In the latest internet striptease, Encore starts this week on www.facebook.com/buick with a covered shot. Buick will uncover photo pieces leading to the ‘full monty’ as Encore is revealed at NAIAS.
Buick has released a photo of the 2013 Encore, an all-new, five-passenger crossover set to debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit – NAIAS. The question is what’s it an ‘encore’ to, as Buick has never had an offering in this growing compact segment? (I guess you could consider this as the next, downsized act after the Enclave in anticipation of more stringent fuel economy regulations.)
Encore joins the family of Buick vehicles that has recently seen the additions of the Verano compact luxury sedan, the Regal GS sport sedan, as well as ongoing LaCrosse and Enclave models.
Wulin Gaowa is the first Design Director of the GM China Advanced Studio in Shanghai.
The real challenge for all new Buicks going forward is not whether the vehicle will play in Peoria, but rather how it plays in Shanghai? Buick sold a record of 59,763 vehicles in China in November – more than 5 times what Buick sold in the U.S. Little wonder the head of GM advance design in China is now Chinese.
In the latest internet striptease, a new Encore tab will appear on www.facebook.com/buick with covered photograph of the vehicle. Each week leading up to the reveal, Buick will uncover a section of the photo. The ‘full monty’ will be shown the same morning Encore takes the stage at the Cobo Center in Detroit. The question is whether Encore looks better with some clothes on?
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ken, based on your intelligence, will the Encore be based on the GM Theta Premium/GMT267 platform (Cadillac SRX, Saab 9-4X) or the GM Theta platform/GMT192 (Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain)? If on the later, does that make much sense given that almost every Buick dealer is dualed with GMC and wouldn’t that mean a lot of overlap? Or is this much more, as you point out, a vehicle more for China, thus sharing the GM Theta platform/GMT192 platform will be less of an issue?