Photo: Catalin Garmacea
You know what bugged me most when I saw the 2016 Buick Cascada up close and personal? It’s the fact that the car it’s based on, badged as an Opel or Vauxhall in Europe, entered production in March 2013. With Buick announcing their version of the Cascada will arrive in US showrooms in the first months of 2016, the question is why did General Motors wait so long to rebadge an Opel rag top?
It boggles the mind, more so when you look at its front fascia and remark that designers didn’t even bother beautifying it with the marque’s trademark waterfall grille, instead glueing a Buick badge over the one that reads Opel, leaving the Opel radiator grille in place. I’m sorry GM, but this is a very lazy way of adapting a European nameplate for the US.
As it's the case with the Opel Cascada, here we’re offered with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoTec lump that churns out 200 horsepower and 206 lb-ft (280 Nm) of torque. When the overboost function is engaged, we’re looking at 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of twist sent to the front axle via a six-speed automatic transmission.
Although it’s marketed as a 2+2 seater, tall people won’t sit too comfortable in the rear seats due to limited knee room and head room when the roof is closed. Nevertheless, the first Buick convertible in half a century is a fairly good-looking cruiser, with Opel / Vauxhall Astra underpinnings. One notable downside of this rebadging job is the button-laden center console and the uninspired interior styling.
OK, so there’s a 7-inch touchscreen display high up in the center stack, but look lower and you’re dealt with an inexcusable amount of buttons. I’m not nitpicking here, but even Mercedes-Benz and Audi started to lay off the button paraphernelia.
In this regard, the 2016 Buick Cascada is left for no excuse for its less than satisfactory dash. Last but not least - pricing. Mated to a six-speed stick shift, the Opel Cascada is €30,520 in Germany, a sticker that translated to $35,979 at current rates and doesn’t feature any optional extra equipment.
As it's the case with the Opel Cascada, here we’re offered with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoTec lump that churns out 200 horsepower and 206 lb-ft (280 Nm) of torque. When the overboost function is engaged, we’re looking at 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of twist sent to the front axle via a six-speed automatic transmission.
There’s no word of get-up-and-go or curb weight, but we can offer you with a small glimpse of what to expect in 2016.
Without further ado, here’s Johnny specifications: 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in the upper 8-sec region, a curb weight of around 3,820 lbs (1,733 kg) and a top speed of mph 146 mph (235 km/h). Because power is in the numbers, you might be interested to find out that the 2016 Buick Cascada is able to lower its rag top in just 17 seconds at speed up to 31 mph (50 km/h). Be wary though - boot space’ll be compromised with the convertible top lowered.Although it’s marketed as a 2+2 seater, tall people won’t sit too comfortable in the rear seats due to limited knee room and head room when the roof is closed. Nevertheless, the first Buick convertible in half a century is a fairly good-looking cruiser, with Opel / Vauxhall Astra underpinnings. One notable downside of this rebadging job is the button-laden center console and the uninspired interior styling.
OK, so there’s a 7-inch touchscreen display high up in the center stack, but look lower and you’re dealt with an inexcusable amount of buttons. I’m not nitpicking here, but even Mercedes-Benz and Audi started to lay off the button paraphernelia.
In this regard, the 2016 Buick Cascada is left for no excuse for its less than satisfactory dash. Last but not least - pricing. Mated to a six-speed stick shift, the Opel Cascada is €30,520 in Germany, a sticker that translated to $35,979 at current rates and doesn’t feature any optional extra equipment.
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