Opel to Bring Buick Enclave and LaCrosse to Europe

In order to rapidly fortify the Buick brand, General Motors turned the Opel Insignia into a Regal, and the Astra will soon take on the form of a 2012 Verano. The former has proven a huge success for the once stricken American automaker, but will the process work in the other direction as well?

It looks like we’re about to find out soon as, according to a new report by GMInsideNews, The General will give its European division a makeover with the help of the next Buick Enclave and LaCrosse, which will sport Opel (and possibly even Vauxhall) badges.

The move would likely make sense from a cost perspective, giving GM economies of scale thanks to increased production, while also adding to the Opel lineup without significant engineering expenditures. However, no US model can ever work strait out of the box in the Old World, so expect suspension improvements and different powertrains to arrive.

The Buick LaCrosse could even bear the Opel Omega badge, a name reserved for the largest sedan of the German automaker, while the SUV could be named the Opel Monterey. However, seeing as the two American modes are due in 2013 or later, there’s plenty of time for marketing teams to dream up new ones, especially seeing as both the Omega and Monterey weren’t so hot when it came to sales figures.

It’s hard to say if the pair will appeal to European customers, but if the price is right, GM stands to make big bucks due to the savings in sharing platforms and development costs. On the other hand, both vehicles are large and appeal to US consumers’ tastes.