OK, I've been posting alot of Mopar rumors lately. Here's one from Buick!

Everyone remembers the Zeta based Velite concept...right? Rumored to be the next Riv, it will be smooth, adequately powered...and luxurious. What it won't necessarilly be is a road warrior.

[YODA VOICE] There may, however, be another.[/YODA VOICE]

Here's the rumor....and it is just a rumor. Buick may have a car based off of this Zeta/Velite/Riv that will be designed to breathe fire. It may also have a scary fast TURBO V6. Remember the 400 horse turbo 3.6 in the concept?

And what might this car be called? You guessed it.


GRAND NATIONAL

 

Buick does indeed have a very high performance vehicle "under consideration" (exact words), however, use of the Grand National name is surprising.

Personally, though I'm pretty sure the car will happen, I doubt it will wear the Grand National name. It just doesn't seem to fit with the direction Buick is going. That's why there's no Firebird on the radar and why Chevrolet is putting a chrome bar on everything except the Vette.

 

Hmmm, Grand National. Wildcat would be a cool name too. Yeah I know it was a full-size barge but in GS trim it was quite fast. This is something Buick really needs. An image of youth as opposed to life support and geriatric conveyance. I hope it's not yet another 4 door incarnation of what was traditionally a coupe.

I really wish Buick would find a path and stick to it. "We do performance. No we don't. Yes we do. No we don't. You know what, we really need a performance car. No we don't." It's all just a little confusing.

 

I had heard rumors before the Velite was released that Buick was going to get 2 RWD cars from Zeta, One was the Velite and another was a sporty/Muscle car, however once the Velite was shown the rumors of the second one died down to the point that no one bothered mentioning anything more on it.

With that said I agree with Guion on this one.. I seriously don’t think the name GN will be brought back just because it’s not what the “American Lexus” brand should have. Also I’m not sure if that Turbo V-6 would power the car especially since GM has been Supercharging their Sixes for a while now although it would be nice to see one on the road

(PS I love the GN name and would be extremely happy if it returned but I just don’t see a tire scorching Buick anymore.)

 

A turbo V6 from Buick would be great! Velite T-Type

 

werent there rumors that velite would be renamed riviera(sp? that doesnt look right...) riviera t type does flow pretty nicely.....

 

I'm not real sure how this car would fit in with a Buick lineup that is "supposed to move to where Cadillac was before the 'Breakthrough'"...

While I'm all for another cool car, why put it in a division where it makes little sense?

 

What are you talking about? You mean the division that had muscle cars in the 60s and the gn in the 80s (with a turbo 6)... I don't think it's that out of line for buick.

 

Looks to be another 2dr Zeta coupe in the line up. I think it will be "Grand" something. You had Grand "Sport" or GS, and then GSX, then Grand National or GN, then GNX, Im sure if it is a performance car, "Grand" will be part of the name. A lot like the Regal "Grand Sport" today with teh SC'ed 3.8.

GM seems very interested in boosing the new HFV6 engines from the 3.6 and the 2.8.
I guess there will be a lot of 2dr Zeta coupes.

 

What about the current direction of Buick makes you think they want anything to do with a muscle car... or that it would fit in? We're talking about 2006(ish), not 1966, or 1986.

Would a Camaro or GTO-like car have fit in with the pre-CTS Cadillac? Hardly. And this is the crowd that Buick is supposed to try to go after, since Cadillac has moved upscale to where it should have been all along.

 

I think Buick is just going to add a performance car. I think we are getting too carried away. Lexus is planning on an in-house performance division, so this could be GM stepping up to the plate early. Buick wants to be "American Luxury" and nothing is more American then burning rubber.
Also, expect a GM division to split the Caddy and Buick luxury line up...I bet you will never guess it either.

 

Maybe...maybe not. But that's the name that it was referred to...specifically.

 

Isn't Saab getting a Zeta car w/ a turbo HFV6 already? It's starting to add up....

 

Will it have hood scoops????????

 

Let's not start this all over again