Should Buick have an extreme performance car in it's lineup?

[Sal Collaziano]

If Nissan can have the 370Z which is a better performer than anything in it's sister-luxury brand Infiniti - or better yet the 600 horsepower twin turbo V6 GT-R - then why can't Buick have a Grand National and/or GNX that offers a similar experience?

We keep hearing about the return of the Grand National but I, for one, am very concerned about exactly what a second generation will be like. I'm sure some of you have the same concerns. Look what happened to the GTO. Can you imagine what die hard Pontiac fans thought when they first saw "all new" GTO? It performed well but it blended into traffic and looked like any old pedestrian vehicle. So that was a flop.

The Buick Regal GS was a major disappointment in the performance department in the opinion of MANY, many people. Especially considering the Opel version was quite the performer. Expectations were very high...

So what is General Motors and Buick going to give us with the Grand National? I really, really, REALLY hope we see something at LEAST as fast as the upcoming Cadilac CTS-V. I don't necessarily expect a Grand National to out-handle cars like the CTS-V or Nissan GT-R but I DO whole-heartedly expect to see it out-handle the Dodge Charger and Challenger Hellcat and I do expect it to be on par with those vehicles. THAT would make for a good second generation Buick Grand National. In fact, many people call the Hellcats "today's" Grand National as it is. I think now is the perfect time for Buick to introduce something into the segment that actually draws the same kind of media attention and crowds that the Hellcats have over the past year or so...

What are your thoughts? I'm really curious...

 

[ZoomZoom Diva]

First, any variant should be able to put the power it has to the ground, something the Hellcats cannot do effectively. A dyno queen is pointless.
Overall, I think the more important question is what can Buick put together well, that lives up to both entry-luxury and high performance qualifications, and can do both at a price people are willing to pay in the marketplace? That is what I consider the issue with the Opel version, it would have been too costly to deliver value amongst its other virtues in the United States, as it does not provide a compelling argument for a $50,000 car either in luxury or performance. The GS provides a much better package of both for under $40,000, it delivered near top of class handling and competitive acceleration at a significantly lower price feature for feature... even if it did not provide the blistering acceleration that all too many American car enthusiasts consider as the end-all be-all of performance.

All-in-all, if Buick can do it right at a price where people will and do buy the car in substantial numbers to offset the costs, more power to Buick. However, they should not build it solely as a halo car, or worse, not do it right which would cause more harm than good.

 

[Kevandkaye]

Rebirth of the Skylark GS would be a nice start off of the Camaro platform, Then quit goofing around and get the GNX rolling from the existing Regal platform! A lightweight, twin turbo V-6 in ANY platform that would spank the pants off competition would be nice......

 

[dowilcox]

Rebirth of the Skylark GS would be a nice start off of the Camaro platform, Then quit goofing around and get the GNX rolling from the existing Regal platform! A lightweight, twin turbo V-6 in ANY platform that would spank the pants off competition would be nice......

If Buick released a twin turbo V6 I would be all over that. I was pretty upset to find out that the Insignia's in Europe had a twin turbo V6 option and it wasn't brought to N/A.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Everybody's ideas here are good and make sense. I definitely don't want to see a tire-burner like the Hellcats but something that performs extremely well in straight line performance but is comfortable enough for daily driving that, perhaps, handling isn't up to par with, say, a Cadillac CTS-V. The more expensive vehicle should have at least one area that it excels in and since Cadillac is aiming for a BMW-like experience, I think handling would be the thing.

A Skylark GS would be nice but I'm not entirely sure the name would translate well to the buyer's Buick is looking for "today". The last really significant Skylark was sold in the early 70s and the reason "Grand National" is still fresh in everyone's mind is because it last sold in the late 80s...

Buick is definitely getting a twin turbo v6 in the not too distant future so save your money. 🙂

 

[snowyrenday]

They should just copy BMW if toyota can copy the germans why can't Buick ? Need a massive plush spaceship of a boat.


Copy one of those slap a Buick badge on it with massive Brembo Brakes and cost 1/3 the sticker. The car can cost up to 130 cad new.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

They should just copy BMW if toyota can copy the germans why can't Buick ? Need a massive plush spaceship of a boat.
View attachment 7442

Copy one of those slap a Buick badge on it with massive Brembo Brakes and cost 1/3 the sticker. The car can cost up to 130 cad new.

