Buick Compact Crossover to Use New Chevy Aveo Platform
A new compact crossover for GM’s Buick brand will be built on a version of the upcoming Chevy Aveo platform. News of this surprising development comes from an unnamed source familiar with GM’s Orion Township plant plans – which is where the unnamed Buick crossover will be built alongside the new Aveo.
Chevy has yet to unveil an Aveo production model, but did give a glimpse at the car, unveiling a concept (above) at the Detroit Auto Show with aggressive styling and a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 138-hp.
Buick recently confirmed it would build a smaller crossover than the Enclave, but execs also said this new model would not ride on the same underpinnings as the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain. What is unclear at this point is if the Aveo platform can support an AWD setup, meaning that either the baby-Enclave will be front-wheel drive only, or at the Aveo platform will be changed significantly.
A sub-compact crossover may just be what Buick needs to attract younger buyers to the brand – competing in a new segment with vehicles like the Nissan Juke.
Buick is expected to announce further details of the baby-Enclave later today.
[Source: Associated Press via Michigan Live]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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