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Reuss says Cadillac CT6-based Buick could happen

Could the upcoming Cadillac CT6 and its Omega platform spawn a Buick variant? According to General Motors' product chief Mark Reuss, it could potentially be in the cards, but "not yet." "We're working on that," Reuss told Automotive News at the 2015 New York Auto Show. While there hasn't been a large, rear-drive Buick on dealerships since the Roadmaster in 1996, the company gave a big hint that it could head in that direction with the Avenir Concept, shown earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show. As Automotive News explains, a rear-drive Omega-platform Buick could be a real hit in China, where consumers buy 13 Buicks for every one Cadillac. That move would be a big help to GM's bottom line, too, as it'd significantly increase the Omega platform's economy of scale. If a large Buick based on the CT6 were to head to China, though, it likely wouldn't be a simple case of badge engineering (thank God). Reuss hinted to Automotive News that while the mixed-material construction of the CT6 platform "is very flexible," doing an "identical version of that platform or not is a different conversation." What are your thoughts? Should Buick adopt the Omega platform for an Avenir-based sedan? Should that vehicle be sold here in the US, or should it be a China-only offering? Have your say in Comments. Related Video:

Buick Enclave spy photos reveal curvy, minimal interior

We got a pretty good look at the next-generation Buick Enclave last month via some spy photos, and this month we get a peek inside. While the exterior takes after the Wildcat concept, the interior follows in the path set by the recently redesigned and launched Encore GX and Envista. The focal point of the new Enclave's interior is the curved screen panel encompassing both the instrumentation and the infotainment. It has the rounded, inverted trapezoid look of the little Buicks, but from the gap in the screen covers, it looks like the screens will fill up the housing much better on those base crossovers. Just below the infotainment side of the screen array is a minimalist set of climate control buttons (piano key style) and a pair of air vents. It's difficult to tell much else of the dash due to the coverings. Based on the little Buicks, the screen probably sits on a small alcove with the rest of the dash being smoother and wrapping around behind the screen. The steering wheel isn't shared with the smaller Buicks, nor does it appear to be that similar to what we've seen in either the new Chevy Traverse or the GMC Acadia. It has a sleek, simple three-spoke design with a small circular center horn and airbag section. We also noticed the black plastic strip at the top of the wheel that likely houses the lighting and infrared sensors that go along with GM's Super Cruise hands-free highway driving assist. We're expecting the Enclave to be revealed soon, possibly early next year, with deliveries coming soon after. This is because this prototype looks pretty much production-ready, and we've already seen its cousins from Chevy and GMC. It will likely get the same turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque with an eight-speed automatic and either front- or all-wheel drive. Related video:

Movie Review: Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary

As Buick currently claws and scratches its way back into relevance to compete against luxury brands like Lexus and Acura, it's hard to believe that not too long ago, the brand had a car that was mentioned in the same breath as Corvette, Lamborghini and Ferrari. That car? None other than the Buick Grand National. All black with a turbocharged V6 and some of the quickest acceleration of its time, the Grand National, in today's standards, is along the lines of a 2013 Shelby GT500 with both cars essentially being a working man's supercar.
The last Grand National rolled off the assembly line in Flint, MI on December 11, 1987, and to mark the silver anniversary of that somber occasion, Black Air is a documentary of the Grand National from the perspective of the enthusiast, the collector, the media and even from those at General Motors responsible for creating such a sinister legend. Like the car itself, Andrew Filippone Jr. shoots the documentary in a raw fashion, and it definitely helps to show why a low-volume muscle car from the 1980s is still the object of obsession for many automotive enthusiasts to this day.