Though Buick recently tied top luxury auto brand Lexus on the most recent J.D. Power and Associate study, does one of America's oldest brands have what it takes to keep up the pace?
Well, Buick owner General Motors thinks so and it's looking to the Far East for some help.
It appears that GM is looking for help from China. The hope is that a Chinese car can be Buick's answer to the Lexus. The car? A Buick, specifically a Buick Riviera concept (pictured) that was showcased at the Shanghai Auto Show back in April.
And the Riviera is just the start. According to AutoWeek, several Chinese-designed Buicks may be heading to the States in the next few years. One, named the Buick Excelle, will be introduced in late 2008 or early 2009 in the Chinese market. There have been reports that the Excelle will find its way to American shores. GM is looking worldwide for other Buick vehicles. The Buick Lucerne will be redesigned in time for the 2011 model year. It will feature rear-wheel drive and will be imported from Holden, General Motors' Australian subsidiary, then eventually production of the Lucerne will shift to GM's Oshawa, Ontario, Canada plant. But no specific date for the change was given.
Buick has already dropped the Rainer and Rendezvous SUVs and Terraza minivan and replace them with the all-new 2008 Enclave crossover.
Finally, look also for a new LaCrosse with a 300 horsepower V-8, 5.3 liter engine, front wheel and all-wheel drive versions sometime in the 2010 model year.
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