One of Buick’s most important products is preparing to invade the United States very shortly. CarScoops has spotted the U.S.-spec 2016 Buick Envision in China boarding the ship to the U.S. of A.
The Envisions in question are, in fact, U.S.-spec due to the amber indicators in the rear. What’s more, this first Buick Envision batch appear to only be finished in silver, mocha or red hues, making us think that they will be used for media or press events.
The 2016 Envision will differ slightly from the Chinese variant. For instance, it will have a reworked suspension and extra power from the 2.0-liter LTG turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In addition, all models will be equipped with an eight-inch Buick IntelliLink touchscreen system, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated seats and an automatic tailgate.
The 2016 Buick Envision will make its official debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in a few short weeks.
Comments
Buick will take a public beating for this import from a brutal Communiust empire , in my opinion . We in Canada have lost manufacturing jobs here big time , the Camaro sent down to the USA to be built now and probably the Equinox in 2017 . As well most of our household items and textiles come from China and our once strong textile industry is almost zero….unemployment over 7 % in this country . The automotive unions will be fighting this import big time and rightly so , there are still depressed and decaying cities in the US with high unemployment that were once auto manufacturing centers !
Then you think of all the billions made available to this company in bankruptcy…..this is a slap in the face and one which will hurt this company . Barra says this import makes business sense , YOU BET IT DOES . The much lower costs of production and lack of workers rights makes building products there a gold mine . Watch GM sell this as an upscale Buick and make super profits . Saddling this on Buick’s shoulders is disgusting . First it overcomes the label as an old man’s car now this notoriety . I would rather it went on Cadillac’s back , this entity that is still outsold in its own house by BMW . GM makes a big public statement about generously settling the ignition fiasco , doing the right thing . BUT , now is time , I guess to recoup the big loses here , import from China , sacrifice jobs in North America , but the shareholders will be truly happy !
I think Buick will not suffer greatly here. Most people today just unfortunately don’t car anymore.
As for the plants in Canada. It is up to the Unions. They are the ones to broker deals with competition with other GM plants as they do here. You make a decent offer GM accepts it like they did at several plants in Michigan and at Wentzville and Lordstown. Also you need to factor in the globalization of today. If they sell only 30K units there is no money to be made here just to build that few vs. where they are building them at over 200K units.
The whole reason companies build cars is to make money for the shareholders not just to employ people. It is called Capitalism. While Capitalism is not perfect it is the best system we have.
As Winston Churchill said of socialism.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
Or
The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.
The idea you’re defending is that it’s more important to have capitalism make cars the most lucrative way possible than have the human species survive on Earth.
John you really need to learn how the real world works and stop taking in all that web bias garbage that is posted.
GM plants are not slave labor. In fact much of China is becoming very well paid hence that is who is buying all the damn cars they are building.
Yes it is a socialistic government and they lack many freedoms but that is the way it is. We are not going to make things better walking away. If anything China is playing with fire by introducing controlled capitalism to their people. By getting a taste of the better life they are going to want more and more. If anything it may back fire on them
China is now the 800 pound gorilla in the corner and you can not ignore it. She can take you down with one swing of the currency. The best way to keep things even is to make it that if we go they go. This was done before with the Soviets. Mutual Assured Economic Destruction is what it is called and it works. If people find they will fail they are less likely to do some major nasty things to you. Now that does not mean they are going to be your best pal but they have a vested interest in your well being because of their own destruction.
This is like the old saying I keep my friends close and my enemies closer.
China is well armed with nukes and if they had no vested interest in our well being what is to stop them or their surrogate N Korea from lobbing a few this way. Same for leverage we used to hold before Obama in the Middle East.
We are now in a position of weakness and economics right now is our best weapon.
It also like some of the most powerful men on the earth. How do you get their attention and cooperation with money.
Japan after WWII tried to take over the world economically. It was no secret and they almost did but the same thing that stopped them militarily stopped them again. The lack of natural resources and man power.
China learned from this and has applied the same principals here only with a twist. What they are doing is introducing Capitalism but to a limited government controlled degree. This has not been tried and it could really blow up on them. What is worrisome now is they are getting friendly with Russia who we have held in check with Economics. Putin was cut off from his oil money and now is looking for a friend. While some say Saudis are flooding the oil market to stop our production I think it is more to keep Putin in check too in the middle east as well as Iran. The Saudis fear them more than anything else.
