GM bets Americans will buy cars made in China

For the second year in a row at the North American International Auto Show, Buick introduced a stunning concept vehicle on Sunday night, prior to the opening of the big Detroit show.

That purple on this sportscar concept is the best thing Buick has done in a long, long time.

Buick Avista: new Holden Coupe previewed in Detroit?

Low and wide, the Buick Avista concept has an aggressive face with a gaping mesh grille, 20-inch wheels shod in Pirelli P-Zero rubber, squinting headlights, and powerful creases extending toward the windshield and front fenders. “It is a modern expression of the brand’s heritage of sophisticated performance, communicated with attractive elegance”. The Envision has been on sale in that market for a year or more (China, remember, is a huge market for Buick thanks to the brand’s historical association with former emperors).

The 400 hp comes by way of a 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged V6, which will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, likely the same gearbox that’s used in the Cadillac CTS-V.

The interior has intense technical and surfaces details, in everything from 3D-printed door and seat trim to a future vision of Buick’s IntelliLink, with touchscreen controls on a widescreen instrument panel display. A start/stop system and cylinder deactivation join forces to keep fuel economy in check, and the company’s Magnetic Ride Control technology help deliver the precise handling that enthusiasts look for in a sports vehicle.

It also means that a production Avista/Monza may not suffer the same fate as Camaro, which is built in left-hand-drive only, as the United Kingdom market would demand the steering wheel placed on the right. “Their newer models are focused on younger buyers and they are getting younger people into the brand”. Open side storage compartments built into the front of the console are enabled by the new Electronic Precision Shift, similar to the 2017 LaCrosse. Indeed, the concept has exactly the same wheelbase as the Camaro and is likewise more a 2+2 than a full four- or five-seater. “That dynamic experience behind the wheel is complemented by Buick’s signature luxury, whisper-quiet cabin and connectivity features to benefit drivers and passengers alike”.

Buick says it will have the next-generation of its “Quiet Tuning” suspension, advanced noise cancellation technology, air purifiers and even aroma therapy.