As current General Motors Vice President of Global Design, Ed Welburn, heads for retirement, it’s only fitting his last major debut make as big a splash as the Buick Avista.
FormTrends got the scoop on how a single side sketch in the design studio turned into a full-scale, concept vehicle. Unlike many planned concept projects, designers simply had a sketch of a Buick grand tourer. Coincidentally, Bryan Nesbitt, director of Buick Design, and Welburn had often spoke about the idea of a Buick GT.
Welburn simply said to start with that side view, and move it from there. The project began to really mature inside the studio, and immediately went from clay, to full scale quickly. As the design process evolved, more emotion and traditional Buick traits were involved to sculpt a modern identity with natural Buick design language.
Even the color of the car was decided upon early, the dark blurple hue we know and love, transferred from sketch to reality.
By the time it was finished, Welburn, Nesbitt and many others involved had designed a graceful Buick GT with presence, something which earned the team the 2016 North American International Auto Show’s “Eyes On Design” award.
A fitting end to a lasting career at GM for Mr. Welburn.
Comments
This story sounds similar to the rumors of how the Chevy Malibu was picked as several designers drew up images of what they thought the new car should look like and Ed Melburn picked out the one he thought looked best.
Then add the B pillar and smaller wheels and higher ride height so you can complain about the needed changes to make this a real car. Sorry but there would be more than emblems needed.
So many cars are created on a slip of paper or on a napkin.
Inspiration often comes on the spur of the moment. Of that is the best kind too.
Now all Buick needs to do is put the Riviera emblems on it and bring it to market ,
Then add the B pillar and smaller wheels and higher ride height so you can complain about the needed changes to make this a real car. Sorry but there would be more than emblems needed.
It’s a pity it won’t happen.
A truly stunning car that buyers will never have! It’s beyond words!
Its aggravating how much of a lame duck the Buick brand is right now.
I wasn’t complaining about anything Scott3 !
Like a sketch on a napkin , my thought was a wish on a forum !
two years in a row Buick have won the best concept car award at North America auto show. Now where do we go from here?
Apparently, we already have our answer: nowhere.
They’ve left the job of converting inspiring concepts to reality to the competition. Shop Lexus or Infiniti or BMW or Mercedes if you want to buy a car from a company that values overwhelming positive public (spelled potential new client) feedback to their design concepts.
As far as Buicks go, concepts are just a means to keep the design staff busy while awaiting the next FWD Opel to rebadge and rehatch. Hell, bring the Zafira already in that case. Any contemporary Buick exclusives are created solely to satisfy the perceived needs and wants of the Chinese market and anything intended to start a fire with American enthusiasts will forever remain a concept. Most of this is true for Cadillac with the exception of the high performance models which are clearly tailored to American tastes and are very respectable attempts to win over clients from BMW and Mercedes own sporting divisions.
There are plenty of car companies willing to make the concept car vision a reality for their customers. To them will go the spoils and legends will be made in their name. Car companies that play it safe will disappear and those who doggedly support the arguments against making the dream cars real lack vision and in the final analysis will have helped bury the marques they so steadfastly defend.
“Then add the B pillar and smaller wheels and higher ride height so you can complain about the needed changes to make this a real car. Sorry but there would be more than emblems needed.” This is the challenge for every major auto manufacturer (the competition) and it absolutely isn’t stopping them from moving full speed ahead. Witness the upcoming Lexus LC, LFFC (LS400) and Infiniti QX60 to name just three. Yea, the competition is spitting them out faster than you can say “walking papers for shortsighted GM bean counter managers”, Scott.
Gleaming dream cars on the showroom floor speak much louder than bullshit pipe dreams. The Mark of Excellence once understood this and built a sizable empire making those dreams a reality for everyday Americans. Which helps explain why my 1970 Chevelle SS 396 is worth a mint today – it freaking rules because it is a machine created by people who had passion! Somebody at the new GM needs to figure out how to build cars today that will be highly coveted decades from now. “Playing it safe” will not cut it, okaaay?
I would agree and add that Buick these days in North America is just “SUVs first, sedans second”, and pretty much nothing more, with just the Cascada being an exception – and only because it’s an already existing rebadged Opel.
Avista would have been a hit on the market, but their management presumably thinks it’s risky and not worth the financial effort to try to put it into production, so production Avista (or whatever it may be called – e.g Riviera, as many like it to be called) won’t happen.
I’d have loved to seen this styling present on the new 6th gen Camaro. This car reminds me of the sleek 2nd gen Camaro. Just gorgeous… Whoever has been doing Buick designs really needs to have their hand in Chevrolet and even Cadillac designs as well IMO. Somebody gets it.
Yes, this Avista is indeed gorgeous to me too. Body looks better than Bentley Continental GT.
Meant to say better