Report: Buick Will Import Most of Its New Cars by 2016
Reuters is reporting that Buick will import most of its new models to North America from China and Europe by 2016. Only the mid-size that will eventually replace the LaCrosse and the large Enclave crossover will be built in America, both in Michigan.
Other Buick models, including the coming Cascada convertible and the small crossover Envision would come from Europe and China respectively. Production of the Verano would shift from Michigan to China, the next-generation Regal would come from Germany instead of Canada, and the Encore would continue to be assembled in Korea, but would eventually shift to China, Reuters reported from an unidentified source.
If true, executives would deliver a sizable blow to contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers union. Already, General Motors has announced substantial investments in North American plants during negotiations.
According to Reuters, a spokesman for Buick declined to comment on the report. A spokeswoman for the UAW said Buick would be unwise to import cars “after the sacrifices by U.S. taxpayers.”
Buick is expected to launch the China-built Envision in North America later this year.
Buick sells four times as many cars in China as they do in North America.
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Jeepers, in the US, Encore is outselling every other Buick in 2015 per GoodCarBadCar. Even the Enclave, to my surprise. The Envision can't get here soon enough no matter where it's made.
Who in their right mind would buy a car Made in China? Even the simple stuff they churn out like toasters are cheap crap that disintegrate within a year or two.
>>Who in their right mind would buy a car Made in China? Even the simple stuff they churn out like toasters are cheap crap that disintegrate within a year or two.
I'm ok with it, as long as our government puts the same tariff on new GM cars from China as China put on new GM cars imported from the U.S. The proceeds can then be used to help subsidize the welfare we're paying to people who used to work in manufacturing. www.theguardian.com/business/2011/dec/15/china-taxes-us-car-imports "China's commerce ministry accused America's car industry of "dumping and subsidising", thereby causing substantial damage to China's domestic car industry" We feel your pain brother. We feel your pain.