http://www.freep.c...ompact-Buick-sedan

A 6-speed manual transmission turbocharged Buick? I'm curious how this trajectory will fly in the Chinese market, which was the primary motivator for scrapping Pontiac in favor of Buick. The Chinese fell in love with Buicks when they were boring soft blobs; what are they going to think of all this edgy, sporty shit?

I think Buick is going the way that Saturn was going. Most of these cars are badge engineered versions of Opels. That's what the entire line of Saturn cars was sourced when they shut down. All they needed back then was a better marketing campaign and less watered down BS. The new Buicks seem like cars that most people would shop for if they wanted the sporty Camry or Accord.

have any of you even DRIVEN the cars your shitting on? of course not.

Posted by Samurai have any of you even DRIVEN the cars your shitting on? of course not.

sam i have to agree with you, ive always had pontiacs but now since pontiac has been phased out buick seems to be attractive these days. No offence sam, i always found chevy a homely pontiac!

I'm not criticizing the 2013 Verano; I'd happily drive that if I could afford to spend that much on a car.

I have. I like most of the new GM cars to be honest. They got rid of the stuff I couldn't stand, leaving behind what I think is a strong lineup of cars and trucks.

Posted by Samurai have any of you even DRIVEN the cars you're shitting on? of course not.

Yup.

I dunno, turning the old man's brand into an "exciting" (hah) brand is kind of a silly idea.

i drove that Buick and it was a fucking blast! it was like 'this is a Buick?'
what was heartening was the fact that the little dealer where I bought my Cruze has sold several of those Buicks with four more on order.

i still dont understand the not torpedoing of GMC, GMC and Chevy trucks are identical, at least there was a minor styling difference between chevy and pontiac.

Posted by nostra-YOUPPI! i still dont understand the not torpedoing of GMC, GMC and Chevy trucks are identical, at least there was a minor styling difference between chevy and pontiac.

i agree... 'back in the day', GMC pickups had heavier frames, axles, and different, more industrial, powertrains. They were the trucks you bought if you owned a business while Chevrolet was something your dad bought for around the farm.

I think that Buick's of today are making people forget about the Lesabres and other luxed-out sofa's on wheels from a decade ago. Judging from the Buicks I have driven and looked at, it's almost like Buick is aspiring to be BMW or Lexus, or at least offer a product to compete in that universe. Is that so bad to aspire to large things?
Who would've ever thought 15 or 20 years ago that GM-Cadillac would build something like the CTS-V?... and actually sell them?!?!

All I can say is that if we had been treated better with our Astra after Saturn closed down, I would be considering a GM as our next new car. The way it's looking, I may take my business over to Mazda if they ever get a Diesel in a Mazda3.

I've actually heard pretty good things about the new Buick's, but I'd still never buy one. It's a tainted brand, that most people youngish consumers can't help but associate with hideous boats driven by old men. IMO (and I'm sure many of you old timers will disagree) they should just scrap the brand and market them as something different.

GM may be marketing Buick towards its former Pontiac customers, but they're still being priced as Buicks. Dodge is the closest thing to Pontiac, now, as far as I'm concerned.

Posted by wannabeotaku All I can say is that if we had been treated better with our Astra after Saturn closed down, I would be considering a GM as our next new car. The way it's looking, I may take my business over to Mazda if they ever get a Diesel in a Mazda3.

Mazda is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too fugly for me. It's like the Mazdaspeed brand. Brilliant cars. Outstanding performance... wrapped in a body that looks like something out of a badly animated cartoon.

Agreed, I'd much rather a new AWD buick over a mazda at this time. Im actually a fan of buicks, mainly old classics and new ones, nothing in the 80s up until last year

Posted by SamuraiMazda is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too fugly for me. It's like the Mazdaspeed brand. Brilliant cars. Outstanding performance... wrapped in a body that looks like something out of a badly animated cartoon.

Agreed, the only brand with overall greater ugliness across their line is Mitsubishi... and they win by a landslide. They haven't produced a remotely attractive vehicle since the 1999 Eclipse.

You forgot Nissan.

Posted by bandi You forgot Nissan.

i often ask, "what happened to Nissan?" They used to produce some of the most attractive cars to ever grace a motorway... and then, what? they fired the styling department? They hired the mentally challenged? the deranged? I mean the Sentra SE-R, the 200SX, the 240SX, the original Maxima, the everyone-else-in-the-world-got-it-but-us Skyline...

..and now?

This.



And this.



And this.



Oh, and that.

It hurts me to say it, but suddenly this:



isn't so funny looking any more.