As for GM they just want to sell a limited number of SUV models here. They can not import too many as most are needed over there so if they prove more popular than expected they could move them here if volumes warrant.
This is not the end of the human race. This is not slave labor and no not all Buicks will be coming from China. If anything more may come from Europe as Opel is way under capacity and they need to add production to the plants there. China is selling most of what they build and if they export much of it would go down under.
I don’t know what it is in California but you folks get some crazy ass ideas. Just look at George Lucas now claiming Disney is a bunch of white slavers because they made a move the fans wanted and not his movie. You would think with $4 billion dollars he would just walk away as he knew what he was doing when he sold the brand. Besides if they made three more like his last three I just do not see it lasting. He used to get it like in the first one he made but then he lost his mind and way.
The fact is America has lost it position of strength. We are going to have some times ahead that will be more difficult than you or I have seen in our life time. It is nothing new though as our grand parents before saw much worse in the depression. We can work through it but we will face challenges and will have to work harder and smarter.
One of our greatest issues is we have not has to struggle in generations and today many of us are too lazy to do what it takes anymore. In this day of free Cell Phones and other government hand outs we have gotten soft and unwilling to work for a living even if it is not what we want. Hell most people get fired because they miss too much work anymore.
The past generations faced two major wars and one major depression and the learned a lot from it but their children and grandchildren have forgotten much of their important lessons.
FYI take some time and really see how most Chinese live. They are not in huts getting whipped. The large cities are very modern and most are making a decent living .
Now the ability to express themselves, get on the web and some of the basic freedoms we take for granted here are not permitted. The emissions there are what we saw back about 100 years ago and need to be improved. yes they have things that should be done better. Also I do not trust the government one bit but that is why you hold the trump card on them economically. This way you protect yourself better.
As for here I know everyone wants to make more money than they make now. But every time we raise pay it has to come from some where and that is higher prices. We have proven to become more lucrative as a society you can not do it by raising pay or min wage. You want to improve your place in life you improve the worker. Education and learning is where you can improve the pay and income of society. Just giving people more money just makes a vicious cycle over and over of more pay and higher prices. It has taken this to the point where having a million dollars means little anymore.
With housing prices and pay levels in California you are the perfect case example of how this does not work.
You folks out there are slaved to the state anymore because you can not function with out Jerry Browns blessing anymore.
The fact is for capitalism to work you have to have people of all income levels. It will not work if we are all rich or all poor. It takes people of all levels to make it function, That is won of the first things they teach you in economics that is if the teacher is not a far left wacko.
The ‘public beating’ will be short-lived if at all.
Why do you not have an issue with the Cascada from Poland or the Encore from South Korea but you do of the Envision from China?
Buick needs the Envision and this is the most efficient way to get it here at this time considering the small numbers of sales it will initially represent.
I still maintain that there is a better than good chance production switches to NA when Equinox/Terrain production ramps up.
If domestic manufacturing is the only way to keep domestic capitalism afloat… I think Elvis has left the building on that one. America has always been about exploiting slavery. Africans for the fields, Chinese for the railroads, Mexicans having their day now. So what’s the big deal about exploiting Asian slave labor?
If it results in a complete economic collapse of America, the result will be domestic slave labor. I mean that IS what these corporations want after all. Or are the idiots defending this way of life that clueless.
Based upon Trump — that answer would be YES.
“Asian slave labor” is a rather far-reaching statement. No, it’s actually complete bullshit. Those working in SAIC-GM factories are not slaves, nor are they slaving for labor. Just because labor (and most other goods) are less expensive in China does not make it slave labor.
“A 26-year-old worker at a Chinese factory making Apple iPhones died after working up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, his family have claimed to MailOnline.
Tian Fulei was found dead on February 3 in a dormitory he shared with other workers near Shanghai at Pegatron, one of Apple’s largest product manufacturers, responsible for making items including the iPhone 6.
A verdict of ‘sudden death’ was given in court, but no autopsy was carried out.
Mr Tian’s family said he worked relentless overtime hours at Pegatron, and his death came less than two months after an undercover BBC Panorama investigation revealed how workers there worked to the point of collapse.”
This isn’t a country where people otherwise work in conditions we Americans would describe as ‘reasonable’.
Sure — there aren’t chains, whips, or slaveships. But it’s outright distortion to suggest Asia hasn’t established a brand of labor so obscenely cheap as to be a close relative to slavery.
