Report: Buick Considering New Coupe

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Vik is an Editor at High Gear Media and contributor for a number of sites within the High Gear Media network. He was a co-founder of Motor Authority... More

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buick riviera concept 010

Buick has some exciting new products in the pipeline, such as the LaCrosse and Regal sedans, but at the end of the day the brand is still struggling to attain new, and younger customers. While the average age of a new car buyer in the U.S. is 52, the average age of a Buick buyer is 70--a problem the brand’s new chief Brian Sweeney is well aware of.

In response Buick unveiled the high-performance Regal GS Concept, a powerful and efficient sports sedan based on the European Insignia OPC that’s almost certainly set to go into production. However, what Buick needs is a high-end flagship coupe to really shake things up, according to the brand’s director of design, John Cafaro.

Speaking with Automotive News on the sidelines of last week’s 2010 Chicago Auto Show, Cafaro said Buick is developing an image and determining what models need to be added to the product line. He went on to explain that the best way to make a statement would be a new coupe. "A coupe is definitely where you say, 'I'm back,' " he said.

In 2007 Buick unveiled the Riviera concept (pictured), a design study to showcase a new global design direction for the brand and possibly hinting at what a future flagship coupe from Buick may look like.

Other models in the works at Buick include a new compact sedan based on the Chevrolet Cruze and a compact crossover.

[Automotive News, sub req’d]