Is a sedan revival finally happening? Quite possibly. After the big three discontinued most of their sedans over the past decade in favor of high-margin crossovers, it feels like the pendulum’s starting to swing back. Hyundai and Toyota are reaping the benefits of still selling sedans, Ford has talked about reviving passenger cars beyond the Mustang, and now there’s a new source of hope: Automotive News reports that GM is working on a new Buick sedan expected to share genes with the next Cadillac CT5.
The Buick sedan is expected to be built alongside the next-generation CT5 and Camaro at GM’s Lansing Grand River assembly plant in Michigan, the supplier source said. Workers at the factory build the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 and assembled the most recent Camaro model until production stopped with the 2024 model year. CT4 output is expected to end in June.
One of the interesting parts here is “supplier source,” a subject on which Automotive News expands upon:
GM has started requesting quotes for key parts and components from key suppliers for the Buick sedan, the source said. Details about the new Buick sedan, including when production will start, potential price and styling elements, were not known.
Usually, sending out requests for quotes means things are getting serious. If GM’s at that stage, it wouldn’t be surprising if prototypes are already running around the Milford Proving Grounds, or if a design freeze is already in place. While this might seem like breakneck pace, the expected base of this future Buick sedan gives this timeline a level of credence.
We’ve known that Cadillac has been working on a next-generation CT5 for a while, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that stays on the tried-and-true Alpha platform. The Lansing Grand River plant is already tooled up for it, but GM needs volume to fill that facility. A CT5 alone won’t do it, and even the addition of a next-generation Camaro will likely leave room in the plant with the impending demise of the CT4 sedan. A Buick, though? That makes a lot of sense. Not only would it allow GM to fill the plant and spread out development costs, the brand profile is different enough to run a low risk of cannibalizing sales of other models. However, the concept of selling a mid-priced sports sedan to the same crowd now used to sub-$30,000 Envistas and Encore GXs seems tough to wrap your head around. That is unless Buick cashes in on recent cultural relevance.
Roughly 16 months ago, critically acclaimed artist Kendrick Lamar dropped his sixth studio album, and it was named after the baddest Buick of all. “GNX” almost immediately shot to number one in 15 countries, picked up a Grammy and a BET award, and placed Buick’s last muscle car front and center on the album cover. The Buick GNX itself broke all the rules, using a heavily turbocharged V6 to become the quickest American production car of 1987, and that’s just part of the reason why it never stopped being cool. The perfect time to launch a new GNX would’ve been roughly two years ago, but there’s still no reason for Buick not to go for it.
After all, the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing already features a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6 pumping out 472 horsepower and 445 lb.-ft. of torque. Mated to either a Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual or a GM 10L90 ten-speed automatic, it’s an engineered system already packaged for the Alpha platform. It would also fulfil the key heritage requirement of boost, even if it isn’t the most potent engine in GM’s catalog. At the same time, going with a boosted V6 would add separation from any future high-performance V8-powered Cadillac model.
So what might a new Buick sedan look like? It’s hard to say. Although our resident rogue designer The Bishop had a crack at it using the Electra concept as a base, this was a case of imagining what a reborn GNX would look like as a dual-motor EV. Regardless, there’s appetite for a proper high-output Buick bruiser, but there’s one main condition.
If Buick wants to crack this segment, it needs to build something cool. Something with gravitas, a bit of menace, and enough presence to be a serious image-maker. A reborn GNX or even a new Grand National has the potential to bring a level of want-one to the Buick lineup it hasn’t offered in decades. Come on, GM. Let’s see it happen.
Top graphic image: pgLang/Kendrick Lamar/YouTube
I would love to see, though I don’t think the volume is there to justify it, a new Camaro sold as a fastback, and a new Buick GNX sold as a notchback, like the 80s body.
Sell a buick sedan and use that same design language, but toughened up, for the GNX. I’m totally on board with a powerhouse sedan as well though
Camaro gets standard v6 and then v8 options.
GNX gets standard v6, then powerhouse v6 turbo options.
Avoids overlap in the performance versions at least.
I can’t express how much I hate that stupid George Thorogood song defined advertising through the
80s, 90’s…crap today?I’m not keeping my fingers crossed, but the tools are all there to make an SS replacement that isn’t six figures. I’ll take a look at any high-ish powered sedan they put out on the alpha platform, but my wish list in order of importance to me. Four-Doors, Rwd/(or Rwd bias), 500ish HP, NA V8 (TTV6 would be next best), MT. I’d be willing to compromise on some of that, but no room for kids would be a dealbreaker. I’m not sold on Mopar and anything else is too expensive.
I wonder if the Chevy SS trading used for basically new MSRP finally got to GM. I’d be surprised if a wagon appeared, but GM has to be aware that their own CTS-V wagon has a cult following, and that the likes of Audi and BMW have made the jump over the pond.
I am extremely excited for this family of sedans, especially if they get the packaging right (as Nsane pointed out).
I hope there’s some sort of spiritual SS successor out of this. I’m not holding my breath but my SS has 10+ years and 100k+ miles under its belt and the right car for the right price would have my money in the first model year or two. My preference would be a 4-door camaro with a NA V8, but a GNX with a TTV6 would be a fine consolation prize.
I hope so, too, but there’s no way they’re putting a manual back in a Buick, right? We’ll see.
Looking at prices, I could get back what I gave for mine, 5.5 years and 40k miles later.
If they do it it will put the get into the Buick commercials in a new light. Hard for me to put my head around Buick not being basically a import brand they have one badge engineered suv that’s built in the us now. They gave found a younger demo with their chinese cars. So would be amusing to lean into and the established design language. Make the thing as Chinese looking as you can to separate it from the other two.
