What's Wrong With This Picture: Baby Buick Apes Astra Edition

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: November 25th, 2009

what s wrong with this picture baby buick apes astra edition

No wonder GM decided it couldn’t give up Opel… it would have lost Buick as well! Expect this Buick Excelle (a rebadged Opel Astra in the style of the new Regal) to arrive in the US under a different name (and probably in sedan form only) around the 2012 model year.

#Astra #Buick #China #Excelle #GM #Opel #Rebadge

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7 of 41 comments

Reclusive_in_nature on Nov 26, 2009

I'm sure it'll be underpowered for the sake of CAFE like the rest of the crap they're coming out with. The future is here and it sucks.

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- Davey49 on Nov 26, 2009
  
  Because you really need 400HP and 0-60 in 4 seconds to help you rear end the guy in front of you even harder, right
  
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Davey49 on Nov 26, 2009

Isn't that picture of the rebadged Astra hatchback called the Buick HRV? The Excelle should be a sedan.

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Psarhjinian on Nov 26, 2009
No Acura model is anything like any Honda model. Ummm.... Every Acura excepting the RDX is a lot like another Honda model**. The CSX is probably the most egregious example of this, but it's not like, say, the TL or TSX is significantly different from the Accord. It's been a common refrain from reviewers for some years that, unless you really want an Acura-specific feature, the V6 Accord is a better buy. The "Acura strategy", as used by Lincoln, Volvo, Saab, Nissan (pre-G) and (off and on) Buick has not proven a sales success in North America. The only reason GM is doing this (again) is their short-sighted pursuit of volume and platform cost-sharing. ** most Acuras are still JDM or EDM Hondas, but that's beside the point. You can sell EDM/JDM cars in North America as long as they don't compete with your NADM models.

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- Davey49 on Nov 26, 2009
  
  The TSX is 10 inches shorter than the Accord and has a 4 inch shorter wheelbase plus no Accord is available with full luxury features, a manual transmission and a 4 cylinder. Acura also has nicer customer service at their dealers, no "hey how ya doin' can I have your SS number so I can run a credit check while you're not lookin' how much do you wanna pay each month can we make a deal" crap and they have better radios seems different to me The idea of a small luxury Buick compact seems awesome to me. I maybe would have bought an Astra except it left the market before I had a chance.
  
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- Tosh on Nov 26, 2009
  
  It's really only the RL that's not a Honda with HIDs beaten with the ugly (uglier?) stick. RDX=CRV; TL=US Accord; TSX=JDM and EDM Accord; MDX= Pilot; and RSX was Civic. And all that would mostly work if they weren't so revolting (although I think they went past the sweet spot on sizing).
  
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The_Imperialist on Nov 26, 2009

Perhaps they will name it "Mildcat".

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