The CarGurus Blog

Back when I had just graduated college and was looking for my first car, I briefly entertained the notion of owning a Buick. I think it might have been a Century or a Regal. I can’t remember, because I ended up buying a Honda. Since then, I’ve always been a Honda fan and have never once considered buying an American car, particularly not a GM. That may be unfair, and I may have to pull a Sean Connery and redact my “never” after seeing the new concept Buick Riviera that was just released at the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show.

The original Riveria was a Buick icon, a sporty coupe cruiser that is probably best remembered for its early ’70s boattail design. It retired in 1999 after 37 years on the road, the last of the Buick coupes, but is gloriously back as a concept car created in collaboration with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. Designed in China, the new Riviera blends elements of both Buick’s and China’s past and rethinks them for the future. This is not your grandpa’s Buick, and it’s certainly not aimed at the typically conservative 50-70-year-old Buick buyer. Rather, GM says the concept represents a new design direction for the flailing company.

The most striking futuristic feature is the gullwing doors, but there are subtle retro nods thrown in, in the form of the three ventiports, the traditional large waterfall grille with Buick’s tri-shield, and even a hint of that old rear boattail. The curves, flowing soft edges, and nature-influenced hues are directly tied to Chinese symbols and ancient artifacts.

A big difference here is the lighting, however, and not just the sweeping LED lamps up front that are perched over massive air intakes. The Riviera concept is all about creating a mood. At night, the grille, exhaust pipes, side mirrors, and front and rear emblems are backlit an “icy green” that is meant to resemble Chinese jade. And when the gullwing doors are open, a Buick logo is reflected onto the ground. There is even a thin hood-length crease that lights up. This mood lighting carries on into the interior floor and door panels, where it can be adjusted by the driver.

The two-door coupe will seat four, and the concept features a center console with a screen and touchpad controls and a mouse-like gear shift. Materials are a watery blue and creamy white, to reflect an “earth and water” theme. The cabin feels expansive thanks to two glass panels in the roof. The whole effect is meant to cradle the passengers in soothing comfort by eliminating any rough edges or harsh sensory stimulation.

GM says the new Rivieria is designed to hold a hybrid engine that’s being created right now in time for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. China has now surpassed the U.S. as Buick’s biggest market, so it makes sense that GM would announce its future plans at the Shanghai show, but it does intend to take the concept Riviera on the road to other auto shows. It is unknown whether the Riveria concept will make it into production itself (especially given GM’s low concept-to-production record in the past), but GM execs hint that many of its elements will definitely show up in some sort of future production car. Judging by advance buzz and comments, drivers hope it makes it to these shores sometime soon.

Check out the press release.

Car Industry News, Domestic Cars