Obscenely cheap labor is immoral. It’s slavery with a bit of polish and air freshener.
John in many companies in China they can not get enough skilled labor. Many times they bring in workers from out of town hence the dorms. They often compete buy serving better food then another company down the road.
This is not America and they do things different. The truth is the workers there can work long hour much like our grand parents did years ago. They worked under conditions you would find unacceptable now.
What you leave out is many of these people were working in harsh conditions on farms for even less pay with even less support in the country. They find their way out is to put the longer hours in for more pay to support their families.
Now no one is forced to remain at a job there. They can leave and move on if they like and they can go back to farm if they chose.
To be honest working 12 hour days and 7 day weeks is not unheard of here. I did it when I started out where I am at now. I worked 12 hours a day 14 days straight for one full year one time. It sucked but it got me to where I sit today and now I am enjoying two weeks off for the holiday and that is after I took a lot of time off earlier this year.
You must realize thing globally are not the same as here. We are exceptional to most of the world. But we also were to this point at one point too. But we can not just go in and tell China they must do this or that. The people are the ones who hold the power and in time they will find it and do something about it. The are the key to this and they hold the power.
England did not come here in the 1880’s when child labor was rampant. In time they will work it out. Economics has a way of changing governments.
Agreed.
But if Buick introduces SUV #4 and calls it ‘the EnSlave’, I reserve the right to change my mind.
This is just the beginning of the boat load of vehicles coming from our friends the Chinese .
And YES people should care .
Yes, it’s a global economy.
China has the upper hand, financially, with the gov’t holding 51% of the proceeds, as I understand it. Poland, we likely have a friendlier deal (?).
And the Encore is made in South Korea. Again, don’t know what the deal is, financially.
I don’t have a problem with the Envision. We buy stuff from all over the world. It’s likely that it will be a success. Just wonder how the financial mechanics work, though – China gets 51% of the proceeds, and we get 49?
And they get the job-creation benefits?
Just askin’. Shipping to a union destination like Long Beach probably complicates things.
But Happy New Year, all the same.
Again, and I’ve pointed this out before
Sonic
Cruze
Equinox
Camaro
Volt
Malibu
Impala
Corvette
Colorado
Silverado
Traverse
Tahoe
Suburban
Express
Verano
Regal
LaCrosse
Enclave
Terrain
Acadia
Canyon
Sierra
Yukon
Yukon XL
Savanna
ATS
CTS
ELR
XTS
CT6
XT5
Escalade
Escalade ESV
All North American made
Envision
Chinese.
Yes, GM is totally abandoning North American auto production, in fact they think so little of US auto production that they allocated an additional $7 Billion to it for 2016.
My theory, is that Buick will import loaded Chinese Envisions with different choices of colors, then Buick will quietly lease the ever loving crap out of these at with some killer $199 nothing down leases to get people hooked, and then start promoting them when production eventually switches over to somewhere in North America or Mexico, most likely when the Equinox/Terrain an XT5 are launched. If the Envision takes off, it would make more sense to move production of US models closer. Probably after its had an MCE to look more like the new 2017-2018 Enclave.
Right now were getting a slice of their excess production, but I don’t think they have the capacity to supply both the Chinese market and the US market if it takes off over here.
150 of them were brought into North America in November through Vancouver for evaluation.
You know , for the life of me I cannot fathom American attitudes to Communism . It appears to be absolutely negative for Cuba and any South American country , indeed , poor Cuba had been black listed for over 50 years . However , China , a communist empire , over in Asia is a buddy buddy for all manner of household goods and now shipping the most expensive item that many Americans buy except for a house or apartment. The majority profit for each sale of an Envision goes right out the door to China !! This empire treats human rights as disposable garbage , has a huge army , a navy trying to control the international shipping lanes right through to Japan , mega missiles and owns trillions of US dollars . Yet so many here think it is okay for it to buy up businesses / property and committments throughout North America and around the world to ensure it never runs out of manufacturing materials for peace or war .
Countries like Poland , Ukraine , Europe , India , and several of the smaller Asian countries , south Korea and Japan embrace democracy , but both Russia and China together hold more concenrtated economic and military might potential than the rest of the world , while open democracy there will never be embraced , in my opinion . Yet you want to kiss the Chinese asses all for the sake of more profitable business !!
What you mistake for acceptance of China is the fact we have to learn to live with them as we have little choice at this point. The best we can do is to work in areas where we can gain an advantage and technical lead and try to protect it from theft.
