It’s no secret that Buick is faltering in the U.S. market. Despite huge sales and marketing accomplishments in China, the brand continues to slip in its home country. After decades of brand relaunches, new products, and fresh marketing, the brand is at its lowest point thus far in the United States. Now, the product line stateside is down to just three SUVs, and it seems GM‘s interest in preserving the brand is dwindling. It would take a strong product to recapture the young executive market that the brand once stood for some 60 years ago. Now, we have an idea of what this product could look like.
In a new rendering by artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel, we see a fresh take on an old legend that evolved over several years. With a bit of imagination and some faith from GM, there should be no reason why GM isn’t ushering in a new retro coupe to bring the dying brand back to life. While no one can say for sure what is happening behind closed doors, we imagine one of the many Buick revival plans could include something of this nature.
Modern Skylark Rendering Evokes Old Style New Rules
By understanding GM’s previous efforts when producing retro theme concepts and production cars, we can gain a realistic idea of how past design cues would apply to a new revival model. Usually, GM takes vital styling cues from the most famous generation of an iconic nameplate and affixes them to an otherwise traditionally modern vehicle. Our rendering of a Buick Skylark for the 2020s draws heavily from the second generation of the iconic nameplate. The most notable cue is the long sweeping crease that begins atop the front fenders before sweeping down to the rocker panel, just in front of the rear wheel. At the rear, large rectangular taillights also reference the second-generation Skylark and definitely help to bring out the vehicle’s further retro aesthetic.
Things are equally aggressive upfront. While Emmanuel opts to subdue references to the forgotten Skylark muscle car, they are still present, with a level of subtlety that makes the nose practical for a modern vehicle. A gaping front grille with a long horizontal grille bar and prominent placement of the Buick logo is a nod to the ’60s design, a far cry from the new one. In an effort to acknowledge current regulations, our vision for a new Skylark seamlessly integrates daytime running lights into the faux horizontal grille bar. An aggressive front bumper features intakes for cooling brake calipers.
Under The New Skylark’s Hood
Very few car manufacturers are in the same position as GM in that they could make the revival car as exciting or as mundane as they choose using in-house technology. In a perfect world, a new iteration of the Buick Skylark would feature one of the fabulous 495 horsepower 6.2 liter V8’s that GM utilizes in the C8 Corvette. Or the incredible 695 horsepower unit that consumers can find in the current CT5-V. While these are both incredible options, the shift to electric is imminent with GM, and a V8 isn’t sustainable long term in the current market. Similar to GM’s surprising direction with Hummer, a new Skylark would likely utilize an electric powertrain. With the Dodge- E-Muscle on the horizon, GM needs an electric performance car to compete in this rapidly evolving market.
If Anyone Would Do It, GM Would
GM is not a stranger to dusting off old designs and applying them to new vehicles. In fact, GM would be one of the few manufacturers brave enough to create something like a new Buick Skylark. The Chevrolet SSR is a prime example of GM building a car just to make a statement, saving the Chevrolet brand from an era of complete stagnation. While it never sold in massive numbers, the press alone made it worth it for the general. In a far less drastic approach, the current Camaro borrows previous generation design cues while successfully coming off as a wholly modern vehicle. In another sharp turn from expectation, the return of the Hummer name as an electric super truck is already one of the most surprising products from a company in the last 20 years.
What Can We Expect In The Future?
The Buick brand continues to stagnate, and it is unlikely that GM will give up on a historical brand in the middle of what appears to be another automotive renaissance. With so many new ideas flooding the industry and a resurrection of the Hummer name, it is only a matter of time before we see a cash infusion into the Buick brand. Another driving factor is China; their love of the Buick brand comes from its place in American culture. As fewer and fewer people associate the grand nameplate with its past products, the brand will lose relevance. Buick has great things on the horizon, and GM even confirms that two new models will go into production in 2023. Regardless while we are waiting to see if the general can pick the brand back up, fans can relish in what could be a Buick Skylark for a new generation.
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