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Category: Buick

  • China first quarter saloon sales figures

    China first quarter saloon sales figures

    Shanghaivolkswagensantanavista20083 Here are the results of saloon sales for the first quarter of 2008 in China.

    As usual the Shanghai VW Santana(pictured) takes the first rank followed by the Buick Excelle. Another VW, the Jetta, ranks third. The first Chinese car ranks fifth with the Tianjin FAW Xiali whiel the small Chery QQ gets the sixth place thanks. Volkswagen also records a tenteh rank for the Passat GP. In total, Volkswagen holds three of the top ten sales. Japanese carmakers have two models, while the American carmakers have only one model.

    1. Shanghai VW – Santana – 69,214
    2. Shanghai GM – Excelle – 62,750
    3. FAW VW – Jetta – 61,202
    4. Guangzhou Toyota – Camry – 54,123
    5. Tianjin FAW Xiali – Xiali – 48,421
    6. Chery – QQ – 46,251
    7. FAW-Haima – Family – 45,352
    8. Guangzhou Honda – Accord – 42,160
    9. Beijing Hyundai – 41,556
    10. Shanghai VW – Passat GP – 36, 865
  • New teaser of the Buick Invicta

    New teaser of the Buick Invicta

    Buick_invicta_small GM, first carmaker in China,  has released a teaser of the concept car it will take the wraps off at the Beijing Motor Show. Like the Riviera unveiled last year, the Invicta was designed by the PATAC, the company’s Chinese design studio.

    The Invicta won’t reach the production stage and was designed to gauge public reaction to the brand’s future design.

    Along with the Invicta, GM will display the Buick Lacrosse Eco-hybrid, the facelifted Excelle and few Vauxhall models which will be soon be built in China.

  • Buick unveils the Excelle

    Buick unveils the Excelle

    2008_buick_excelle_04 Buick has taken the wraps off the new Excelle sold in China which will be officially unveiled on April 12th.

    With this new generation, Buick took the opportunity to feature a unique front fascia sporting the corporate grille and a new rear end. The appearance also take sits styling cues form the Park Avenue sold in China and this time, the link with the Chevrolet Lacetti is blurred. On the inside, the dashborad gets a revamp. if the lower part remains the same, the upper part of  the dashboard is all-new. Compared to the current generation, the Excelle moves upmarket thanks to less flashy wooden panels and a mix of black and beige colors. The central console gets a new stereo system while the LCD screen moves from the centre to the top of it.

    2008_buick_excelle_01 Final specifications remain unknown although the Excelle will likely be powered by a 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines.

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  • Buick to unveil the Invicta at the Beijing Motor Show

    Buick to unveil the Invicta at the Beijing Motor Show

    Buick_invicta_teaser Buick has announced it will unveil a concept car called Invicta at the Beijing Motor Show in April.

    Buick is the spearhead of GM on the Chinese market. If the carmaker sales suffer from a poor brand image in the US, the situation is different in China where the Excelle and Park models are bought for their luxurious image.

    Like the Riviera seen at Shanghai last year, the Invicta moniker has been used on a previous model forty-five years ago. At that time, it was the most powerful Buick. The concept car will pay homage to Buicks of the 1940s through the 1970s thanks to a collaboration between various GM Design Studios around the world. The Invicta will feature a nostalgic sweepspear design cue and a curved line running the length of the car. The exterior will also feature Buick’s signature vertical chrome waterfall grille and a new look to its portholes.

  • Buick to consider launching an all-new model

    Buick to consider launching an all-new model

    37033lacetti14che The American brand is seriously considering expanding its current lineup by adding a new model as the carmaker meets a big success on the Chinese market and records encouraging sales result in the US.

    The company’s executives still need to decide what new vehicle to build. At this early stage, two projects have their favour, a new rear wheel drive flagship and smaller model. The flagship would be based on the revived rear-wheel drive platform that GM planned to cancel due to the stricter CAFE regulations. However, the second project is the favourite as it would enable the company to satisfy easily the CAFE regulations and to reinforce its lineup in the US, but also in Asia where the growth is.

    The smaller model would be based on the next-generation Buick Excelle that will go on sale next year. The current Excelle is a rebranded Daewoo Lacetti sold in Europe under the Chevrolet badge.