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New Chinese Buick Excelle

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The new small Buick for China will be based on the Chevrolet Cruze.
No surprises here. the “old” one was based on the Daewoo model sold here as the Suzuki Forenza.

This small Buick will not be sold in the US.
We still might get a version of the larger Opel Insignia based Buick Regal.

The current model. Basically our Forenza with more wood trim and a bigger chrome grille…

Conversation 18 comments

  1. Buick needs this model and the Insignia based Regal in the U.S. Both cars would round out Buick’s sedan lineup.

    Buick of China can keep the current Forenza based Excelle in China, but the Delta II based compact sedan needs to be available in the U.S.

    I think this car might appear in some markets as an Opel Astra sedan (although I heard rumors that the sedan version might go by another name other than “Astra”). If GM had made proper plans, the current Astra sedan would be in GM’s North American lineup somewhere (of course, it would have also been built at a North American production facility, also).

    GM keeps tripping up and second guessing themselves out of opportunities. It’s really sad and pathetic.

  2. I think this is too small for a US Buick.
    GM doesn’t need another Chromed version of a Chevy. They’ve been doing that for decades.

    Buicks should be bigger and more expensive.

    But hey.. That’s just me…

  3. If only there was a way to put those rear quater windows on the Cruze! No more black plastic windows!

  4. why would we get a buick version of the insignia when the lacrosse is already the same exact car under different sheet metal? im mean, its the same size for goodness sake :/

  6. I’ve posted many times about the Lacrosse here. It is NOT the same car than the Insignia.
    The Lacrosse is 7 inches longer than the Opel. And the wheelbase is almost 5 inches longer.

    The difference between the Infiniti G35 and the M35 is 5.5 Inches.
    And an Avalon is 8 inches longer than a Camry.

    Insignia and Lacrosse are based on different versions of the same platform. But are not the same size.
    Just like the G35 and M35. And the Camry and Avalon.

  8. They had a Forenza as a Buick over there? The Forenza is a piece of JUNK!

    ” Anonymous said…
    Buick needs this model and the Insignia based Regal in the U.S. Both cars would round out Buick’s sedan lineup.

    Buick of China can keep the current Forenza based Excelle in China, but the Delta II based compact sedan needs to be available in the U.S.

    I think this car might appear in some markets as an Opel Astra sedan (although I heard rumors that the sedan version might go by another name other than “Astra”). If GM had made proper plans, the current Astra sedan would be in GM’s North American lineup somewhere (of course, it would have also been built at a North American production facility, also).

    GM keeps tripping up and second guessing themselves out of opportunities. It’s really sad and pathetic.”

    It isn’t a missed opportunity at all. GM is shying away from the badge engineering that got them into trouble in the first place.

    It is too small to be an American Buick and will not help Buicks image…

  9. Great explanation Vince. Although I believed you previously, now I understand the facts. Now everyone can stop squaking about how they are the same car!

  10. This new Buick Excelle looks to me like the sedan version of the new Opel Astra

    The quater window on the front and the similar designed front end are almost the same as the shots we’ve seen of the Astra so far unless they have used a totally different platform and just taken design cues from the new Astra?

    Hmmm…

  11. I agree that the current Forenza based model can stay in China, but the next gen Delta II version should come to the U.S. Gas prices aren’t going to stay in the $2 range forever, folks. GM doesn’t need to be caught off guard when gas prices head north once again. If this car is properly executed and differentiated from its Cruze platform mate, then it will be an appropriate product for Buick to offer. Since it’s based on the next gen Astra (which I believe GM intends to take upmarket somewhat), I think it will have the goods to compete in the entry premium segment. Buick has a lot of potential to be a full scale premium division if GM gives it a chance to become just that. To become a full scale premium division, it needs more products; both small and large.

  12. Vince, I understand your point on Buick sticking to larger vehicles, but I think there is room in the North American market for this product.

    With GM shrinking to Chevy, Caddy, Buick, GMC (and Pontiac assuming the “niche” status — whatever that means), there could be a way to offer a “luxury compact/C-segment car” in this market.

    North Americans are arguably ready for luxury compacts. They’ve been on sale in Europe for ages, but are really somewhat of an anomoly to the US market.

    But with gas prices still a factor, the idea of everything going “green”, and federal CAFE standars promising to be more and more stringent, there could be a home for this at Buick.

