Will Riviera design revitalize Buick?
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Despite being some eight months old, the Buick Riviera concept has generated buzz here in Motown. Hailing from Shanghai, the gullwing-door front-drive 2+2 coupe looks good on the floor and, per GM design boss Ed Welburn, is a sign of things to come for Buick.
Elements of the Riviera's design -- the production future of car itself is unknown -- are seen in the Enclave crossover and on spied prototypes of the next-generation LaCrosse, which to us looks better than the current car even in full camouflage. The effects of the new design direction will probably begin to take shape on the next-generation Lucerne, reportedly scheduled to show up shortly after the LaCrosse.
Avant-garde design was a staple of Buick during the '50s and '60s, but the brand lost its mojo and its offerings became the main way elderly ladies got to their bingo nights. Now that GM is diversifying its brands again, Buick seems to be regaining its design mojo. But will this new direction be enough to revitalize the brand?
Made in China: Buick Riviera concept coming to Detroit
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GM officially announced today what had been rumored for some time, that the Buick Riviera concept will be part of its 2008 Detroit Auto Show presence, where it will make its first appearance on North American soil. The front-drive gullwing-door coupe was first unveiled at last April at the Shanghai Auto show.
The Riviera was designed in China by the Shanghai-based Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, a joint venture between GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. It was designed to accommodate a new hybrid system that goes on sale in some Chinese-market Buicks shortly before the Beijing Olympics this summer. However, the Espilon platform-based car's primary purpose is to serve as showcase for Buick's new design direction, elements which, such as the "waterfall" grille can already been seen in the Enclave crossover.
The Riviera was received well in China and GM is undoubtedly eager to see what North America thinks and a production model is not out of the realm of possibility. Expect much of the Riviera (and Enclave) in the next-generation LaCrosse and Lucerne as GM tries to build on the popularity of the Enclave and revitalize the brand.
It's worth pointing out that Buick enjoys incredible popularity that it can only dream of in the U.S. In fact, China recently surpassed the U.S. as Buick's biggest market despite the much smaller size of the market there as a whole.
Volkswagen unveiling two-door Elise fighter in LA, new sports car
Click either image for a high-res gallery.
Over the past five years, Volkswagen has continued to tease us with sports car concepts that never seem to come to fruition. Back in 2003, VW unveiled the Concept R in Frankfurt to critical acclaim and two years later, the wraps came off the EcoRacer, proving that the automaker was still kicking around the idea of a lightweight, affordable roadster for the masses.
In the interim, VW had two similar concepts that never left the studio, but when the Los Angeles Auto Show rolls along later this year, a new mid-engine coupe will be revealed, and this one actually has a shot at production.
According to Autocar, this newest concept aims to be a budget alternative to the Lotus Elise, balancing performance and fuel economy in a low-cost package. Sources suggest that the coupe will feature either a 168 hp, 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine or a 125 hp, 1.6-liter TDI mounted amidships and sending power to the rear wheels via a seven speed DSG gearbox. If and when the production version debuts in 2011, the coupe's curb weight is pegged at just over 2,200 pounds, allowing it to run to 60 in under seven seconds while still returning over 55 mpg.If the project is given the green light, the same architecture that underpins the VW variant could form he basis for the oft-rumored and continually denied Audi R4. And with Porsche's stake in V-Dub, that means a 914 successor is just a badge and prayer away.
Gallery: Volkswagen Concept R
Gallery: Volkswagen EcoRacer
BMW X1, 7 Series hybrid headed to Paris; Z4 to debut in LA
Inside Line has the skinny on BMW's new product unveils for the upcoming show season. Paris and L.A. are the headliners, with the City of Light chosen as the backdrop for the official public debuts of the all-new 7 series (including an ActiveHybrid variant) and facelifted 3 Series. While those cars will get their fair share of attention, all eyes will likely to be on the concept X1, which will also make its world debut in Paris.The baby ute should be to the X3 what the 1 Series is to the 3. As for its "concept" status, if Bimmer concepts in recent years are any indication (think M5, Z4 Coupe, and M3), the X1 show car and production vehicle should be essentially one and the same. The next major unveiling involving a roundel-wearing car will take place this November in Los Angeles, where the redesigned Z4 will be introduced. According to Inside Line, it'll go on sale in January. As for the X1? Time will tell. Details on if and/or when it'll be offered in the States aren't available yet.
Sneak peek at Mitsubishi's LA Design Challenge entrant: MMR25 Rally Racer
Click above for gallery of the Mitsubishi MMR25 Rally Racer concept
The LA Auto Show is once again hosting its annual Design Challenge in which automakers are asked to let their minds wander and think freely about what future vehicles might actually be like. Last year's theme was green, but this year designers are being asked to imagine what motorsports will be like in 2025.
Mitsubishi's answer will be the MMR25 Rally Racer, a way out there concept that draws upon the automaker's long lineage of successful rally racing to create a sand crawler like we've never seen before. We've only got a sneak peek for now, so there's no telling what exotic or outright fictional engine powers the MMR25, but expect it to be just as crazy as those multidirectional wheels.
