Buick has been thinking about a coupe again, perhaps another reemergence of the classic Riviera? More specifically, GM, after the success of new, smaller & sportier Buick models, wants to give the B another shot at sports coupes. Last year, an updated Buick Riviera concept hit auto show floors, complete with gullwing doors and an Apple laptop styled instrument panel. It was as if the DeLorean from Back to the Future made sweet love to the Star Trek reboot USS Enterprise and had a Buick baby.

Automotive News recently interviewed Buick design director John Cafaro, who confirmed that Buick is targeting a younger audience. “My role is really being a zealot for getting Buick more youthful, more spirited and probing ideas for coupes, more expressive vehicles,” he said. “That is really my job.” Pretty good gig, if you ask me.

Currently, the automaker sells just three different models, including the soon-to-be-cancelled Lucerne. Aside from the full-size crossover Enclave, the company also sells the LaCrosse, completely remodeled for 2010.

“Buick definitely needs more product in the pipeline,” Cafaro said, later mentioning that the company needs a new car that makes a statement. Any such car would become Buick’s flagship. “A coupe is definitely where you say, ‘I’m back.’”

The Source: WCF

No, we are not pulling your chain or jerkin’ your rod – the Lutz-man himself has spoken of a very-possible 335 horse power variant of the Buick Regal. This future whip will identify as Regal GS – there’s even talks of a Regal Wagon version too!

GM’s unveiling of the 2011 Buick Regal starred Bob Lutz, at a car-studded event in Hollywood, CA. He said one of the models being worked on is a “manual-transmission model and all-wheel drive, as well as a 335-hp, all-wheel-drive range-topper…”

It’s no Grand National like the old school Buicks, but it sure makes our hearts pitter-patter.
According to our fav auto experts at Car and Driver – “Such a variant makes perfect sense given that Opel sells a pretty hot Insignia OPC with a 325-hp turbocharged 2.8-lilter V-6, a six-speed manual, and all-wheel drive.” We will keep you posted – or maybe next year you’ll see Buickpedia-folk racing down the NJ Turnpike in a Regal Wagon.

via car & driver

Rendering Credit: Tagline @ deviantART

Spy shots of automobiles and car concepts are online all the time – almost as widely available as celebrity upskirts on WWTDD. But the cars, usually caught during testing or at a press event, are disguised to look like other/previous year models. With the help of camera phones, tiny pocket cams and online forums, early “naked” vehicle shots are escaping faster then you can say lawsuit!

But it’s not all bad news, and as far as we’ve heard General Motors isn’t about to sue FB for any infringement. Sites like Facebook and Twitter should be embraced more then they already are for use in automotive PR – and frankly it’s great to catch some early car buyer reaction, before the final screws are put to the dealers when trying to push a sale.

Back in ‘05 The Regal was replaced by Buick LaCrosse. The last 2004 Buick Regal came off the assembly line on June 1, 2004. According to Jalopnik: Now it would appear it’ll be back and as we told you back in August when Lutz let slip this tasty piece of news to Scott Burgess of The Detroit News, it’ll be the same as was launched in China in November 2008 based on the Opel Insignia.

Thanks Jalopnik!

Check out the full-sized image.

SO far, Opel will be the basis for future Buick design concepts, in the same way Saturn used to use The O for their models. Speaking of Saturn, Buick has mentioned their plans for the first crossover-small SUV hybrid car in the form of the Vue. Other future vehicles by the brand known best for huge cars you grandparents drive might include a Chevy Cruze type mid size sedan along with an Aveo type economy class. Buick would grab attention by doing a 180 – turning to small vehicle production.

Source: Car and Driver

According to Car and Driver’s blog – “Buick is on the rebound in its home market, with the successful Enclave crossover and the appealing 2010 LaCrosse leading the charge. Could it continue with the reincarnation of the Regal? Spied on American soil was a camouflaged Chinese-market Buick Regal, itself a re-grilled and rebadged European 2010 Opel Insignia.”

General Motors is keeping Buick on and promoting them as one of Four Core Brands – and adding to this is the announcement that 2010’s Buick LaCrosse will feature a Hybrid Variant. Your average LaCrosse sedan, according to GM, will come with either 3.0L or 3.6L V6 engine. Well now a rumored Ecotec 2.4L direct-injection four-cyl has been confirmed.

This announcement comes weeks after Chevrolet, another one of GM’s remaining Core Brands, spoke of a Chevy Malibu Hybrid – it is safe to assume LaCrosse will contain the very same gas/electric drive train. General Motors has stated it plans to have 14 hybrid for sale by 2012, looks like Buick will have one of the first mass-produced vehicles.

Since Saturn is on the chopping block to be cut form GM by 2010, Opel is looking for a presence in North America again. Buick may be its best bet – as it is the only GM make that doesn’t have a powerful design presence, where as Chevy and Cadillac vehicles have an obvious look to them. The images are of the 2010 Opel/Vauxhall Astra – which may come to the US with a Buick logo.

It’s part old school station wagon, part GM hybrid (similar curves as the Chevy Cruze/Volt) – A selection of engines will be available beginning with a 1.4-liter naturally aspirated diesel up to 1.8-liter. No doubt this will be transformed into regular gasoline for North America. Outputs range from 140 – 180 horse power, with a GT Coupe version upcoming in 2011. So, what do you think – is Opel the new Buick?

In a recent article by CNN Money, it was pointed out that GM cars, specifically Buick vehicles, are selling like hot cakes still overseas, throughout Asia…mostly in China. This isn’t news to anyone who follows GM with a close eye – Buick has been GM’s Asian brand for years. Only about a quarter of GM’s vehicle sales worldwide were made in the U.S. during the first part of 2009. Where GM is losing money hand over fist on US soil, the company actually made a profit in China, the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America.

Experts believe it’s important that GM keeps overseas operations linked with North American units as it goes through restructuring . GM is hopeful their current efforts will also leave them as competitive at home as it has been abroad. “Their success overseas demonstrates that they have the capability of succeeding here,” said Tom Libby, president of the Society of Automotive Analysts. “The stuff they’re being forced to do now, it’s stuff that should have been done a long time ago.”