Last year, we proclaimed Buick is the new Saab. It’s thrown the covers off as a quirky brand within GM’s lineup positioned with more premium intentions. What other American brand offers a convertible, wagon, and a hatchback sedan? Things won’t be changing at Buick, either, according to Chris Hay, director of product and pricing at Buick.
AutoGuide spoke with Hay on Buick’s future, and in a report published on Tuesday, the executive said the brand will continue to fill in “white spaces” across its portfolio. The “white space” term became fairly synonymous with Buick years ago as the Encore sub-compact crossover and Cascada launched. Both represented oddball products, but have found success.
“We see uncrowded market segments and want to offer our own unique product,” Hay added.
He spoke at length about the 2018 Buick Regal TourX—which we’re driving this week—and put the car’s intentions bluntly: Buick wants a piece of the Subaru Outback market. Subaru sold 90,000 Outbacks last year, which makes it a small segment, but Buick is etching a proven track record for playing in these “white spaces.”

Third generation Buick GL8.
Where could Buick go next? Hay mentioned a premium minivan and additional hybrid vehicles. The minivan Hay referred to is likely the Buick GL8, a Chinese multi-purpose vehicle based on GM’s archaic U-platform. The platform dates back to the Pontiac Trans Sport. Buick China also offers a LaCrosse Hybrid.
“If we get the sense of any demand in these segments, we can bring over something that has been offered in other segments,” he said.
Comments
I would not be surprised to see Buick bring the GL8 to the US. My question is how the hell will Buick justify the massive R&D investments for a next-gen Cascada, Regal Sportback, and Regal Tour X now that Opel is owned by PSA? If these are niche vehicles for the US market specifically, I’m concerned that these vehicles will only live to see a single generation.
Cascada and Tour X are likely dead after this generation. Regal Sportback could live on if Buick were to align it more with the Malibu as they do with LaCrosse and Impala.
Those development costs were realized long ago, probably over the last 5 years, so well before the sale of Opel to PSA. However, you’re likely correct that we’ll only see these Opel based vehicles for one more generation. I like the look of the Tour X, but the cost gets pretty high (compared to Subaru) once it’s optioned nicely. I suspect there will be some great deals on these as they approach the end of the production run.
It should be interesting to see how the TourX wagon does compared to the Outback. It has the benefit of more power and a nicer shifting transmission that some prefer over the CVT, more space inside and Buick quiettuning for a more upscale feel.
I think this is where GM’s new architecture plan comes into play.
Yes, yes and Yes! Without Opel, TourX and Cascada are dead come next generation. This is true even if TourX out preformes expectation. My sense is that Buick will begin to feel more like an Asian brand with GL8 best summing up future design (blunders). My guess is that a luxury minivan might do well at Buick US even though Chrysler, Nissan and Honda do a good job.
Well with the sale of Opel, the midsize two row CUV that was to be built along side the Insignia is already DOA. They need to come up with a replacement.
Encore is an unqualified success.
Cascada sold 500 in December, but credited for bringing first-time buyers into the dealerships.
Hope the Regal TourX succceeds…
The Encore has a dirty secret, I highly subsidized lease…All you all need to do is google “$199 with $0 down Buick Encore” and you’ll see a $199/mo with $0 lease reported at least quarterly…
Even today, 2017 Encore Preferred, $1209 down and $199/mo on a $25,290 MSRP…They also accept incentives like military/recent grad…This lease is cheaper than a Trax which has a lower MSRP…
Buick’s Cascada is essentially overpriced at $33,065 while a Chevrolet Camaro convertible starts at $31,905; one wonders if the Buick Cascada was offered as a sexy 2-door coupe which sold for $6-8,000 less than the convertible would that car sell better.
I can see Holden becoming the new Opel for GM. Holden has a design studio capable of designing and building an entire concept vehicle from ground up. Holden also can take care of RHD needs for GM while at it.
Opel was a nice but very expensive thing to have. They supplied vehicles to entire Europe plus many markets throughout the world and gave GM an opportunity to poach some vehicles to fill ‘white spaces’ in US.
I think Holden might be tasked with designing a lot of future Buicks.
Buick has to have small and big cars in the program. Important is a van like the elegant OPEL Zafira and not the ugly China BUICK GL8 Monster. Furthermore, as a small and BUICK entry-level models again from OPEL the ADAM, Corsa and Astra. BUICK is and always has been the perfect car team with OPEL. I think PSA and GM are working on the next BUICK family with OPEL cars. BUICK and OPEL require quantities per model and this is only possible in the BUICK OPEL team. Currently I drive in Germany an OPEL Cascada and OPEL Corsa S. Both cars as a BUICK would be great, since I enjoy the sun with the cascada and with the Corsa S the everyday trips as in the supermarket. Sporty is the Corsa S with the 150HP and 6-speed manual transmission as well. So why not as BUICK at EUCH in the US? Look at the cars at http://www.OPEL.de.