We’ve heard it before, as it seems that Buick and parent company General Motors are sticking to the decision on importing the 2016 Buick Envision from China when it is ready for U.S. consumption.
The news surfaces previously during UAW contract negotiations, causing the UAW to become “alarmed” at the decision to import the 2016 Envision crossover to the U.S.
Cindy Estrada, Vice President of the UAW’s GM department, voiced her distaste in the possible decision.
“After the sacrifices made by U.S. taxpayers and the U.S. workforce to make General Motors the profitable quality company it is today, UAW members are disappointed with the tone-deaf speculation that the Envision would be imported from China,” Estrada said in August. “GM should stand by its declaration that it will build where it sells.”
The Detroit Free Press reports that Buick is still on track to import the 2016 Envision to the United States from a plant in the Shandong province in China. Buick declined to comment on future product rumors, but did previously state that it only planned to import 30,000 to 40,000 units per year if it came to it.
Comments
Lame
Excellent!
Looking forward to Asian version of
“That’s not a Buick!” commercial asap!
Please have it on my desk Sunday for possible Super Bowl spot. Just make sure you include a lease offer.
That’s how we roll! Have a good weekend!
Little did we know ‘CUV’ will soon stand for ‘Chinese Utility Vehicle.’
Possibly the Chinese can bail them out if they run into problems in the future?
They’ll do what they did with the Regal and Encore. They’ll import them for a MY or two, then once our plants/factories are converted they’ll build them on NA shores. It’s smart financials.
An astute comment Jonny. The Envision is based on the same platform as the new Equinox, Terrain and the Cruze. When those vehicles are tooled and launched in North America the Envision will follow. Likely in a couple of years. In the meantime, to get a jump on sales they’ll import the Envision from the one plant in the world that makes it, in China. I’m understanding the vehicle will be here in March 2016 not 2H.
That’s “the understanding” with the UAW and the reason they are not raising a big fuss.
It doesn’t make sense to run two factories at half capacity. Gm is building a large amount of vehicles here, and will grow the numbers. But if China, which is buicks largest market, can build for both, then it just makes financial sense. Same as Opel building Holdens and exporting to Australia.
mom-mobile
Companies are supposed to make money for the shareholders not for the union execs. GM needs to do what is beneficial financially, not to mention the poor quality that comes out of the NA factories.
What are you even trying to communicate.
Poor quality that comes out of the NA factories?
BTW so if someone is non-union that guarantees good work?? many of the union GM worker take pride in their job.
sounds like you been brainwashed buddy.
I’ve had three Enclaves so far, all made in the USA, and all have been great, reliable vehicles. Some hiccups, for sure, but generally well made.
If GM brings it to North America, don’t buy it.
Simple like this. Just don’t buy it. Problem solved.
There are just so many reasons that this is a mistake . However GM is doing so much business in China that this is going to become a reality . If GM thinks they can sell 40,000 units here thats what they will do . And they will sell , there are enough people out there that don’t care where a vehicle is built . But I can tell you that you will not see one parked in a UAW factories parking lot . And if one does I feel sorry for the person that had the guts to park one there .
I don’t want to go Geo-Political here , I just think that it would be a bad move on GM’s part.
Build Buick in America.. I will NEVER buy a Chinese car. EVER!
Come on guys, its a global industry. More cars will be built in china and then sold here, so we may as well get over it.
What bothers me is how long it has taken GM to bring this model here. By the time i goes on sale it will have been two years since it first went on sale in China. Sure, you can argue that the manufacturing/labor controversy may have delayed thing, but those issues have come into focus in the last few months. In my mind GM should have sorted out these labor issues from the moment this car was introduced, so it could be imported ASAP. How stupid can GM be? They see that the crossover market is booming and that there is this one gaping hole in their lineup and it takes them forever to come up with a decision on whether to import it or not. As things stand, I still don’t think they have officially confirmed that it is coming. The same thing is going on with the Avenir concept. All of us who follow the industry know that producing the vehicle is a no-brainer because it will be profitable in China, but GM still hasn’t made a decision. Quick decision making is not good, but slow decision making is also a disaster. I think that the Envision is a perfect example of why GM has not been fixed. Are they making superb products? Absolutely. However, as an overall company there are far off from where Ford is. There are still many things about GM that have to be fixed, from the business side of things, and that may prove to be a harder task than it was for Bob Lutz to change the product culture at GM.
Ridiculous! Buick contributes less than 10% to GM’s North American vehicle sales, that’s why GM turns Buick into an import brand by giving its German subsidiary access to the North American market, so they can utilize their European factories. I do remember, when an Opel employee said in a German interview magazine that they want to expand through Buick, both Buick and Opel will be managed globally from Rüsselsheim. General Motors is currently moving a lot of production from Canada, South Korea and other countries around the world to the US as well, and all what UAW can do is crying about ONE vehicle with low sales volume which will be imported from China?