China is like that neighbor you really hate. You can not move and he is not going to move so you work out a deal to the best advantage you can get.
China is not like Cuba where we can just say piss off.
Along with the military the more economically China is reliant on us the more likely they will back off on any military threats hence my point about Mutually Assured Economic Destruction.
I can be safe to say we all here are not fans of Chinas government in anyway. But with that said we have to learn how to deal with them.
Also add in to this the point that Americans want the most for their money so they buy things at the lowest prices to make their money go as far as they can. Everyone here wants it all and would not sacrifice to pay higher prices that things would cost if they are made here. Yes there is a greed factor and we all and I mean all have played a part here too.
The fact is 49% of the profits do come back to us here through GM. Better than if they make cars by Woo Flung Dung and we got nothing. The truth is China needs the west at this point and if we ever lost that advantagw we would be in much worse shape.
As for Human rights yes they treat many people like crap. So do many other countries but there is a limit to what we can say or do here. It also has been a part of history for centuries too. Human have always not been fair in some part of the world.
Also these people are not slave. They can quit jobs if they like they can move on any time they like. China is not as restricted as some thing it still is. Yes they killed Religion and free speech or the use of the web. but there has been some more openness since Mao was in charge. Part of that has been their move to more capitalization.
The key to all this in the auto and consumer product way. CHINA IS THE LARGEST AND FASTEST GROWING MARKET IN THE WORLD.!!!
What does that mean? Well that means that if most companies are not activily involved selling their product in China they may not be here in 10 years. Auto makers with out a presents there rund the risk of failing as Market shares are unlikey to grow in the states or Europe. Also Euro and American companies hold an advantage as Cars from Japan are not really well liked there.
The truth is we can do more damage to China introducing more things and the American way of life there. Many of their people love America and are not hard line Commies. Getting a taste of what we have here could embolden them to do more to change their government. IT has mellowed already and could do more yet.
Like the uprising in the square it was not successful but it happened years ago that would have never happened.
There is a lot more to this than what we can post here. These people are crying more today for the free web there than anything else. Many have been educated here and want to bring what they found here back home.
You want greater worry look to Iran as these folks are willing to die for their beliefs same for ISIS. But yet they go unchecked.
Besided before I worry about Buicks being imported you do realize much of our prescription medicn is imported from China.
The bottom line is we agree with your feelings but there is just so much more to this and interconnected that have to be considered. It is just not as simple a right or wrong. I wish it was.
If they sell Ferraris, Rolls Royces and Cadillacs there, is it really a “communist” country….I’m not saying its totally free…..but….
Actually the quality of life there is better than it has been in decades. They still have some issues but not as many as they used to have.
The personal freedom is a little more but no where near what we have. A lot of favortisam from the government is still there to some people and places.
The slave labor mostly is from the use of prison labor in some areas due to the lack of workers in the region. Some regions have so much industry there is not enough people to work so they try to draw people in with housing in dorms and free meals. the meals can make a big draw for many companies.
The fact is it was not too long ago people could not and did not own a car. In fact in many areas it was rare to see one. Today GM is making a ton of money selling cars to the people in China. these are not just ruling party members but people that work and have families.
I don’t think anyone ever claimed China does not do some dirty things to people as it is well documented. But they have opened the door to many thing they would not have 30 years ago.
The thing I see is people get a taste of the good life and now that they know how we and other live they may stand up to the government at some point. Time will tell.
The greatest damage we have now is their bootlegging of so many products and stealing of technology. The present admin said they would address it but as of now it is worse than ever.
I would not call them just a Communist country but a Hybrid Capitalistic Communist country. It is kind of something new. They and Russia both found out the all share together and government owned cooperation’s get you no where. They want what the west has but they still want to be in control hence no free internet etc.
I’ll chime in — if you do not like the Buick built in China for the U.S. market then don’t buy it or any GM product if you so desire. The freedom to put your money where your mouth is — that’s capitalism. Force the all-powerful Federal government to ban it or put heavy duties on imported Buicks and you favor socialism.
Could the Buick Envision share the same platform as the rumored 2017 Chevy Crossover?
while all the above comments why it is ok for Buicks to be made in other countries , why are forgetting there are people out if work here in AMERICA . NO AMERICAN BRAND AUTO SHOULD BE MADE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY ESPECIALY CHINA