Rumors of a Buick "Bolt"

[boltage]

http://insideevs.com/exclusive-next-gm-ev-to-be-bolt-based-buick-crossover/

 

[oilerlord]

Back in November, I mused about a Cadillac version - the "BLR"

http://www.mychevybolt.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4871&hilit=cadillac

It's interesting that some variant of this notion could actually happen!

A few others referenced the failed Cadillac ELR. That was a terrible car, but an upscale version of the Bolt need not be. Adding the Cadillac touch may just be what this car needs to attract more buyers - assuming GM doesn't repeat the mistakes it made with the ELR (like thinking adding lipstick suddenly transforms the Bolt into an $80,000 car). Put the Bolt in tweaked (read: more attractive) sheetmetal, an interior befitting a Cadillac, an upgraded suspension, a small bump in battery capacity (say to 65kW), and price it at $49,000 - it might turn some heads.

 

[DanCar]

Sounds promising. Should sell more than the Bolt given the popularity of crossovers and likeliness they will fix the biggest issues with the Bolt like cheap seats and cheap plastics. Will it have adaptive cruise control?

 

[ArthurL]

From what I've read Bolt will be repackages as a Buick for China where they consider Buick a premium brand.

 

[oilerlord]

Cadillac is usually considered GM's "premium" brand however I've sat in a lot of very nice Buicks. The Lacrosse comes to mind, which is a very nice car, and not lacking in any way. The Enclave is nice too.

GM is still working hard to shed the grandpa driving the Cadillac Deville image, and attract younger buyers just like Ford is with the Lincoln brand. Not sure which company is doing a better job of that, but I think a repackaged Bolt in Cadillac form (done right) could breath new life into the brand. Given the apparently upcoming success of the Model 3, there is an audience looking for an upscale EV. A Cadillac version of the Bolt could be that car. I'd like to see it a little larger, with all the Cadillac trimmings - but without the goofy hard angles and family-truckster multi bulb vertical headlights that Cadillac wants us to believe are cool. They aren't.

 

[ArthurL]

Who knows why with the Chinese view of Buick as a premium vehicle, but there was an online article from the Economist.The article was actually that North American Bolts should have added another $1500 in trim and branded it as a Caddy and the Chinese thing was an aside.

 

[Tttait]

Who knows why with the Chinese view of Buick as a premium vehicle

Take a ride in a Volkswagon Fox based Chinese taxi, then you will understand.

 

[SeanNelson]

...GM is still working hard to shed the grandpa driving the Cadillac Deville image, and attract younger buyers just like Ford is with the Lincoln brand. Not sure which company is doing a better job of that, but I think a repackaged Bolt in Cadillac form (done right) could breath new life into the brand.

If so, they're going to have to come up with some strategy that works a lot better than what they did with the Volt / Cadillac ELR.