Buick Shows Cascada To Dealers
Published: August 21st, 2014
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With the departure of the Volkswagen Eos, Chrysler 200 Convertible and Volvo C30, Buick is looking to enter into the now dead front-drive four seat convertible segment. Buick dealers were recently shown a version of the Cascada, which is said to be arriving Stateside in 2016.
According to GM Inside News, the Cascada will be powered by a 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, and imported from Germany, rather than built Stateside. This would make it the second imported Buick, after the German-built Regal.
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Eh, why bother with a DCT. Even the best mainstream ones (GTI) still suffer at low speed, and a domestic DCT (Powershift) was not well received at all. Me thinks that a well programmed torque converter auto would be sufficient and probably better to live with. But yes, 6M would be perfect in this car.
According to Wikipedia the Cascada weight 3,700 to 4,000 lbs. Could that possibly be right? Size wise it slots between the Cruze and the Malibu and both of them seem to be
My guess (based on absolutely no concrete information) is that they will sell enough of these to make it worthwhile. 4-seat convertibles aren't a huge market, but there are still enough people buying them to keep the Germans building them. I don't know what GM thinks is an acceptable number, but between rental companies and people who just simply want a convertible there are almost certainly enough to justify the cost. Especially now that Chrysler isn't making them anymore. And just like every other type of car out there: if you don't like it, don't buy one. I'll always consider more variety a good thing, so if a company wants to build a convertible and sell it I'm happy to see that. The Murano convertible thing wasn't something I would buy, but I'm glad to see Nissan made it. A Buick convertible is no more foolish to build than an E63 Wagon or an F350 King Ranch - there's a market for it, so why not? As for me, I love having a 4-seat convertible. And when it's time to get rid of my current A4, it will be nice to have the option of another car with 4 seats and a soft top that isn't a Mini.
The Cascada name will be fine. Cascada is Spanish for "waterfall", not "rainiest part of the country". I already checked with the California DMV website to order CASCADA license plates-they're already taken. The Casacada is currently built in Poland, not Germany. The 1982-1985 Eldorado, Toronado and Riviera convertibles were custom built by Hess & Eisenhardt, which went out of business in the 1990s. The Cascada needs the bigger engine and Buick will hopefully do that. I am certain they read our posts here. There will be a special lease about four months after the initial production. $299 a month! Count me in!!