Buick to Axe the Verano, Leave the Compact Sedan Market: Sources
Buick is poised to take the Verano behind the barn and vacate the compact car market in North America, according to sources familiar with the automaker’s plans.
The Verano’s dwindling sales share and the popularity of the automaker’s crossovers and SUVs is behind the decision to phase out the entry-level luxury compact, Automotive News reports.
While North America will lose the Verano, which shares a platform with the Chevrolet Cruze, the model will live on in Buick-hungry China. A second-generation version bowed in that country last year, including a sporty “GS” model.
The sources said Buick will likely keep the current Verano around for the 2017 model year before dropping the blade.
Introduced for the 2012 model year, the Verano’s high water mark for U.S. sales came in 2013, with a significant drop recorded last year. Interestingly, the model’s strongest sales month in Canada was last month.
In the past, Buick’s global chief Duncan Aldred said the brand’s future holds a smaller number of high-volume vehicles, with no room for low-volume niche products.
As buyers increasingly move towards crossovers and SUVs, Buick — once strictly a purveyor of plush sedans and coupes — has pivoted its lineup to meet demand. The China-built Envision crossover lands on North American shores next month, and changes are on the way for the diminutive Encore and range-topping Enclave.
If the Verano does get the axe, it means the manual transmission — offered as an option with the 2.0-liter turbo four — leaves the brand altogether, though few are likely to mourn its passing.
[Image: General Motors]
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Axing the Verano at this point in time is a mistake. Now that the Regal is moving to the longer-wheelbase platform used by the Malibu, there's definitely room for a smaller Buick. The Verano probably has not sold as well as GM hoped. Some of the people buyers seem to be the targeted demographic of upscale young professionals who might otherwise buy an Acura ILX, Audi A3 or Mercedes-Benz CLA; but there is also a significant number being sold to traditional Buick buyers who are senior citizens, many of them women.
I'd like to think that Buick becomes GM's hip international brand, but it's a tough road. With overseas production and the Cascada, Regal, and Encore merely masquerading as "Buicks", as well as no North American production of the Envision, I don't see this brand committing to a future in the US. They've already milked the Enclave for all that it is worth, and we all know the new Lacrosse is better positioned for China.
Not hard to figure this one out. Cadillac is going to have a Delta based compact, and if anyone's checked out the new Cruze (I saw one yesterday during my Sunday closed-dealer shop), you'll find it to be SERIOUSLY upscale inside for the bucks. Even the lower priced ones are exceptionally well trimmed. Thus, the Verano becomes odd man out.
The Verano should never have been made.