichstest/audi-a3-cabrio-gegen-opel-cascada-und-vw-golf-cabrio-preisguenstige-cabrios-im-vergleich-8333515.html
That Audi is a boxie clunky looking snore.
The Cascada will look more Buicky for sure. No way Nesbitt and Allred will bring it over as is. Buick styling cues like the grill and portholes are easy adds. They do it for the Encore. No way they will risk Buick's momentum with a car that doesn't look like the other Buicks which buyers love
Maybe if they build the Cascada in South Korea like the Encore, they could keep that 'momentum' going.
Encore is the only Buick model that's up, year-on-year. Every other model is down (two, over 40%). Buick's down 18% this year - that's not momentum.
It's slowmentum. Even China's down 13%.
i like your cars..
I guss todays Buick is vary unlike Buick of 1950s--1970s....assuming that Buick will not see a large RWD flagship....Buicks job will be rebadging smaller Opels.....and Caddys job well be to build big luxury cars like in the 1970s.
Interesting to see that the 1.6 Cascada has more torque than the Cabriolet 1.8T. I think it would be really interesting to see how these handle around a track.