Spyshots: 2010 Buick Excelle

It's not often that we get to see spyshots with a vehicle usually not seen on the streets of Europe. With most new spied vehicles coming from German manufacturers, seeing a Buick, as we are about to now, is somewhat of a treat.

General Motors, hard at work at cutting anything from dealers to execs, has placed most of its faith in the four core brands, lead by Buick. Now, the new generation Excelle steps in.

The Excelle is built on the same Delta platform GM will use for the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze, making it enter the line-up just below the Lacrosse. Even if details are less known at this point, rumor says the Excelle will use most of the powertrain choices as in the Lacrosse.

This would mean it will use the 1.8l petrol engine, developing 141 horsepower and 176 Nm of torque. Cruze's 1.6-liter petrol engine (113 hp and 153 Nm of torque) may be a choice for the Excelle, but some say, given the new model's premium segment target, this may not be a good choice.

What is expected to be featured on the Excelle, given the current market trend, is the Chevrolet Volt powertrain. It is already designed to fit the Cruze platform, as it is being tested on it, so it should be no problem adapting it for the Excelle.

Sources close to the subject say that the Excelle may come to Europe as well, as a way for GM to repay Opel for the scrappage of Saab 9-3 and 9-5 in Germany. For the European market, the Excelle would come equipped with Cruze's 2.0l diesel engine. As you can see in the spyshots, the car is being tested in Germany.

As you might expect, should Excelle come to Europe, GM will not make the continent a primary market for the Buick. The Americans will remain faithful to their local market, as to the Chinese one.