#NAIAS: Buick Backed Into A Corner As Buyers Clamor To Have Avista Concept Make It To Production

Buick/GM would be absolutely idiotic NOT to build this thing. Though derivative, it is a beautiful car and interest is incredible. They also need to introduce a production car based on the Avenir concept since that seems to already be forgotten despite its pretty flashy premiere. With these two cars, Buick could really rule the Tier 2 segment.

looks like low rent american auto....like its trying to be Aston Martin or Jag...but just alot cheaper. I'm sure its for the white/black retired trailer trash that you will be seeing driving this clunker. I'm sure this will be valet park at the finest walmarts in Alabama!

If they did not intend to build it then why do a concept car at all. Doing a concept car just to do a concept car is masturbatory at best. Concepts should be created to increase interest in a brand with the concept turned faithfully into a production car to translate that interest into sales.

Lexus got it right with the RC500.

Acura can get it right if they faithfully produce the Precision Concept.

There is room in the pony car wars for a "luxury Camaro"

Car manufacturers have - for decades - been producing concept cars - that they never had any thought of manufacturing them - Cadillac most recently with the Ciel and El Miraj for example. Often - these cars have features that simply cannot be included in a manufactured car - such as the Avista Interior. And just as often - these cars show a new styling direction for the cars involved. THe problem - of course - is just how much has to be changed to reach production and I believe the Avista would loose too much of its styling to reach production.

Often - as with the Ciel and El Miraj - the company did (At the time) not even have a "platform" available to produce them on. The last time GM produced a largely concept car Buick - was for the last production Riviera - which did not sell well. Frankly - what I miss is the really well styled cars that Bill Mitchell once displayed - that were both good looking AND production possible at the same time. We need a new Bill Mitchell at GM.

This is where Mary Barra will show what she is made of...at a certain point a brand that is trying to turn things around needs to tell the accountants to go to h@ll so that something can be built to revive the brand. If she will not, or cannot, get this thing built...then Buick and G.M. deserves whatever happens...with no more bail outs.

socialcarnut - nailed it. This is an oppty for Mary Barra to show things are different and the GM that gave us fantastically styled cars in the 60's and even in the 70's is back. The Avenir and this Avista are total winners there is absolutely zero reason to not build them. Would they sell in the top 2 markets, China & US, absolutely. So why not? Gorgeous cars are few and far between, why not make Buick gorgeous? Cadillac doesn't seem interested in it,

Shouldn't this be a Cadillac though ?

No. A Cadillac coupe should be larger and more stately.

“We didn’t bring it here with a view to build it”

Of course not, you're f-ing Buick! That's why I didn't care about this concept when it first appeared and I still don't. Buick isn't in the business of making interesting cars and I honestly don't see that changing. The Avenir, the Riviera concept, and now this car will just be another wasted design just like most of Cadillac's efforts.

It's quite sad that the Corvette is really SUCH an exception to the rule at GM.

What's bizarre--to me at least--is that concepts like the Avista, Avenir, and Elmiraj look production ready, yet we get the CT6 that has none of the grace of the Elmiraj and looks virtually indistinguishable from the CTS. The truly terrible new Lacrosse has a few of the Avenir's cues, but has many more in common with the 2004 Lacrosse.

Buick really has some nice design concepts of late. Buick is also profitable for GM. It is a bit of a gamble because there is a limited market for a luxury coupe's. Saying that isn't Infiniti going right at it. I would also love to see Lincoln do one off the Mustang chassis as well with their 400 HP V6.