Buick is working very hard to dodge a dated image. Point in case, behold, the Buick Avista concept coupe.
Unveiled on the eve of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Buick Avista finally shows a design language and vehicle type that lives up to its “That’s not a Buick!” tagline.
Maybe that’s because its two designers, John McDougall and Aaron Stich, were both in their youthful 20’s at the time of its conception. But, these two weren’t originally assigned to head the Avista project, according to Mashable.
Leapfrogging GM’s traditional design process of U.S. design studio creates and designs an idea and then sends it out to a different global studio (a process that takes several months), McDougall and Stich completed the project in just two weeks.
Beyond their assigned sketches of the exterior and interior, these two men decided to further develop their vision of the Avista. After finishing the interior’s design, the team went ahead on coming up with names, logos, branding techniques, even a computer-aided design (CAD) for the concept — all without being asked. The team went so far as creating their own design for the Avista’s infotainment interface to match the rest of the car’s design.
After their allotted two weeks were up, instead of sending their assigned sketches off to another global design studio, Stich and McDougall made sure their design was seen. Lining the walls of the design studio with all their sketches while having their CAD rendering rotating on the studio’s computer monitor, Stich and McDougall got the attention of Andrew Smith, then-chief of Buick design and now Cadillac’s design head.
Labeling the team’s approach as a “mutiny,” Smith gave them an additional two weeks to put the final touches on their sketches before being presented to Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design.
“Wow,” Welburn said after seeing the pair’s final design, according to Mcdougall. Welburn even labeled their vision of the Avista as his “favorite Buick of his career.”
Stich and McDougal said they were inspired by late 60’s Buck Rivieras and beaches — yes those places with sand and water. This is especially apparent in the interior with a 3D printed texture on the shifter and the perforation pattern on the leather seats. The door panels are also said to have the fluidity of a sand dune.
Since Stich and McDougal’s success, GM is showing more trust in the team by assigning them bigger projects from the start.
Although there’s no confirmation that Buick will ever put this sexy coupe into production, the design language may serve as preview to Buick’s future design language.
Comments
Paid* off.
You know… this is the second stunning Buick concept that will never see a road! I for one am tired of being teased by GM… they show us these great concepts, but they never see the light of day outside of the studios and exhibit halls. If they do bring some of the design language to production vehicles it becomes so watered down that it’s barely discernible from the concept. I can’t get excited about anything GM does anymore. Buick wants to play with the likes of Lexus, Infinity, Volvo, etc. However, they never bring compelling competition to the table. Just stop producing these concepts and teasing the American public!
Couldn’t have said it better myself! Buick’s lineup needs a boost of more radical styling and performance-oriented cars! If they can’t get a RWD model, then at least produce a fun-to-drive FWD-based AWD car!
Exactly! AWD it’s fine given Audi’s popularity and Cadillac having a rear focus.
Buick must get past dull offerings such as LaCrosse with Regal GT being a benchmark. This will also allow Chevrolet too move upmarket in the FWD space.
I get the feeling that all future US/China Chevrolet vehicles will be based on trickled down Buick/Opel creations which is logic given the more premium nature of the Waterfall. Hopefully The General will give Buick the love it deserves.
How does Buick suppose to get away from there stereotype of being an “old geezer” vehicles, if they DONT and WONT build concepts that PEOPLE LOVE… So how are things going to change with Buick’s image, to try to get younger people to buy there vehicles, if they don’t do anything different to change it…?????
These Buick concepts thrash Cadillac hands down. It is time to either raise the profile of Buick or hand this design language over to Cadillac as a replacement for Art and Science.
Avista team consisted of women and younger guys as this is why the car looked fresh.. as it’s difficult to imagine the Avista being designed by an all-man team with the average age of members being in their mid-50s; the Avista concept car is breathtaking out of the box and something General Motors need to consider bringing to production which shouldn’t cost much since it shares the basic Alpha platform used by Chevy’s Camaro and Cadillac’s ATS.
To The GM C-Suite: this is Buick’s game changer! Build the Avista and you will change Buick’s (and GM’s) marketplace brand image dramatically. Stop forcing customers to buy overpriced and over-hyped German and Japanese cars. Build on your sales volume momentum of cars that people need to cars that people want! Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick? With the Avista, hell yes!
Before the Avista, the Buick tagline was something like ‘Buick is Better’. After the Avista, it could become ‘Buick is Beautiful.’
THAT is what has changed. That’s the response this car is having. Which is why the Avista shouldn’t disappear or become toned down design language.
I love my Encore, I do, but strangers think it looks ‘nice’. But imagine if they thought it was beautiful…
In today’s world, change is disruption, and, just like in the case of Avista, it comes about by millennials. This is the generation that doesn’t like stupid rules and it seems that the GM design process is rife with them. This team worked this just like the way they did a project in college–2 weeks–and they took total ownership of the design! This is a generation that won’t wait for bureaucracy. They did it all–interior and exterior design–far beyond the SOP. And, then to wow Smith and Welburn with their work is beyond expectations. So, I hope GM brass learns that they need to give people the freedom to do their best, give them resources to succeed, and then get out of the way. Smith and Welburn get it–the Avista is Buick’s game changer and thousands in the marketplace agree. Build the Avista and then get out of the way of buyers who want a real choice from German and Japanese cars, an affordable performance luxury car designed and built in America.
Yes, like the Buick Envision! Oh wait, crap, first car ever imported from China.
No — the Encore! Oh wait, crap, that’s made in Korea.
No — the current SRX! Oh wait, crap, that’s made in Mexico.
OK, let’s go downscale then. GMC Terrain! Oh wait, crap, that’s made in Canada.
Meanwhile, one nearly every BMW and Mercedes SUV sold in the US is built in the US. Maybe GM should ask BMW and Mercedes how to make vehicles profitably in the US?
“Buying American” is a trite and hollow phrase when the company that is afloat today due to my tax dollars is importing cars from China. I fully expected the day to come, but not from GM.
Risked big? Paid off? In what sense? That GM got some good press on the order of, “here’s another beautiful car that GM will never make”? Rumors are that folks at Cadillac killed any inkling of this thing going into production.
Have you seen the latest GM sales data? Buick sales increased year-over-year while Cadillac sales decreased year-over-year! If Cadillac is vetoing Buick designs because those designs will take away potential Cadillac buyers, that is a very sad reflection of GM leadership? I own a 20088 CTS and as much as I love it, Cadillac prices are increasing, models are getting bigger, and the Art and Science concept isn’t as distinctive as before. On the other hand, it seems Buick comes up with game changing designs, but seems to be held back by the brass from reaching its true potential. If the Avista doesn’t go into production, then they only things that will keep me interested in GM cars are 4G LTE and On Star.
The Avista and Avenir are such beautifully designed vehicles deserving of true production. Why must Buick constantly relegate these awesome concepts to nothing more than design studies?! The public is noticing Buick, and producing these cars is sure to garner a younger base while catapulting this brand’s image to true levels of luxury!
Like TStephens mentioned above, it’s difficult to get excited for anything to come out of Buick! We’re being teased by attractive designs that ultimately become so poorly translated into production models that it’s hard to believe they were based on the initial concept design! The new LaCrosse, for example, is quite handsome. While it nicely integrated some key styling cues from the Avenir concept, the overall design still falls short of it, and failed to capture the full essence of what made Avenir so striking! Even though the new LaCrosse isn’t out yet, the styling is already beginning to look a bit dated! This is one of the biggest challenges Buick face today: the styling ages to fast! They must start implementing a more timeless design language for the brand, in addition to adding at least two exciting and fun to drive cars to their lineup!