As much as we’d love to see the Buick Avenir rise from concept to production, it’s not happening. It’s dead. Very much so.
Duncan Aldred, Buick-GMC chief, confirmed the news when he sat down with our friends at Automobile saying, “We’re not going to build Avenir.” Aldred is a blunt instrument at times.
What he says following the death certificate for the Buick Avenir is rather intriguing, however.
“We never went into the show with the plan to build it. You’re going to see elements of Avenir in LaCrosse. But the reaction we got last year did stimulate a lot of valuable work, really looking at ‘can we, should we build that car.’ Bottom line is, that didn’t quite work for us. And … the sedan market is declining quite rapidly. We’ve also got an emerging and strengthening Cadillac line as well, and you’ve got to look at that potential. It would have been a viable business case, but we haven’t got unlimited capital.”
Cadillac has a history of calling the shots, even as it sits as a diamond in the rough in its current state for General Motors. And it seems like the Avenir may have seriously started a turf war after reading into what Aldred had to say.
It’s a shame, really, because everyone here at GM Authority believes Buick deserves a true halo vehicle to define the brand; not the Cascada, which has recently been bestowed a “halo” status for Buick. We’re sure the Cascada is a fine car, but it’s not a statement vehicle like the Avenir, or even the Avista.
Now, we kindly ask for Cadillac to keep its paws off the Avista concept, and let Buick bask in some of its own rear-wheel drive, twin-turbo V6 glory.
Comments
I am sick of the inter-divisional bickering at GM. If Caddy is jealous of that gorgeous Avenir then they need to buck up and design better cars. The “Art & Science” theme may have run its course.
I do not believe this time it is inter-divisional bickering this time around.
The fact is Cadillac still needs to pedal the CT6 that they were saddled with from the last administration at Cadillac. They have to hang on with it till they get their cars done that they just started a year and a half ago.
To fix GM you have to make all the parts work together and right now this car could kill the CT6 sales if it really undercuts the price.
Those at Cadillac now are not thrilled with the CT6 but they have to play the cards they have right now till they get what they are doing done.
I expect big changes at Cadillac but it will take time since Johann just got there as well as the rest of his staff to call their own shots.
Buick right now is the most flexible and expendable because of strong sales in China. In due time Cadillac will be repaired and Buick will be shown the love they need.. This is far from the last cool Buick we will see.
To be honest they need a Regal replacement that is a knock out like this car much more than a full size car. If they could do something that really could compete with Audi it would be wonderful and see much more volume.
Also they need a new Enclave worse than anything. That has been the cash cow in America.
I would not be totally distressed here. With losing this car Buick could very well get some even cooler models in compensation. The Alvista could be one a version of the Opel GT could be another etc.
You have to remember GM is not like it used to be but there are still some hard decisions to make and sometimes some timing has to be considered to let all divisions to work in harmony.
GM is already Balls Deep into the CT6 and really could not do much about it at this point. Also they just introduced a new Lacrosse. I can’t imagine sales would improve with the Lacrosse if you bring another sedan like this out so soon. It would tank their sales pretty fast.
But you can see what Buick and GM can do now and it will be far from the last to be seen from them in the future.
But we are in a transitional time and while things will get better as we go there will still be some painful moments along the way as we move the past to the new. Some times the decisions you made 4-5 years ago do not fit what you really would like to do not but you have to follow through after investing a few billion dollars.
While the new Lacrosse is not as neat of a car it should make back its investment soon and may give way to a Avenir like car.
That was said quite nicely! Agree 100%
GM simply needs to stop protecting Cadillac, or for that matter, any of the remaining brand. (Example: Rumor that Impala will be killed off for Buick).
The only great thing about Kia and Hyundai is how the two brands each battle for market share and how this allows shoppers to choose a “winner” while the company achieves greater share, scale and profitability.
GM can have two unique luxury brands tailored towards different demos while competing for the over lap.
