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China to Influence Buick's Direction in Coming Years

In the near future, it won't matter whether or not North American Buick dealers don't want a rear-wheel drive model, as they told executives from their parent automaker General Motors at the NADA conventionearlier this year, and bringing back its premium-line “Super” designation that adorned top-of-the-line models of the all-American brand from 1940 to 1958 won't be much of an issue either, although it's coming back according to Buick General Manager Steve Shannon. What will matter is what Buick's Chinese operations believes is a good idea, as it currently holds the trump card of stronger sales.

Last year Buick sold about 280,000 cars in China, and only 240,657 units in the U.S. It should be said that the brand also sells a Daewoo Nubira-derived model at the lower end, dubbed Excelle, which won China's "Car of the Year 2004 - Value for Money" and no doubt helps to boost overall sales, and other models not available in North America. Still, in China Buick

New Enclave shows that Buick is catching on to what today's luxury buyers want. (Photo: General Motors)

is now a revered luxury marque, something to aspire to, while in the U.S. it's lost some of its luster, having been outpaced by European and Asian luxury brands.

"We have incredible growth and appeal in China," commented Shannon during a Buick event at GM's Tech Center in Warren, Michigan earlier this week. "There is the potential for joint product development."

Shannoncontinued, "There will be a gigantic story to tell in the future between Buick in China and the U.S.”, when future models start rolling off of GM's new global vehicle architectures, which will no doubt include a rear-drive model despite negative reaction from U.S. dealers. “You will start to see the fruits of that in the not-too-distant

The Buick Excelle was voted "Car of the Year 2004 - Value for Money" in China. (Photo: General Motors)

future.”

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