Buick Sets New Sales Record in 2013 with Over 1 Million Global Deliveries

In 2013, Buick sold the most vehicles in a single year in the brand’s 110-year long history with 1,032,056 deliveries, and you can mainly thank China and its veracious appetite for any car wearing the waterfall grille for that. The previous sales record was 1,003,345 units set in 1984.

All told, Buick sold 809,918 cars in China in 2013, up 15.8 percent over the previous year, 205,509 vehicles in the United States (+13.9%), 14,310 units in Canada (+9.5%) and 2,319 cars in Mexico (+106.6%).

Buick's bestselling nameplate was the China-exclusive Excelle compact. The Excelle GT and Verano compact sedans combined globally to deliver a 16.3 percent growth, while sales of the Excelle XT hatchback, offered only in China, were up 17.5 percent. GM mentioned that sales of the new Encore small crossover reached 97,311 units globally in 2013, while the eight-passenger Enclave saw sales grow 6.5 percent in North America.

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Opel Reportedly Registers Calibra and Cascada Names in the US

While Opel may not be actively selling cars in the US, the name is still being used to register trademarks for future models, as they reportedly did back in the days of the Saturn Astra before it went on sale.

Now, MotorTrend magazine tells us that the names they registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office on December 19 of last year are Calibra and Cascada – the first designates an old 1990s coupe that was based on the Vectra of the time, while the second is a new four-seater convertible.

However, this by no means represent a sign of Opel moving to the US to counter their European decline, but rather a way for GM to secretly reserve these names for possible future Buick models.

This theory would make sense, since it’s a clearly stated goal of GM’s to better align Buick with Opel by bringing in models from the old continent, changing their grille and badges and adapting them for the specific demands of US customers.

If it does materialize, the Calibra could be the coupe version of the Cascada, and with the infusion of new style, perhaps one of the nicer looking Opels in years.

By Andrei Nedelea

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Buick Wildcat Design Concept Wants To Take On the BMW Z4 and Jaguar F-Type

Let's be honest now; the only reason that Buick survived the cut during General Motors' government forced restructuring is the brand's huge success in China, where business is literally booming: Chinese consumers buy around four times as many Buicks as their U.S. counterparts with sales of about 700,000 units in 2012.

In its home market of North America, Buick doesn't enjoy the same affection as it does in China, and its current portfolio of models isn’t exactly helping change perceptions. One independent designer who still believes in the marque is Marc Senger. Not only that, but he also came up with a vision on how to re-ignite passion for Buick.

A Boston-based designer who now works for product development studio Eleven, Senger says he has "never quite escaped the gravitational pull of working in Detroit", which makes him our kind of guy.

Senger sent us his work on the Buick Wildcat design study, which is named after and inspired by Buick's renowned fiberglass-bodied 1954 concept car. It's a two-seater roadster envisioned with a supercharged V8 engine (we gather in its top form) to compete against the likes of the BMW Z4 and Jaguar F-Type.

Below you will find Senger's description of the concept along with a multitude of photos and a nifty video animation. Read through and leave your feedback on the design in the comments that follow.

By John Halas




[From Marc Senger]

"GM’s 1954 Buick Wildcat II concept is widely considered among the most stunning show cars in GM history. It embodied Buick’s combination of effortless luxury, with a spry underbelly of raw performance worn on its sleeve.

This new Buick Wildcat aims to recapture original designer Harley Earl’s instinctual take on the luxury roadster, with a thoroughly modern bias. It will compete in a segment dominated by European prestige models (BMW Z4, Jaguar F-Type, Audi TT, etc), but will deliver a truly American driving experience. An experience aided by a Buick-specific supercharged V8, spiritual ‘54 cues like open fenders, “floating” headlights, liquid-smooth feedback, and relatively compact proportions. The low, 35-inch high cowl is the sole, yet critical shared dimension between the ’54 car and my own.

One may argue this segment is Cadillac\'s territory to fight, but I feel the Buick brand is in need of an engaging halo-car to redefine what Buick performance could be today: An oxymoronic, Jekyll & Hyde blend of brute force and buttery elegance. If Buick wants to attract a younger segment, this could be an aspirational gateway."

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Next Holden Commodore Rumored to be Rebadged FWD Buick Made in China

We learn from Cars Guide of Australia that there may be more know about the story of Holden shutting down. Apparently, GM did some kind of prior deal with Holden to have it design the next Commodore along with a Buick for the Chinese market. The Holden would have been made in Aussie, while manufacturing of the Buick-badged car would have been outsourced to China.

Now that the production halt of 2017 is official, and GM denied getting rid of Holden as a brand, the quoted report has firm footing to believe that the car destined for the Australian market will now be built alongside the Buick.

The worst part of all, for those used to rear-wheel drive cars being called Commodore, is that this future model is neither of those things… Four cylinders and front-wheel drive are expected.

It will be a Euro-inspired car, and from what we understand a bit of a four-door coupe, sleeker than the car it will replace; length will be almost five meters so it will be about the same as the current one, in that area – the only similarity.

By Andrei Nedelea

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