I love reading these articles and seeing what they do/do not get right.
Chevy Camaro: Automatics and Manuals on every model
Buick Regal: Automatics only
Cadillac CT5: Automatics on every model but with an optional Manual on the Blackwing
If GM is sending quotes only, that means they havent build anything yet. They probably have a design in place and what engines they are going to run but usually quotes doesnt get build, that means they are just finding the right suppliers to setup contracts, etc. But they have a very aggresive timeline if they are just starting with quotes and they plan to launch next year.
My guess the Alpha platform will not have a lot of changes and its just a small update, use a bunch of shared parts/engines currently under the same platform and launch quickly with a bunch of the same suppliers they are currently using to speed up things.
You read my post on some other site that rhymes with Nalopjick
I read this news yesterday and am very intrigued. Some places are reporting that there is a new alpha platform in the works and that it’s expected to underpin a new Camaro, new Cadillac sedans, and a new Buick sedan. The existing alpha platform is already amazing, so GM really doesn’t have to do a whole lot to make a new one excellent.
The real issue with the cars on the current platform is the packaging sucks outside of the CT5. The 6th gen Camaro is one of the best drivers cars of the 21st century but it’s the length of a 4Runner, you can’t see out of it, the trunk opening is minuscule, the doors are massive, and the backseats are useless.
It wasn’t a sales failure because it wasn’t a good car, it was a sales failure because it’s a terrible package. You can similarly of the CT4. Like the Camaro it’s not a small car, but it is a small interior. The backseat space is among the worst in its class. If it was competing against the A3, 2 series, etc. it wouldn’t be a big deal…but it isn’t. It’s competing against cars that can handle family duty and fit multiple adults in the back without issue.
If GM can solve those issues, and they don’t seem all that daunting to me since they’re mainly sheet metal related, the platform may finally live up to its full potential. Which brings me back to the topic at hand: the GNX 2.
Thomas is right. If there’s ever been a time for it it’s the present. The Grand National and GNX have seen a cultural resurgence that’s pretty unusual…and this is happening at a time when GM is putting a lot into revitalizing the Buick brand and, somehow, doing a pretty damn good job of it. There’s also a market position for what would essentially a lower trim of the CT4V BW.
The Charger Sixpack exists, rumors of a Mustang sedan have been floating around for years, and there are many people (I am one of those people!) who desperately wanted to make a Camaro or Blackwing work but just couldn’t because of the compromises. If Buick were to make a badass performance sedan on the alpha platform and keep the price under $60,000 I’d buy one.
And again, Thomas is right! The engine is right there! The Grand National never ever came with a V8 so there isn’t as much pressure from the durrrr muh V8 crowd. They already have a psychotic boosted V6 and I think they can probably get it to meet European regulations without much work. They do sell the CT4V BW over there after all.
But anyway, it all makes perfect sense, which is why I don’t want to get my hopes up because GM does stupid shit all the time. But if they make a sedan that’s a spiritual Grand National successor with enough room to handle car seats? I’d put down a deposit tomorrow. I don’t even care about anything else. Give it a cloth interior and only sell it in black.
Now that the Corvette is fully committed to the Rear-Mid layout they should just make the rear seats in the Camaro a parcel shelf, I mean it’s not like the Camaro (nor Mustang) has ever had back seats that adults could sit in, they’ve always been 2+2’s. If they grow the Camaro to have a useful back seat, I’ll just keep my 6th gen
I don’t think they’d have any reason to do that. I assume they’re making the Buick for the people who want a decent back seat and the Camaro is a labor of love to keep an iconic name alive. I can’t see them doing anything to risk the Camaro’s brand equity at this point…although I would imagine they’ll make it a bit easier to see out of.
If they can keep the new GNX with a twin-turbo’d V6 under $50,000 they might just have a winner on their hands.
This is some of the most exciting news out of GM since they announced that their logo was going to be lower case
If it looks good, and can be priced roughly comparable to the Integra, I could honestly see taking a look at the new Buick sedan in a couple of years
GM last offered a sedan for the North American market in 2019. Which means the vast majority of Buick sedan customers have likely already replaced their Buicks with a sedan offered by another manufacturer. While I look forward to buying a new Buick sedan once my Lacrosse wears itself out, I’m fairly certain the Buick sedan buying customer has either died or moved on to other manufacturers.
For GM as a whole, the Malibu made it to 2025, the Impala to 2020, and Cadillac still sells the CT4
Just throw a 2.0T into an Envista, a good size engine in the lightest car they have and call it good. Lower it enough to fully embrace its hatchbackness and offer it in real colors (all black had impact in the 80s but is tired now). Have a Chevy Trax Z24 variant ready to go after one year as Buick exclusive.
I really like the Envista. I said before they should have come out with a GS/GNX package or something for it, even if it was mostly cosmetic. I think it could have had appeal and priced right for the market.
The enthusiast and 80s kid in me is excited. Older, less-optimistic me recognizes that Buick will sell exactly twelve of these and pull the plug after a couple of years.
The reason why the GN and GNX existed was because they were parts-bin halo cars based off of a volume-seller. Without that volume to support them they will die on the vine, and I don’t see a scenario where Buick offers a front engine/rear drive base 4cylinder Regal sedan for $30k.
Unless they do a major overhaul of the Alpha platform, its development costs have already been more than paid for. The engines would also be sourced from other models. Now spread any new costs across three brands. I’m optimistic.
I hope Buick codenamed the project, “April”.