For decades, Buick was the stereotypical car of choice for the elderly. These days, Buick has begun to erode that image with quirky new product, including a slew of hot-selling crossover SUVs.
And the brand truly thinks it has a shot with the youngest car buyers, noting there are no preconceived notions of “grandpa’s car,” according to a Detroit Free Press report on Wednesday.
Aaron Stich, creative designer of Buick Interiors, said designers aim for the 19-39-year-old bracket when designing cars inside and out. The generations are a “blank slate,” he said. And it helps that young designers are now attracted to work for the Buick brand, too.
“Buick was a brand people weren’t lining up to work on; now we have people putting their hands up,” said Phil Brook, Buick and GMC’s vice president of marketing. “They’re young people who are willing to push the envelope a little bit because they can.”
Clever marketing has also helped fuel Buick’s turnaround in North America, though its continued success in China certainly helps. Although the brand believes there’s still plenty of work to do, the sales figures are a far cry from the financial crisis era when Buick nearly joined Pontiac, Saturn, and Hummer at the chopping block. It certainly helps that Buick jumped on the crossover bandwagon early, too.
Comments
IF THEY DONT MAKE AN ALPHA PLATFORM OR VSS-R PLATFORM CAMARO SIBLING THEY’LL BE MORE OF JUST ANOTHER BLANK. AND IT SHOULD HAVE ALL ENGINES FROM A HYBRID, A TURBO-4 A TWIN TURBO-6, A NATURALLY ASPIRATED V8 AND A SUPERCHARGED V8 AND EVEN AN ELECTRIC MOTOR. IF BUICK WANTS TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT. TAKE PONTIACS PLACE AND DONT SCREW IT UP
Well I will say this. GM is missing a Golden opportunity with Buick. The interiors are just not up to par especially in the Regal. Acura, Lincoln, Infinity, Volvo has completely stepped up their Near Luxury credentials and have left Buick in the dust. GM just refuses to spend the money it takes to completely compete in the interior department.
And why Buick even offers the 2.5 in the Envision is simply a joke. The 2.0T should be standard. No excuses.
Buick is nowhere near competing with the other Near Luxury makers. It is sad to admit and GM is leaving serious money out there because they are too timid to go All IN in the Near Luxury market.
I should say that the LaCrosse and Enclave interiors are almost good enough. Just need those finishing touches that Volvo, and Lincoln use.
GM interiors in general are all behind compared to the competition, especially Cadillac. Just look at the XT4. That vehicle’s interior should compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes, yet Volvo’s new XC40 and Acura’s new RDX look to be better than the XT4’s interior, nevermind the Germans. Compared to Lincoln, a number of editors are giving the Navigator’s interior a win over the Escalade. GM’s upper brands (Buick and Cadillac) deserve far better interiors if they are to compete.
To be fair to the upcoming XT4, it is a rung under the new Acura RDX. The problem is that the Volvo XC40 blows it away. It’s not that the new XT4 interior is bad it’s just that GM doesn’t go that extra inch to make it best in class.
Marketing __Marketing === Marketing GM doesn’t get it .. how about bringing out the important features ; lets talk about its fun to drive -excellent braking and steering .. good mpg– . Buick will never attract younger buyers as Oldsmobile or Pontiac did
“Buick will never attract younger buyers as Oldsmobile or Pontiac did”
Olds and Pontiac were aimed squarely at the youth market? When in the last 2 decades was that ever true?
Have any of you set into a buick enclave avenior before it’s very top notch, (Volvo, acura)and buick is attracting younger people. Cadillac is getting better (CT6-Vsport).
Agree. Sit in a new Enclave and you will see why it sells. Great vehicle.
Lets get back to the vertical bar grill as this one is yuck , bar and circle disappears into nothingness ! Buick can do better , much better !
“Aaron Stich, creative designer of Buick Interiors, said designers aim for the 19-39-year-old bracket when designing cars inside and out. The generations are a “blank slate,” he said. And it helps that young designers are now attracted to work for the Buick brand, too.”
Well, Aaron, I think you have some work to do. Here is some data from my store since 2017:
Average age of all Buick buyers: 56
Under 40 buyers: 16.3%
55 and older: 58.3%
There’s very little distinction between models:
Encore under 40 buyers: 20.0%
Encore 55 and older: 51.4%
Envision under 40 buyers: 15.2%
Envision 55 and older: 57.6%
Enclave under 40 buyers: 15.2%
Enclave 55 and older: 57.1%
Regal- huge disparity here: 14.3% under 30, no buyers between the age of 30 and 50, 85.7% over 55.
You can sell a young mans car to an old man, but you can’t sell an old mans car to a young man.
Well numbers don’t always tell these whole story, read these main article young people (in-there-30’s) like buick cars and these buying them. Despite what people say on here. Yes you can sell a old man’s car too a young man or woman.
I think in this case, numbers actually do tell the story. At least, the accurate story.
If young buyers only know Buick from TV commercials and print advertisement, they would probably be surprised to discover that Buick builds other vehicles than just the Encore and Enclave.
From my vantage point, Toyotas are the new old people’s brand. Whereas it was once a Buick LeSabre or Mercury Marquis that appealed to the sertagenarians, its now a Toyota Avalon or Camry.
Having said that, I don’t understand why nobody wants to build an old person’s car. I get that carmakers know they won’t sell a 78 year old person six more cars but what if they could sell every 78 year old a brand new car that they’d enjoy and would bring them happiness. I know people living in their golden years with money to burn who’d like a new car but they don’t like any of them. They’re not comfortable, they’re too complicated, too small, unattractive, etc. The reason these prospective buyers feel that way is because all the carmakers are chasing the youth market and assume Bunkie’s adage stated above is true. I don’t think it is. Old people won’t buy a young person’s car, Instead, they just keep what they have.