Maybe that's what the Avenir is supposed to be. Or, perhaps, the next generation LaCrosse...

 

[stoopid]

GM has a lot of horses in this race, so they have to be careful to not put too fast a horse against those they've already hedged their bets. Cadillac and Chevy each have several performance sedans (Chevy alone has the SS, Camaro, Corvette). The Chevy SS and Cadillac ATS-V fill both the entry level and actual luxury performance sedan roles completely. The SS at $45k, ATS-V about $62k

 

[Sal Collaziano]

GM has a lot of horses in this race, so they have to be careful to not put too fast a horse against those they've already hedged their bets. Cadillac and Chevy each have several performance sedans (Chevy alone has the SS, Camaro, Corvette). The Chevy SS and Cadillac ATS-V fill both the entry level and actual luxury performance sedan roles completely. The SS at $45k, ATS-V about $62k

This IS true - BUT - each car has it's own unique personality... For example - the Chevrolet is a big, high-powered boulevard cruiser. The Cadillac is a BMW-like corner carver with all the technology one could ask for (or at least close to it). A Buick would/could be something in between the two. Big, high-powered, luxurious - but still a boulevard cruiser - meaning it doesn't handle like it's on rails - but well enough to be safe at high speeds. I think there's a place for it...

 

[stoopid]

I think there's a place for it...

GM doesn't seem too interested, at least there's nothing in the pipe in the foreseeable future.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

GM doesn't seem too interested, at least there's nothing in the pipe in the foreseeable future.

What do you think about the Grand National and GNX rumors?

 

[stoopid]

What do you think about the Grand National and GNX rumors?

The same ones that have been circulating for a few years? I lost count how many times it gets debunked, then pops back up again a few months later. The internet has a longer memory than we do. lol

 

[Sal Collaziano]

The same ones that have been circulating for a few years? I lost count how many times it gets debunked, then pops back up again a few months later. The internet has a longer memory than we do. lol

View attachment 7465

Yeah, that old picture has been around for a long time. But why on Earth would Buick NOT have this car? Or - at the VERY least - a Riviera? Or an "Electra" electric version of the Volt? SOMETHING "cool" that can live in today's world, attract new customers with performance, style or technology (or a combination of all) - but still appeal to Buick's older customers... They NEED to do SOMEthing...

With cars like the "Nissan" GT-R (Nissan, for God's sake!) and "Dodge" Hellcats - how could a "Grand National" still be tucked away on some backup CD at Buick's headquarters? It doesn't make any sense... Something nostalgic that appeals to today's 30 and 40 something crowd would really bring Buick the attention it needs...

 

[stoopid]

GM has a lot of horses in this race, so they have to be careful to not put too fast a horse against those they've already hedged their bets. Cadillac and Chevy each have several performance sedans (Chevy alone has the SS, Camaro, Corvette). The Chevy SS and Cadillac ATS-V fill both the entry level and actual luxury performance sedan roles completely. The SS at $45k, ATS-V about $62k

This is why. Those other brands are ONLY those other brands, GM has multiple brands and would literally be adding competition against itself.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

This is why. Those other brands are ONLY those other brands, GM has multiple brands and would literally be adding competition against itself.

I really don't think that would happen considering the cars have different personalities and serve different purposes and different customers. But we can go back and forth on this forever and not get anywhere without anyone else chiming in. Hopefully at some point in time while we're both still alive - someone else will share their thoughts with us...

 

[Sal Collaziano]

I feel there's a huge market for people who want cars with power that don't need to handle like a sports car. Competent handling is all that's needed for these people. But they want a lot of power for those rare times when they need it. That's me. That's the kind of customer I am. I don't care if the BMW M5 can lose me in the F'ing twisties. Who gives a shit?! I just want big power when I put the pedal to the metal. What's the sense of even having the pedal go to the floor if the engine makes a lot of noise and nothing else happens? This is what Buick and Lincoln need to address.

And nobody at Cadillac (or WITH a Cadillac) is going to care because they can make you look like fool every time you take that trip to the Nurburgring and they can lose you around the twisty turns...