As it stands today its true that most Hyundai & Kia models go head to head, but the luxury cars are being separated with their own unique platform. They don’t have the same head to head completion as most other models either, The K900 is sized and priced between the Genesis & Equus rather than positioned directly against them. I think a good example of what GM could be aiming for is the VW group, crossovers share platforms between but only the smaller Audi cars (A3 & TT) share a platform with Volkswagen cars. All the other sedan platforms are unique to Audi. Outside the U.S. there are plenty of cars shared between VW, Seat and Skoda but not with Audi. The way I see it GM either needs to be like VW(which they are for the most part, CUV/SUV share platforms and there sedans are mostly unique) or do what Ford did, shed brands and focus on just two one mainstream and one luxury(which isn’t happening in the foreseeable future.).
Avenir not a slam dunk. More design ideas to borrow or be inspired from — just as they’ve suggested.
Absolute idiots if they look at the Avista the same way. Since no one else does.
Reading to much into this folks.
If anything I think that there was not much Buick could do with the Avenir pricing wise. It would have to be priced substantially higher than the Lacrosse and with the CT6 pricing aggressively low the Avenir would have to be priced close to the $54K CT6 pricing.
Although the styling of the Avenir is more appealing to most which would you chose at the same price?
I would go with the CT6 all day long.
I like to picture the next Enclave being a lifted, high roof, Avenir carbon copy. The more Avenir in the next Enclave the better
I think it’s a bad decision. I was doing calculations in my head to see if I could pull off an Avenir. The CT6 is nice, but my wife Who owns a 2014 Enclave can’t tell the difference between it and my uncle’s 8 year old DTS. If the CT6 isn’t the Caddy flagship, the Avenir on the same platform for the same price could have been the Buick flagship. Though I’d skip the 4 cyl in the U.S. for a flagship unless it’s paired with electric motors.
They need to kill cadillac. Thousands of dollars for a big piece o c r a p. Low miles, 2012 CTS Performance Coupe…that ate oil at alarming rates. Playing ‘how much oil will disappear this time’ made me hate the first and last GM product I will ever own. Thanks for nothing cadillac/gm. Lexus may look boring but at least they don’t the audacity to charge you a premium to get a dressed up car that you just look at; you can’t actually drive it.
This is so fustrating! Just when I was getting to grow some interest in this brand, GM announced this! Sometimes I really wish that Buick would’ve either been phased out during the recession or simplyed stay in the Chinese market and pulled out of the North American market! The way I see it, Buick is both a blessing and a curse for GM right now! They’re profitable thanks mostly to China, but they have their faithful North American customers who are completely out of touch with what’ll make the brand respected and desirable! Plus they’re being barred from producing some exciting cars because GM has to protect the struggling Cadillac brand! You can tell how Buick’s existence in our market is complicating things in GM! I’m certain Buick executives would love to produce the Avenir and the Avista, but they have to cater to the ever-growing demand for CUV/SUVs! Which is not necessarily a bad thing except for the fact that the Buick lineup is laced with absolutely boring and unispiring products, and the more Buick continues add more badge-engineered products to their portfolio, the more likely it’ll bury the Cadillac brand! While Cadillacs and Buicks are styled differently, they share entirely too much content and technology! Why drop $55K on the Caddy when I can get a Buick with virtually all the same essential features for $45K?! Or a GMC for that matter for even less money! Truth is, GM still has one too many brands in their portfolio; despite significantly reducing the number of brands they originally had! How long will they be able to juggle all of them before one of them drop?! Chevy is doing well as usual. GMC has its customer base. Buick has their faithful followers. But the most profitable brand is struggling to gain traction in its own market?!
