Billed as a concept that
introduces the development direction for Buick’s future SUV products for the market,
the Chinese-designed Envision is the first look at future Buick design since the Buick Business from two years ago. But whereas the Business Concept pointed the way towards a funkily distinctive Buick aesthetic and product sensibility (if anyone should reinvent the minivan, shouldn’t it be Buick?), the Envision concept is an anonymously internationalist crossover. GM’s presser claims the Envision “merges Buick’s global design language with Chinese aesthetics,” but next to Buick’s previous Chinese-designed masterpieces of contemporary “American-style” design like the Business, Invicta and Riviera concepts, it offers little to identify it as a Buick. In fact, it seems more like a tribute to the Hyundai Tucson, which itself is something of an homage to Ford’s Kinetic Design. Perhaps Buick’s designers are trying to signal the fact that, in the future, all crossovers will look exactly the same.
I agree. It looks more like a Hyundai (or even a Mazda) than something one would identify as distinctly ‘Buick.’ The mere fact that we are now saying it looks ‘Hyundai’ already says something important about that brand, but I can’t say the same thing for Buick. In fact, aside from the waterfall grill, I don’t even know what it would mean to look distinctively ‘Buick’ because nothing comes immediately to mind anymore.
I think it looks good. If it had a tall cargo area for a mountain bike and responsive handling, I’d buy it. It looks like a better-looking Infiniti FX. MUCH better than that gaudy, overwrought monstrosity of the Enclave.
Looks like Chop Suey to me. Besides, who cares what we Americans think anymore? Buick is a Chinese brand now, and we are secondary players on the international playing field.
Anonymous or not, that’s a good looking car.
Hey, look! A Hyundaudi!
No
It looks to me like an updated (refreshed) design of the current Enclave. Looks a lot like the Mazda CX9 too. Certainly nothing groundbreaking here.
if that thing is a Buick I’m a communist.
+1! Lol!
Looks like gas prices will be leveling off and we can continue to live (not die) by the soft-roader.
Wow, you guys added pop-up ads that overlay your images?
There was a huge Ford logo under that picture. Rather confusing. I guess it made me click the article though, so it vaguely sort of worked. Kinda.
As for that “Buick”… did the tsunami trigger a bunch of Mazda design-staff layoffs? (What? Too soon?)
There is a lot going on in the side view. What is the little panel behind the front wheel? I think that some of the lines on the side are supposed to be reflections of light from the floor as opposed to character lines. Weird picture.
The scissor doors are ridiculous. I do not know why they put things like that in these pictures. They will never produce that vehicle with doors like that.
GM must want to lower the average age of Buick purchasers, and it’s turning to Chinese designers to do it?