    And considering that other products like the Saab 9-3, Volvo S40, Acura TSX, Audi A3, BMW 1-Series, and others occupy more or less similar territory in various guises. Why not at an American, near-luxury car brand?

    GM could be justified in offering such a product to consumers as people look for smaller and more fuel-conscious vehicles in the years ahead.

    A luxury compact like this Buick could start at $20K (where most non-luxury, mid-sized products start) and offer a more uplevel experience and driving environment from the Chevy Cruze. They could offer turbo I4 or DI engines, tech-laden features, and a unique appearance that adopts Buick’s new design renaissance.

    Plus, keep in mind that the luxury compact and sub-compact fields are set to expand not only in Europe but very possibly here in the US.

    Yeah, we have “premium small cars” like the Mini and smart cars on sale here, but rumors are swirling that MORE models are set to come Stateside:

    Benz is talking about brining the B-Class (and maybe even the A-Class) to the US market.

    Volvo is talking about producing a car smaller than the C30 that would make it to he US market.

    Saab wants to get a 9-1 to market soon (and the next 9-3 was/is supposed to use GM’s DeltaII platform upon which this Buick vehicle resides).

    Alfa Romoe is coming back to the US and it will offer both the Mi.To based on the Grande Punto and a replacement for the 147 (dubbed Milano in the US) that’s gonna be loosely based on the Bravo.

    Lexus is going to offer an “entry level luxury hybrid” in the HS250h. Its slightly larger than a C-Segment product, but definitely smaller than the ES350.

    Audi already has plans in place for both an all new A1 and a replacement for the A2 – and either could come here.

    And Nissan is toying with the idea of producing a product smaller than the current G35 for their Infiniti lineup (there have been “complaints” that they’ve forfeited a number of sales to younger buyers when the old G20 went bye-bye).

    And who knows; More may be coming.

    This Buick C-Segment/Compact car doesn’t even go as far down market as some of these more established luxury brands, but still would make an excellent companion to the new LaCrosse and new Regal at Buick showrooms. It would help combined Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealers who will experience a drop in volume once Pontiac moves to its “niche brand” status at GM. And it would keep the Lordstown factory where the Cruze is being built humming.

    If marketed well, it could be a huge seller for Buick.

    Just my thoughts on this…

  15. A small near-luxury car is all good and well, but it can’t be based on crap, like the Forenza, or else what you end up with is something called “Cimarron”.

  17. The Forenza is NOT based on GM’s Delta platform; it is based on a Daewoo platform. The CURRENT Chinese Buick Excelle is based on this car and platform.

    The next gen Buick Excelle (let’s hope GM doesn’t use this name if they do decide to offer this car in the U.S.) and the next gen Opel Astra sedan on which it will obviously be based will be on the Delta II platform.

    Before everyone gets on their soapbox about a Forenza based Buick making its way to the U.S., take a breath and learn the facts. The next gen compact Buick sedan will be an entirely different car.

    By the way, thank you Vince for clearing up the assumptions about the Insignia based Regal and 2010 LaCrosse. They share the same platform architecture (Epsilon), but they are 2 different sizes and sit on 2 different wheelbases. There is room in Buick’s lineup for both of these cars.

  18. QUOTE: “The Forenza is NOT based on GM’s Delta platform; it is based on a Daewoo platform. The CURRENT Chinese Buick Excelle is based on this car and platform.

    The next gen Buick Excelle (let’s hope GM doesn’t use this name if they do decide to offer this car in the U.S.) and the next gen Opel Astra sedan on which it will obviously be based will be on the Delta II platform.”

    Absolutely, you are correct. The Excelle is based on an updated version of the GMDAT J100 platform.

    Keep in mind that the current Excelle, consider that the updated version of the car looks different inside and out from the Suzuki Forenza, Daewood Lacetti/Nubria, and Chevy Optra. It has a unique interior and exterior and is more than a simple rebadge in its current form.

    That being this car that Vince has posted will be based on DeltaII.

    And from everything that has been leaked thus far, it will NOT carry the Excelle nameplate but will be dubbed “Skylark” in both the US and China (this follows a trend in which GM will try to harmonize all nameplates on upcomign models so they can build global recognition).

    Let’s hope they get it to market soon.

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