Report: Another Buick Crossover on the Way

It’s the news you’ve been waiting for.

As Americans patiently anticipate the arrival of the next-generation Encore and mourn (in small numbers) the passing of the LaCrosse, Buick designers are busy sculpting the next addition to the brand’s lineup. Go figure, it’s a crossover.

Not only that, but in keeping with the design philosophy espoused by several premium brands, the new model will sport a coupe-like profile, possibly likely donning the hated “coupe” descriptor in marketing materials.

Word of this vehicle comes by way of Car Design News (via AutoVerdict), which recently plumbed the depths of GM’s design studios in Warren, Michigan. There, by way of the brand’s chief sculptors, the crew gained access to Buick’s design future… as well as a tidbit of information.

Deep within GM’s Technical Center, a clay model dubbed the “Orange Car” exists, as well as a similar model of a larger, four-door crossover with the sweeping roofline seen on models with premium price tags.

“This is a really important time for Buick,” the brand’s executive design director, Helen Emsley, told the publication. “For a while we’ve been trying to reinvent Buick and find out what it is.”

Suffice it to say Emsley’s not the only one wondering where Buick is headed. But back to that crossover.

Buick’s global director of exterior design, Bob Boniface, said the vehicle has received a production green light, adding that it will be “in addition to, and not a replacement of” any existing Buick model. Nor will the model be a China-only offering, Boniface claims.

Sadly, Car Design News did not publish photos of either clay model. That said, news of a new, presumably higher-end Buick crossover does not come as a shock. At last year’s Beijing Auto Show, Buick released its Enspire concept — a slinky, four-door crossover with a coupe-like roofline.

While the midsize concept did not come with an ironclad production promise, it did feature an electric powertrain and the promise of blistering performance. A production Enspire could make like Cadillac’s unnamed electric crossover and adopt GM’s upcoming EV architecture, which should come online in 2021. Caddy won’t be the only brand using this still-hazy platform.

GM might also want to hedge its bets and ensure the Enspire casts a wider net, possibly offering the vehicle with a variety of propulsion sources.

Why are we using the Enspire name for Buick’s upcoming crossover? Because GM filed a U.S. trademark application for it back in December.

[Image: General Motors]