Photo: Buick
Buick is set to stop making the Verano after the 2017 model year, and as it turns out, the model will not get a replacement for the US market.
Buick’s strategy shift comes after the US market has shown a preference for SUVs and crossovers, so the company will not invest in a successor. However, Buick’s Chinese division will make a new compact sedan called the Verano, but it will only market it in that market.
While General Motors did not confirm the report from Automotive News, the latter claims it has information from a company insider and another person familiar with the plan. This would not be the first insider news the specialist website has provided, so we expect Buick to discontinue the Verano after the 2017 model year, or even before that, while not making a replacement.
Instead of the Verano successor, Buick wants to design, build, and sell more crossovers and SUVs. The GM brand expects as much as 70% of its US sales to consist of crossovers after the launch of the Envision, which is scheduled for next month.
As Automotive News explains, the brand does not need the Verano anymore, as they have a new gateway to the range, the Encore crossover. According to Buick and sales results, the Encore is their number one conquest vehicle, a term that refers to the product that brings first-time customers from other brands. GM’s statistics show that about half of Buick Encore buyers did not own a General Motors product before.
Furthermore, the Buick Encore has also become the highest-volume nameplate for the brand, a valuable accomplishment for any model. Thanks to results like these and the rising popularity of crossovers and SUVs, it’s easy to understand why it would make sense for Buick to ditch the Verano.
Buick only sold 32,000 Verano models last year, according to IHS Automotive. The brand still has to find a way to sell a car to those who would have purchased a Verano, and Buick’s job will be to steer clients to the Encore or similar models.
While General Motors did not confirm the report from Automotive News, the latter claims it has information from a company insider and another person familiar with the plan. This would not be the first insider news the specialist website has provided, so we expect Buick to discontinue the Verano after the 2017 model year, or even before that, while not making a replacement.
Instead of the Verano successor, Buick wants to design, build, and sell more crossovers and SUVs. The GM brand expects as much as 70% of its US sales to consist of crossovers after the launch of the Envision, which is scheduled for next month.
As Automotive News explains, the brand does not need the Verano anymore, as they have a new gateway to the range, the Encore crossover. According to Buick and sales results, the Encore is their number one conquest vehicle, a term that refers to the product that brings first-time customers from other brands. GM’s statistics show that about half of Buick Encore buyers did not own a General Motors product before.
Furthermore, the Buick Encore has also become the highest-volume nameplate for the brand, a valuable accomplishment for any model. Thanks to results like these and the rising popularity of crossovers and SUVs, it’s easy to understand why it would make sense for Buick to ditch the Verano.
Buick only sold 32,000 Verano models last year, according to IHS Automotive. The brand still has to find a way to sell a car to those who would have purchased a Verano, and Buick’s job will be to steer clients to the Encore or similar models.
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