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SAIC General Motors Unveils 2017 Buick GL8 Minivan in China

The minivan as we know it today takes its cues from the Chrysler minivans launched for the 1984 model year. Now, however, the people carrier lost its appeal due to the advent of crossovers and SUVs. In the People’s Republic of China, however, the country where the one-child policy was abolished in 2015, the minivan soldiers on. And the newest of the lot comes in the form of a Buick.
2017 Buick GL8 4 photos
Photo: SAIC General Motors
2017 Buick GL8 minivanSecond-generation Buick GL8 minivanFirst-generation Buick GL8 minivan
Last year alone, minivan sales accounted for more than 10 percent of new car sales across the country. Marketed as a means of transport for people dressed in suits such as business executives, the Buick GL8 is one of the most popular minivans in the Asian country. Now at its third generation, the GL8 received a thorough visual overhaul as far as exterior styling is concerned.

Marketed as a “luxury MPV,” whatever that is, the 2017 Buick GL8 made its debut nearly 17 years after the original went on sale in 2000. Referred to as the GM SGM258, the platform on which the third-generation GL8 rides on is, for all intents and purposes, the latest version of the GM U platform. Yup, that GM U from 1989. This backbone has been replaced in the U.S. by the Lambda platform, in turn replaced by the C1XX in the Cadillac XT5. Still, the biggest upgrade brought by the SGM258 is an independent rear suspension.

Despite its old bones, SAIC General Motors promises that the 7-seat Buick GL8 boasts “all-around enhancements in its styling, powertrain, features and technology, while taking riding comfort to a new level.” The waterfall grille and modern headlights are joined by a tauter stance, mainly due to the fact the front and rear overhangs have been shortened. Regarding space, the 3,088-millimeter (121.5-inch) wheelbase mirrors that of the previous model.

Offered in two trim levels - ES and Avenir (like the concept), the GL8 is solely available with a six-speed automatic transmission. SAIC General Motors has yet to come clean about what’s hiding under the hood, but hearsay suggests that the old 2.4 and 3.0-liter engines will be replaced by a 2.0-liter turbo with 260 horsepower on tap, slightly more get-up-and-go than the old 3.0-liter V6.

Slated to go on sale late in 2016, the 2017 Buick GL8 will be sold in China alongside the first-gen GL8. The original starts from 209,000 yuan (approx. $31,120) and it’s powered by a 2.4-liter mill with 167 horsepower on tap.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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