And if I want a crew cab Silverado, it is built in Mexico, nothing I can do about it. To a lot of buyers, this will be a “so what”, if this is the vehicle they want and the price is right.
Besides, if there are problems with the parts or build quality, GM still has to fix it and get it right under warranty.
I was quite interested in this vehicle based on media information this past year. If it is imported from China, So Sorry, NO BUY. There are so many vehicles produced in US, Canada & Mexico plus Europe that will not carry the Chinese stigma I will look elsewhere. I absolutely avoid all Chinese products if at all possible and sometimes will do without.
Never owned a import but if gm ships cars from china next time ill buy from a japan MADE IN USA/
I’m split down the middle on this decision. On one hand, it’s understandable: reducing production costs is obviously going to lead to such decisions. But on the other hand, I simply do not feel comfortable buying a vehicle KNOWING it was assembled in China! Yes, we have many Chinese-produced products on our shores! But that doesn’t instill enough confidence to start importing cars: which are much more complex in engineering and design than the average Chinese product sold here!!!
If they go through with this decision, GM had better be wise in how they market the Envision! But I don’t see how that’s going to be possible with knowledge of the fact that it was assembled in China!!! I don’t know what to think about all this…..This is all exasperating!!! I can hear all the debates now! “$10 billion dollars of taxpayers money was spent in bailing out GM and go they ahead and approve the overseas production of such-and-such car!” “Government Motors is now China Motors!” And so on and so forth!!! Trump nailed Ford for approving production of some of its vehicles in Mexico! What on Earth will he say about GM?!!!
So Buick needed the Chinese to show them how to build a CUV that fits between Encore and Enclave?
Impressive! Is there anything in Buick’s lineup that isn’t a re-badge from South Korea, Germany or China?
Time to get a grip here.
The number Buick was quoted as saying they would only import 30-40K units the first year.
I too suspect this is similar to the Regal where it was built in Germany for the first year and a half and then moved to Oshawa when the plant was up and running. As of now the new Nox plant is not in production for even the new Nox let alone able to build this one yet. I expect they will move it here in due time when the plant is up and if sales warrant.
There is no profit in just building 30-40K units here of this vehicle on a single line as of now. Now if they sell 90K units it would fit well on a joint Terrain, Nox line once they are in production.
Also we need to get over false fact it will be poor quality. This will be built to the same standard if it were built as Springhill. Lines do not know were they are as they are built to a standard. Yes Chinese cars are crap but it has little to do with how they are built and more to do with what they are made of and what they charge for them.
This also is a global market. If they build product here people complain because it is too expensive too often. And if they build it over there they complain it is not built here. What can you do?
This move of late to raise wages for people doing the same thing is just a viscous cycle as you increase wages it raises product cost and then you end up with higher prices. It never stops.
You want to get ahead get educated and or attain a good paying skill and improve your place in life. Too often anymore people keep holding their hands out for more money but give little in return. Hell we can’t get people at work to show up every day and we are paying them damn good.
Anyways where are all those who complain here on this yet say nothing about Musk going to China on the 3 model. Where are the cries on the Renegade that is built in Italy not here.
Yet may who complain may drive a Toyota built in KY but yet the money goes back to Japan.
I just wish people would see the big picture.
Like I say everyone wants to be a millionaire but you can’t do that shopping at Walmart. Now that they have raised wages you will see higher prices. How really got ahead there?
It is sad the few getting ahead are people who come to this country with nothing, they get no hand outs and work hard to get head and end up being your Doctor, lawyer and or own the business you buy from. Why can’t Americans figure it out if they can.
Sorry for the rant but Paris and the things going on there have really moved me. I knew it was coming but just did not know where and when. Now we all know and need to worry where next.
Lets face it we are in a complicated screwed up world. Just look at all of the folks running for President. Is this the best we have and I mean both sides. Can we not do better. Anyone smart enough knows better not to run.
The day that Chinese Buick lands, GM and I part company. The problem is, where will it stop. This is the 1st imported vehicle from China to America. What people fail to understand is that when this happens, the Chinese will now have a free pass to bring hundreds of thousands of Chinese made vehicles to America. The dumb, stupid Americans will buy them because they are cheaper.
Of course it cost more if it’s made in America How many Americans could live on $50 a day. It’s about earning a livable wage, having health insurance, earning a pension, saving money money for your kids college tuition. Things they don’t need to worry about in China because it’s all provided for free by the government. Every American with a lost job, is one less person paying into Soc. Sec., Medicare, Fed. and State taxes. and one more American on welfare.
Bailing out GM was about saving jobs more so than saving GM. China’s SAIC automotive group owns Volvo, so you can expect to see every one of those Volvo dealerships filled with Chinese cars in a few short years..
But what about GM? They make Cadillacs in China also, so why not import them and stop making them here. It would be cheaper, and they could close 12 factories in the US. Think of the savings in labor costs. Who gives a shit if 100,000 Americans lose their job. The stupid Americans will by them because they will be $10 cheaper.
