[Auto/Moto]Wagons to Wildcat: The Evolution and Future Promise of Buick's Striking Modern Design

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Buick is in a new age of design. Here's what to expect once the storied automaker starts to add electric vehicles into the mix.


Buick has revamped the design of its entire portfolio—by late summer it will be the freshest lineup in the industry. The recasting of the brand dates back years to grassroot sketches of a new face for Buick. Early sketches in 2018 led to the first scale model in 2019 and eventually the concept we now know as the Wildcat emerged. We won’t see the first electric vehicle for the Buick brand until 2025, a bit later than originally thought, but we now have a pretty good idea of what the brand's future SUVs will look like.What started as an internal exercise caught the eye of GM’s senior vice president of global design Michael Simcoe, who encouraged the team to keep going. A clay model emerged and the project got a name: Wildcat. That was as far as it was supposed to go. But the model caught another eye: that of GM president Mark Reuss. He said it looked too good to not share with the world.

The Buick Wildcat EV concept was revealed to the public in May 2022 as a luscious 2-plus-2 coupe with a body that would never make it to production, but which had a face and other styling elements that would become the new design language for the all-SUV Buick lineup to come—that includes future EVs. But first the entire portfolio with internal combustion engines had to be updated for the interim. The 2024 Buick Encore GX was the first production vehicle to adopt Wildcat design cues, namely the face and new minimal tri-shield logo. The all-new 2024 Buick Envista was the first to go full Wildcat from scratch, in part because the lower-slung subcompact crossover was being developed in tandem with the concept coupe. This week, we also finally saw the refreshed 2024 Buick Envision compact SUV which adopts the sharp nose, low mouth, highly placed headlights, and body-mounted logo. Next up will be the three-row Enclave—come back to MotorTrend on April 9 for full details. The Enclave marks the end of the revamped lineup of Buicks with gas engines, an overhaul that becomes complete this year. Find a car near you For Buick, 2025 is the start of the EV era. When the first of the planned EVs goes on sale next year, as a 2025 model year, it will continue the Wildcat design theme. Electric vehicles require some adjustments, says director of Global Buick Design Bob Boniface, but the overall design language will continue. Some changes are obvious. Electric vehicles have flat floors which opens up more room in the interior. The exterior shape will be crafted for better aerodynamics. A traditional grille is not necessary given that less air is needed to cool the battery. The mouth can be removed, Boniface says, but that does not mean you should; it is how people identify with a vehicle. A better solution: close up the texture and keep the grille shape so the vehicle does not lose any of its personality. Making an EV look distinctive from ICE vehicles was more important 10 years ago when electric vehicles were new and automakers wanted to send a message. But now that electric vehicles are ubiquitous, that is no longer necessary and Boniface prefers that they look like the rest of the family.


Meanwhile, grassroot designs continue in the pursuit of timeless design. More design studies are underway in the Buick studio, including new takes on compact and midsize SUVs (there are no plans to get back into sedans). The designs may never make it to production, or emerging clay and hard foam concepts could be the genesis of future vehicles. The work is being done in GM’s new design complex in Warren, Michigan. Buick invited a small group of journalists to tour the new GM Design West that has been a year in the making. There are four design studios in a complex built around the original courtyard and design dome where every new GM vehicle has had to parade for final inspection and approval since the 1950s. Reuss said he loves that the team is breathing life back into Buick, the brand where he worked early in his career. And dad Lloyd Reuss’s days as general manager of Buick were among his happiest. Reuss said he is excited by what the brand is becoming again, and its recent sales growth. “It’s very personal and passionate for me.” Today about 700 people work in the new design center that is decorated with local art by GM employees. The sculptures, paintings and art installments were hand selected by Simcoe. The 1938 Buick Y-Job, the industry’s first concept car, is also on display. It was the first concept car, designed by Harley Earl himself, who reserved his most creative creations for the Buick brand. The team is hoping that creativity is once again alive and well.

 

Topic Source :https://www.motortrend.com/features/buick-wildcat-new-suv-design-explained-bob-boniface/