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Buick asks design students 'What could a Buick sedan look like in 2030?'

When you think of daring concept cars or emotional design-student projects, Buick probably isn't the first brand that comes to mind. It's not for lack of concepts; when General Motors ran down 11 concept-car highlights from Buick's 110-year history, three of them are from the past 15 years, with other experiments in that same timeframe like the Black Hawk, Centieme and Cielo left unmentioned.
But the company still thinks about them even if we don't. It ran a contest for students at Detroit's College for Creative Studies to create a Buick for the year 2030 that would incorporate future materials and transportation needs, and nanotechnology.
Best exterior design went to Sam Kenny for his Neo Classical Buick, Justin Salmon took honors for innovative material use, like having exposed algae on the bodyshell to generate energy, and Namsuk Lee nabbed best overall concept and best interior for his Buick Vision Sedan. You can read more about the design challenge and winners in the press release, and hear students talk about what went into the work in the video below.

Even if GM does close all 5 of those plants, it'll still have too many

DETROIT — General Motors' monumental announcement on Monday that it will close three car assembly plants and two powertrain plants in North America and slash its workforce will only partially close the gap between capacity and demand for the automaker's sedans, according to a Reuters analysis of industry production and capacity data. Sales of traditional passenger cars in North America have been declining for the past six years and are still withering. After GM ends production next year at factories in Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, it will still have four U.S. passenger-car plants — all operating at less than 50 percent of rated capacity, according to figures supplied by LMC Automotive. In comparison, Detroit-based rivals Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will have one car plant each in North America after 2019. The Detroit Three are facing rapidly dwindling demand for traditional passenger cars from U.S. consumers, many of whom have shifted to crossovers and trucks. Passenger cars accounted for 48 percent of retail light-vehicle sales in the United States in 2014, according to market researchers at J.D. Power and Associates. This year, sedans will account for less than a third of light vehicle sales. That shift in turn has left most North American car plants operating far below their rated capacities, while many SUV and truck plants are running on overtime. The collapse in passenger-car demand is a challenge for nearly all automakers in the United States, including Japan's Toyota and Honda, which have the top-selling models in the compact and midsize car segments. Toyota executives said last month they are evaluating the company's U.S. model lineup. But Toyota also plans to build compact Corolla sedans at a new $1.6 billion factory it is building in Alabama with partner Mazda. The obstacles facing GM in its plans to close more auto factories became apparent on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to block payment of government electric vehicle subsidies to GM. While it is not certain that Trump unilaterally has the power to do that, he made it clear he intends to use his office to pressure the company to keep open a small car plant in Ohio that GM says will stop building vehicles in March.

Next Buick Verano headed to Shanghai Motor Show

Buick is a big deal in China and ranks third in automotive brand popularity there, according to a recent poll. It should come as little surprise, then, that the company is using the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show to debut the next-gen version of the Verano. We are even getting a shadowy tease of the small sedan's look ahead of the April 19 unveiling. Actually called the Wei Lang in China, Buick says the redesigned Verano takes styling cues from the Riviera concept from 2013 Shanghai show and the recent Avenir, as well. Neither inspiration seems too obvious based on this teaser image, but the small sedan does gain two creases down its side: one arches through the front door handle and the other picks up over the rear fender. Buick isn't even hinting at what powers the Verano in China and simply asserts that the model sets class benchmarks for "performance, safety and comfort" there. Of course, as with many foreign market models, it's possible that the sedan could use different engines or wear different altered styling when it arrives in the US. Buick Verano Sports Sedan Named "Wei Lang" in Chinese, Will Make Debut in Shanghai on April 19 2015-04-14 SHANGHAI – Shanghai GM today announced that the Verano, Buick's new-generation sports sedan, has been given the name of "Wei Lang" in Chinese. It will make its debut in Shanghai on April 19, on the eve of Auto Shanghai 2015. As a new strategic model for the Buick brand, the Verano will offer a refreshing driving experience through its stylish and dynamic exterior, exquisite and comfortable interior, and precise and powerful performance. The Verano was inspired by the 2013 Buick Riviera concept car and captures the design essence of the Buick Avenir concept car, which debuted at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Verano demonstrates Buick's insight into the aesthetic preferences of Chinese consumers. It embodies the innovative reimagining of Buick's classic design elements, exemplifying the elegance and dynamism of Buick's new-generation products. It is expected to set new benchmarks for performance, safety and comfort in its class. Like the all-new Excelle GT, which was launched earlier this year, the Verano will serve as a strategic model in Buick's bid for a stronger presence in China's mid-range vehicle segment. General Motors traces its roots back to 1908. GM has 11 joint ventures, two wholly owned foreign enterprises and more than 58,000 employees in China.