You know how awesome the GMDAT Suzuki Forenza sedan is? Unfortunately, we've never reviewed it here at TTAC, which is mostly due to our intimidation by the 127 horsepower engine. Still, the car has a real global role. In Canada (where it was recently discontinued) it was known as the Chevy Optra. In the UK, the Chevy Lacetti. And in China? It's a luxury car! The Buick brand, very strong in China, is offering this same car as the Buick Excelle, and they've just released pictures of a refresh. What a travesty that they would dilute the absolutely crucial Buick brand name in its only viable market – China – with a car like this. I spoke with Ash Sutcliffe of the China Car Times website, who responded to my brand dilution concerns as such: "…it could be that the Excelle is very cheap, and they feel that they are getting an American car for a Chinese price." In fact Sutcliffe says the price is in the heart of "first new car" territory. It's too bad that what's exciting for the first new car buyer is bad for the guy considering a Chinese Buick Park Avenue that costs 5 times as much as the Excelle.
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In the headline, is that the French spelling of “excels”?
(Oh wait never mind, i get it…)
Considering that the “first new car” customer can buy a VW Santana, Chery, or a host of other similar sized cars for roughly 2/3 the price of an Excelle, or an even larger Chevy Epica (GM Daewoo Tosca) for about the same price, you’ll then understand what the Excelle stands for. While it’s no 3-Series or C-Class, it does do for Buick in China those cars do for BMW and M-B, brings upwardly mobile young professional customers into the Buick family, so that as their incomes increase (and they are increasing at a rapid rate in China), they will trade up next time to a LaCrosse or Park Avenue.
Having lived in China for 3 years, I’ve always admired the stylish Excelle, which has been consistently one of the best-selling cars in China. I’ve driven them, and yes, the performance leaves a lot to be desired (in China they are sold with a 105 hp 1.6L engine), but it’s perfectly adequate for China’s traffic-choked cities. Customers look more for high quality, elegant interiors, and the prestige of a brand name more than raw hp. The Excelle delivers on those qualities well, and has been doing so for the past 5 years. Lest you think the Excelle is merely a rebadge of a Suzuki Forenza, be aware that the China version is loaded with luxury features not available elsewhere, much in the same way that the LaCrosse in China is far more upscale than the US’s rental car special.
I’m thinking “Skyhawk” when looking at this for some reason.
We get the Optra down here (Venezuela). Leather seats, sunroof, power mostly everything, 15″ alloy wheels, Auto A/C, fog lamps, spoiler, 2.0 lts engine and undercuts the Corolla by about 2500-5000$.
You get a lot of car for little money. It’s nicely finished, is comfortable and looks nice.
So…it’s not a surprise at all that it sells so well. Also here is on number 1 or 2 in the GLOBAL sales charts, the other 2 or 1 is the Aveo, and depends on the month.
That facelifted front end looks nice, and the dash better than the one we get. Hope the dash gets here soon.
Oh, and GM got 40% market share here on March ;)
BerettaGTZ:
brings upwardly mobile young professional customers into the Buick family, so that as their incomes increase (and they are increasing at a rapid rate in China), they will trade up next time to a LaCrosse or Park Avenue.
This is the standard argument for entry level cars, especially in luxury brands. The questions are:
1. Does it actually happen that people buy an Excelle and then trade up to the Park Ave or LaCrosse in China?
In America, many years ago people argued that cars like the “baby Benz” 190E would bring people into the Mercedes brand. Now that segment is fully developed in the US – the 3-series, the C-Class, the Infiniti G35, the Adui A4 etc – an it is one of the least loyal parts of the market. In other words, manufacturers sell these cheaper cars and in reality, just recruit disloyal buyers.
2. If it does actually happen that people trade up from the Excelle to the Park Ave or LaCrosse, is the Excelle the reason why? Or is it because Buick is just that desirable? In other words, do they NEED the Excelle to get someone to buy a Park Avenue? Buick’s reputation in China is fantastic. Maybe that person would own a Chery, and when they have enough money, buy a Park Avenue anyway.
Perhaps GM should see what the Chinese would pay for the Buick name/image.
If they could get enough for it they maybe able to get rid of one stale brand, pay-off the dealers and maybe have some cash left to improve some product.
BTW, I’m quite serious (for once) and not just taking a shot at them.
The Chinese seem to put value in the Buick name and very few in America do any more. Could be a “win-win”.
Bunter
Buicks had been in China before the WWII.
They recognised by the 3 or 4 holes on the hood.
I take some of the old memories got re-ignited. Probably from some of their rich Grand parent days.
If GM can make another Cimarron and be able to sell them like hot cakes, all the power to them.
In places like China if all they care is going point A to B, with lots of A/C power, no rad boiling embarrassment. no autobahn to red line the engine, a 1.6 is more than adequate.
China now became the last refuge for GM to make any money or sell all his cars & look beyond reproach. Ralph Nader hasn’t made across the pond yet.
I think that car is sold in almost every country that has automobiles.
Plus I’d bet if it were sold at Chevy dealers in the US it would outsell the Cobalt.
Interior’s actually pretty nice if you care about such things. Better than Cobalt, Caliber, Focus
For all your sarcasm, you don’t understand how the Chinese consumer differs from the American consumer. Chinese are ALL about brand labels and luxury. As long as it is properly built, luxurious, and well-priced, it will likely do well. Hardly any prospective buyers will give second thought to 127hp, considering traffic moves at a crawl throughout most of China anyways.
Regardless of where else and in what form this car is sold elsewhere in the world, I don’t think it should have been brought to the US. Why, because here, it sucks. Bad.
I had to use one as a loaner car once. When I started driving it, I forgot to release the parking brake (go ahead and laugh at me). So I thought, “Damn this car is slow!” Then I noticed my error and released the parking brake. You know what? There was hardly any difference!
This and the Gott cooler-like interior has doomed the forenza to rental fleet obscurity. Why do people even make cars like this one?