From Autoweek:

Call the cavalry: Buick Velite rear-drive concept to debut at New York

By BOB GRITZINGER

Buick gets in on the rear-wheel-drive joy at General Motors when its Velite concept makes its debut at the New York auto show in April. (Buick says the name is derived from a group of elite, fast-moving troops.)

Sister car to the Opel Insignia concept shown at last September’s Frankfurt show, Velite is the second car—and first for the North American market—built on GM’s all-new premium, global, rear-wheel-drive platform. Think luxury Holden—GM’s Australian arm—and you get the idea for Buick’s four-seat, two-door convertible.

In Opel trim, a 344-hp Corvette V8 powered the concept. For Buick, look for the tradition of powerful V6s to continue. There is no word on Velite’s future yet, but why create an all-new platform without having a plan for production?






Remember when GM said Buick was going to be the American Lexus? Looks like they were serious, this this looks almost identical to the Lexus SC430.

 

damn, that is identical

 

And identically awful to boot. :down:

 

:werd:
i don't think i could ever like that buick grille. i guess i respect them wanting to keep it around, but so far they haven't been able to make it really look fresh and modern

 

And don't get me started on the faux portholes in the fenders... :down:^1000

The real Harley Earl would be spinning in his grave if he knew how his design legacy was being whored out by GM's marketing department. It's really disgusting to think about it.

 

It looks sort of like an SC430 mixed with a Crossfire with a bit of CTS thrown in the mix and then a Buick grille and portholes slapped on.

 

 

I really like it. A lot.

 

I'm confused here--is this different than the Sigma platform that's underneath the Cadillac CTS, SRX and upcoming STS?

Along with Kappa and the C6 platform under the new Corvette and Cadillac XLR, that would mean four different GM global rwd platforms. Well the C6 ain't exactly global, but still. Innnnnteresting.

 

Looks like it was designed by commitee. :down:

The trunk and front end are particularly egregious IMO. That little shoulder line over the rear wheel arch looks decent enough in side elevation, but the demi-boat-tail form of the trunklid is beyond absurd. :a: Ditto the "trademark" locomotive grill .. it should be abandoned, it simply doesn't work. And the chrome wheels are similarly cheap looking IMO.

That said, the interior for this concept is nicely done. Simple and clean. One of the better steering wheels I've seen

5.3 /10 in my book.