If it were only Chevrolet and Cadillac being sold here, there would be so much more leverage for Cadillac to expand its lineup and better position itself in the now broad range of luxury automobiles being sold here! There would be fewer worries about model, content and pricing overlap; thus simplifying the GM customers’ purchasing options by keeping the choices down to just these two brands! The key is to simplify! Just sell Chevrolet here and in the markets where it sells well, along with Cadillac. Chevys are now getting more and more premium in pricing and content, so hypothetically speaking, if there were no Buick here, Chevrolet can can nicely fulfill the role of an affordable and premium brand! And Cadillac can more easily expand its lineup with some badge-engineered and exclusive products without any worries about a Buick platform mate to potentially steal customers! As for GMC, GM needs to seriously get going with developing some exclusive models for the brand! They should be more competitive with Jeep directly than trying to compete with Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, Dodges, etc.! Keep the Buick brand in China where it can continue to flourish. Since China also likes their share of Cadillacs, let the brand continue to be sold alongside the Buick brand; like it would be here between Chevrolet and Cadillac were there no Buicks being sold here. Let Opel and Vauxhall continue to cover Europe as they are, and Holden can grow in Australia with the introduction of products featuring GM’s latest technology.
it seems like some gm people vant or like kill other gm people or products. or GM likes to suicide.
Old GM had been silly and killed himself. GM looks to continue doing the same in the new guess. if you go a little bit better already begins to make itself committed suicide.
GM wants to leave one matches only one brand and one vehicle. and hopes that all the people around the world just want to buy one of the cars, and everyone likes it.
how good or bad the car is. GM thinks that the entire world and is one of the iniemestel all tastes.
VAG group must own one product and this is VW passad red mettallic limousin and thats it.
Creepy disgusting is to read such stupid stories about GM.
or people are asked whether anything new and interesting is needed. Yes or no. foolish questions, and stories
Old GM killed itself partially by doing exactly what it isn’t doing here, making a version of every car for every brand they have. Not building the Avenir is something new for GM in a way.
In some ways.. this isn’t much different than when John DeLorean proposed the Banshee for Pontiac in 1964 and the project was killed out of fear the Banshee might eat into Corvette sales; thus, Buick’s Avenir got killed out of fear it would eat into Cadillac CT6 sales.
There are some differences as well, I think it is a more justifiable concern that a stylish premium brand car could be an issue for sales of a conservative luxury car of similar size and price. The Banshee Corvette thing was more of an apples to apples we don’t want the competition thing, where as the Avenir really could hurt the CT6.
I wish Buick would stop with the nice looking concept cars that they don’t plan on making, it just sets folk up for disappointment, and gets Cadillac fussed at. I also wonder if the 2017 Lacrosse would have gotten a better reception if we didn’t have the Avenir to compare it too. Who green-lighted that concept with both the Lacrosse and CT6 going on sale soon, it does neither of them any favors.
cadillac and vette alone in wanting to fight with the whole world. cadillac, or who do not like vette, will remain not buy GM production. GM gives an impression of such stories very foolish.
I would like to larger sedans will have only one choice.
I may not like it, buick or cadillac sedaan and i like chevrolet sedaan. or i dont like buick sedaan and this is only big gm sedaan then i go and buy audi-mb-bmw-kia…… and gm nothing.
gm figths itself ahaaaaa this is so foolisf.
VAG and many others brand offering a very large selection of cars from various manufacturers by the same group.
But everyone has their own right forsome never learn, and still die stupidtune. It is a proverb.
I still think that it’s all bullshit bullshit story here.and believe that GM has changed and become more and more better and smarter
and it also shows the weakness of the company. if the company fears for its own products and its own products in competition.gm to worry about how to fight the other manufacturers. GM would own all the products of other manufacturers raze.
even a simple person like me sees what is happening in the automotive world.
GM is not, after all, are blind or.
LOOK simpel VAG group and learn. GM, however, chances are he does not know how to use them
I guess the better question is why didn’t the Avenir just become the next gen LaCrosse using the Omega platform and the same general size.
this is only one VAG simple product. simple vw passat – thats the real world. not easy this world. some gm people not ewnen see this car or many others cars. this qality is briliant to. GM wants figth ahhaaaa. lets go and figth to simple passat. gm use GOOGLE or YOutybe and learn ahhaaaa
Ha you’re posting a VW Passat…comical.
