Is This Buick's "Baby Enclave"?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Not to cut speculation short or anything, but the answer is “probably not.” GM has already said that its “Baby Enclave” will be built at its Orion Township plant, alongside the new Aveo-replacing Chevy Sonic, which indicates a subcompact (Gamma II)-based MPV will be Buick’s next vehicle. Add to that the fact that GM has said the “Baby Enclave” would bear the styling cues of the Buick Business concept, which the Opel Meriva more closely resembles, and it’s clear that Buick’s first MPV will be the suicide-doored subcompact. But, since Buick won’t bring the Chinese-market GL8 minivan stateside, this compact, Astra-based mini-minivan could be coming to a Trishield dealer at some point… in fact, some might even argue that a compact MPV would do better as a Buick than a subcompact one (even with suicide doors). Either way, the new Zafira will be crucial to Opel’s attempts to right its sinking ship over the next several years.




Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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 8 comments
  • Colin42 Colin42 on May 18, 2011

    looks very similar (from the rear at least) to Ford's Galaxy & S-Max

    • See 2 previous
    • Pete Zaitcev Pete Zaitcev on May 18, 2011

      @philadlj The 5 has proper side sliders. I rented Toyota Praxis that was more like this.

  • Michael Karesh Michael Karesh on May 18, 2011

    If Chevrolet isn't getting the Orlando, why would Buick gets this? Also, that's a lot of glass ahead of the door--dangerously close to being a mini-Dustbuster.

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    • SVX pearlie SVX pearlie on May 18, 2011

      This makes zero sense. The baby Enclave would be a 2-row CUV, not a 3-row micro-van.

  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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