After a long striptease, General Motors has finally unveiled the first renderings and details surrounding its Buick Invicta concept -- a vision of Buick's future and another in-the-sheetmetal manifestation of the growing international synergy between GM's Buick teams in Shanghai, China, and Warren, Michigan.
Invicta -- the star of GM's stand at the 2008 AutoChina show in Beijing -- is also widely believed to be what the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that's been spied testing will become when it makes its appearance on Buick showroom floors in both China and the U.S. The LaCrosse is a nameplate sold both here and in China, but the cars are substantially different. That will change with the next LaCrosse, which will be underpinned by GM's global Epsilon II architecture. The Epsilon II is front-drive based but all-wheel drive capable. Powering the Invicta concept is a version of GM's 2.0-liter, direct-injection turbo four cylinder with an estimated 250 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Buick rummaged through the badge bin to find Invicta (Latin for invincible) -- last affixed to a Buick in the late 1950s. But there's nothing old school about how the Invicta's design language was developed. According to GM's global design head Ed Welburn, the Buick design teams in both the U.S. and China put their brain power together, using the company's virtual design design centers to help meld the best ideas from both teams. Much the same was done with the Riviera concept that debuted at last year's Shanghai show.
Invicta carries multiple design cues from previous Buick concept efforts, including the Riveria and the Velite that's been kicking around the auto show circuit since 2004. Buick's waterfall grille grins brightly out front with the badge prominently affixed in the center, flanked by cat-eye headlights. The signature port holes have moved from the fenders to the top of a hood that's been sharply-creased at the edges.
From the side, the designers have gone with a coupe-like greenhouse that's become all the rage in automotive design. They also went to the Buick history books as inspiration for the car's 'sweepspear' cue that runs from the headlights across the beltline, makes a Charger-esque sweep over the rear wheels and ends at the tail lights. The Invicta's overall stance is wide and low, with short front and rear overhangs and wheels pushed out to the corners. Invicta wouldn't be a concept without 20-inch, look-at-me rims and low profile rubber, and it doesn't disappoint in that area.
Inside the cabin, the GM press-speak boasts of large car size in a midsize package, especially for rear passengers. A glass roof helps to open up the greenhouse, and premium touches in the cabin include seam stitching on the instrument soft-touch feel panel pad, steering wheel and door panels. Buttons, switches and pulls are also designed to upscale tactile standards, and LED accent lighting adds to the experience. Looking at the renderings, the center stack and console appear well-organized and executed.
While it's far too early to tell what exactly how much of Invicta's look will carry over to the new LaCrosse when it hits U.S. showrooms, probably late in 2009. But at least so far, it seems like the type of car that could help Buick build on the momentum generated from its well-received Enclave crossover.
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