This is the new one that is supposedly moving it upscale.
avenir is bigger calss than lacrossa. verano-regal-lacrossa-avenir all this cars must be and so to cadillac and chevrolet and holden-opelvauxhall to.
vag
let’s stop fooling ourselves, Buick does not have the same charm and the blazon of Cadillac, the only home that GM can really compete in the global premium is the Cadillac.
If so, it’s the same old GM ideology.
Avenir is so totally different than anything Cadillac is pitching. It’s flowing, organic, elegant and distinctive and nothing in the realm of Cadillac’s angular Teutonic juggernauts. Cadillac has become BMW, leaving boundless luxury “white space” for Buick and guaranteeing all but zero cross shopping even though platforms and engines may be shared.
It’s truer today than ever that if a brand is going to survive, it needs more than one model to carry it. Buick and GM can be famous for their inspiring show cars or they can be famous for building inspiring cars people can actually purchase and drive. Duncan Aldred and GM management seem to be the least appreciative of the talent within GM and that’s a total shame. Learn from Akio Toyoda to prioritize making the designers best work into showroom reality (quickly) or the potential GM car buyer will justifiably shop elsewhere
Now definitely isn’t the time to fall back to the conservative thinking and bean counting that wrecked old GM. This is a time of automotive exceptionalism and manufacturers that don’t embrace it will ultimately perish.
I wish GM & Cadillac nothing but success. But I have to wonder if senior management reads the comments by Buick loyalists on this website. Many of them are well thought out and very passionate. It is unfortunate when the customers appear to be light years ahead of GM’s executives when it comes to Buick’s future and model success. There is a strong market for well designed, well manufactured near luxury vehicles in the $37-$54K price range. Not everyone wants to or can afford to spend $60-75K+ for a vehicle.
So Cadillac wants to be autonomous only when it works to their benefit. What a crock!
If the high priced young talent at Cadillac cant compete with lowly Buick that is not saying much for the $12 Billion investment.
Doesn’t look like anything has changed at GM.
GM needs to stop irritating and confusing the market by developing stunning concepts that excite people, but producing cars that look so undistinguished, unimaginative, and unemotional. You get the impression that GM feels the Buick brand can’t compete with German and Japanese automakers. Buick needs to emerge from the “that’s NOT a Buick” brand perception to, “WOW! NOW THAT’S A BUICK!” That’s what an Avista says to the driving public. This car will move the needle in brand perception and can draw the long, hard, envious attention of the owners of German and Japanese luxury cars. Don’t be timid, GM. Prove to us that our investment in GM was worthy of every dime. Building the Avista will help prove that.
What gets me about GM is the fact that the premier moniker for ages for GM was Buick. Buick always was the epitomy of
Americana automobiles. Actually GM at one time was Buick and yet today who the Hell is ever in charge treats this Division
as nothing. Big Buicks were magnificent, quiet luxury at it’s best, smoothest riding, power when you need it, reliability ( the doctors car) and status. Buick sales were incredible especially in their Specials, Centuries. Their big luxurious Roadmasters, Limiteds and Electra 225s did equally as well !! What a love affair this Country had with the Buick Brand for so many years.
Buick deserves a lot more from GM than it’s getting. I don’t know where the heads of GM are getting their information from but it surely isn’t from average America. All the attention is on Cadillac and Chevrolet. Buick in the past filled that market successfully for a long time and as one of the top sellers in the Country,,,,,,,not Cadillac,,,,,,it was Buick !! GM is so far behind the trends set by Germans and the Japanese who are building longer wheelbase cars with so called luxurious interiors loaded with more gadgets. Smoother ride options, terrific 0 to 60’s with bigger engines despite gas consumption. Wake up GM and start making American cars and start with our Buick !!