New Platforms to Accelerate GM’s Future Buick-Opel Products

Buick customers in the U.S. and China will see more European design and engineering by 2020 as General Motors Co. integrates Buick and Opel product development, Reuters reports.

GM expects that coordinating the two units will cut costs, reduce product development time, promote parts sharing and lead to more models for both brands.

Reuters says GM will coordinate the effort through two new flexible platforms code named Global Delta and Global Epsilon.

The news service says future vehicles slated for the Global Delta architecture include:

• The next-generation Opel Astra midsize car for Europe in late 2015
• Replacements for the Buick Verano compact luxury sedan in the U.S. and the Buick Excelle in China in 2015
• The all-new Buick Envision crossover for the American and Chinese markets in 2015 or 2016
• A redesigned Opel Antara SUV for Europe in 2016
• A redesigned Opel Cascada convertible in late 2017, including a variant for Buick

Among the future vehicles to rid on the the Global Epsilon platform are:

• Replacements for the Buick Regal sport sedan and LaCrosse midsize sedan for the U.S. and China in 2016
• A redesigned Opel Insignia for 2017 and the next-generation Buick Enclave crossover in 2017

Reuters reiterates earlier reports that GM also is developing a Buick variant of the next-generation Opel Adam city car, which is due in late 2018, for the U.S. and perhaps China. The news service says Opel is working on a sporty two-door sibling, code named Eve, that may debut in Europe and the U.S. at about the same time.