It’s funny how Americans only care when THEIR job is in jeopardy, not their neighbors.
So go ahead, and buy those Chinese made vehicles, just don’t wave the American flag, or talk about American pride. I can’t wait until we buy our military planes and ships from China too. It certainly would be a hellava lot cheaper.
I go out of my way to buy American made clothers and shoes (Hickey-Freeman, Hart, Shaffer & Marx, Allen Edmonds, Allen Edmonds makes American made socks, shoes, shirts, pants, shoe trees, belts, ties, coats, scarfs, etc, in fact about 95% of everything in an Allen Edmonds store is American made. I have American made furniture, rugs, linens, kitchen utensils, appliances, fixtures, lamps, tools, cars, you name in my home..Don’t believe the bs that you can’t find anything American made.
And, for god sake, don’t put that “made in China” American flag on the back of your Japanese, German, or Chinese car you hypocrite.
Have you ever wondered how many Americans drive their Japanese cars to the December 7th Remember Pearl Harbor day events?
Why did you not leave already when the Buick from Germany arrived? Not just the Regal but the Opel. How about the Isuzu Opel from Japan?
Better yet the Korean Encore?
I really took the time to read this post. I have never owned an Import other than my Canadian or Mexican built GM cars.
I try to support things in this country as much as I can., I shoot an American Compound Bow, I try to do what I can and what I can afford.
But the truth is you can not buy everything American anymore. Try to find a Brake Rotor etc.
Not everything is cheaper over there and not everything is junk. That is the first mistake some make as they underestimate China. That is not an endorsement as I am for the home team but it is an very honest assessment as honesty is the only way to win at this game. That and learning again to be honest to be competitive.
Unions like to point out slave labor or poor quality. Yes some thing are but much of it is no longer that way and we need to realize that if we are to compete.
This is a global deal anymore and we as Americans have not had to compete for decades and today we now have to learn to compete again. That means changes in how we do things and why we do things. You are not going to win by isolation either as you need the global markets for what we sell too.
China sucks to work with as if they get thing right they speak English they get it wrong no one speaks English and they take advantage of it. Same as with the automakers. They have to be in China selling cars due to the large market but are forced to be a minor partner in any company they set up there. GM hold like 49% of the company there with a China partner. They can’t sell the Volt there unless they give the government the rights to the technology. But if GM was not there they may have not survived the bail out were. The loans helped but the sales in China floated the boat per say.
This is much larger than what many want to make of it as they treat it as a game of checkers when it is more like 4 way Chess and very complicated as every move or non move has a consequence for good and bad.
But before I would get all worked up on this Buick I would wait and watch as once the line is up here at Ingersoll I would expect product to start here. That is how they did it before and odds are will do it again Saving shipping cost alone would be worth the move if they plan to sell many of these.
Big picture. We will not win this back in on simple let buy American move as many don’t care and many can not always afford to do that.
Besides I would be more worried about my Big Mac coming from Argentina before I worry about my Buick from China.
The bottom line is price is king and you price products out of the hands of someone who can get more somewhere else they will go there. Just look at the crowd a Harbor Freight while Sear tool department is nearly empty and bankrupt.
Amen, John. An American flag that says Made in China on it is truly an insult. Just bought my 13 year old a VPI Nomad turntable for Christmas and it cost me a bundle but well worth it to support quality American manufacturing. Lest we forget, our kids take their values directly from us.
As much of a fan of GM as I am, I’d sooner ride my Chicago built Schwinn Sting-Ray to greet a client than arrive in a Chinese made Buick. It really is up to everyday Americans to fix this country and we gotta walk the walk not just talk the talk.
“Have you ever wondered how many Americans drive their Japanese cars”
Most of these Japanese cars are probably “Made in the U.S.A”. Where are the folks who scream “Buy American” no matter if the vehicle was built in the US or not as long as the money goes back to an American company? Where is the logic behind this thought? The average American gains nothing from it because the money goes straight into the pockets of the bosses and investors. If the Germans want to support their economy for example they would buy a German built Ford Focus with local made parts rather than a Mexican built VW Jetta.
This is the start of most Buick vehicles being assembled in China. Buick sales in China have recently topped the 100K/mo. mark and the reality is, like it or not, that is where the majority of the future production will come from.
“New” GM is squarely focused on profit, and in many ways that is a good thing, but in other ways it’s bad, really bad. Why is there not a RHD Camaro for European/Aussie markets? Money. Why is there not a Raptor fighter here now /coming soon? Money. Why is there no affordable hot hatch/sport compact? Money. Why can’t you order a GM full-size pick-up with the 6.2L V8 in LT or SLE trim? Money. Would “new” GM spend the money to develop a new engine specifically for a low volume performance car like the “voodoo” flat crank V8 in the Shelby GT350? Absolutely not!
Oh brother, I hope this is like the Regal and it eventually gets made on this continent for US consumption..