- The Buick Electra GS concept was revealed at the Shanghai auto show and presents the future of design for the U.S. brand for the China market.
- The Electra GS measures 208.7 inches long, with its length exaggerated by a cab-forward body and a long, sloping roofline.
- Buick is turning Electra into a subbrand in China and is teasing a new minivan, SUV, and sedan, the latter of which appears to be based on last year’s Electra-L concept.
The Buick Electra nameplate once adorned a series of boxy, quintessentially American sedans and coupes from 1959 until 1990, and an Electra on U.S. roads today is a rare sight. But in China the moniker was revived for a pair of electric SUVs, one of which was set to become the brand’s first EV in the U.S. until tariffs on EVs made in China seemingly scuppered those plans.But the Electra name is still going strong in China, with Buick revealing the slick Electra GS concept at the Shanghai auto show to exhibit its design language for future electrified vehicles. BuickThe Electra GS isn’t the first Electra-branded sedan concept Buick has shown, following the Electra-L concept from last year’s Beijing auto show (there was also a sweet Electra-LT wagon). Compared to the elegant Electra-L, the Electra GS takes on a sportier, more dynamic look. This is fitting given its two-letter suffix, with GS referring back to the Skylark-based Gran Sport and GSX muscle cars of the 1960s. The badge was also later used on a series of performance-focused Regal GS models from the 1990s and 2010s.While there are no powertrain specifics for the Electra GS concept, the design certainly looks appropriately eye-catching for a sporty sedan. Buick claims that the concept is inspired by the “mythical centaur,” and while we’re not quite seeing that in the design, it does look pretty sharp. The Electra GS measures 208.7 inches long with a 126.0-inch wheelbase, making it a few inches shorter than a BMW i7 with a nearly identical wheelbase.BuickThe cab-forward design results in a fairly short hood and a long, gradual curve to the roofline, which should create a more spacious interior. Up front, thin headlights are accented by intricate LEDs above, with a similar motif echoed in the taillights. The smooth body is broken up by crisp lines and the glass roof flows into a tidy rear spoiler, while 23-inch wheels give the Electra GS a purposeful stance. The cabin is coated in a mix of brown and black leather and a cleanly styled dashboard with a 16.3-inch screen providing entertainment for the front passenger. Behind the yoke-style steering wheel sits a digital instrument cluster and an augmented-reality head-up display, but despite the screen-heavy approach, there is still a row of buttons for the climate system on the center console.BuickThe first three planned vehicles for Buick’s Electra subbrand in China.It’s unclear if we will ever end up seeing an Electra-badged vehicle in the United States. Buick’s first EV for the U.S. was supposed to be revealed in 2024 for a launch this year and was expected to be the Electra E5 SUV sold in China. But last year Buick said the EV was delayed and has provided no other details since. Unless there are changes to the tariffs on China-made EVs, it seems unlikely we’ll see the electric SUV in the U.S. anytime soon. In China, the Electra GS could become a production model. Along with the concept reveal, Buick announced at the Shanghai show that Electra will become a new subbrand that will sell six new electric or plug-in hybrid models. A teaser showed three of the upcoming Electras, including the Encasa minivan, an SUV, and a sedan that looks identical to last year’s Electra-L concept, but we will have to continue admiring the Buick’s latest EVs from afar.More on BuickCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: caranddriver.com
