Buick Business ConceptThe Buick Business Concept, a new concept vehicle designed to showcase Buick’s future vision of “business class on the road,” made its global debut at Auto Shanghai 2009.The multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) was developed in China by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), a design and engineering joint venture between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), with global design input.The Buick Business Concept Vehicle captures the essence of the Buick form language in a thoroughly elegant and expressive design, with its taut surfaces, double sweep spear belt line, strong front and rear identities and dynamic presence.
According to Cao Min, PATAC Concept Car Chief Designer, the design team set out to create a modern global design for Buick, yet include a subtle Chinese essence and influence.To achieve this balance, they sought to draw from their heritage outside the automotive industry – from classic shapes to arts and ancient relics.
To establish their design direction, PATAC designers took the global Buick design vocabulary of sculpturally beautiful and dynamic forms established by the Riviera concept car and successfully extended it to a tall, one-box architecture.
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The famous Buick waterfall grille takes on a bolder treatment. Intricate detailing gives it an even more prominent look. The backlit Buick tri-shield logo leads into the distinctive mid-hood crease prevalent in classic Buicks and consistent across the new Buick line today.The prominent LED headlamps show influences of popular Chinese liuli glass through three-dimensional transparent and multifaceted surfaces. Liuli is a Chinese crystal sculpture art form that incorporates cultural and modern references. It has become a popular symbol of modern Chinese prosperity.Buick Business Concept may accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.9 seconds and reach its top speed at 190 as it’s powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with Spark-Ignition, Direct Injection (SIDI) coupled with a front-wheel-drive system.Buick Business Concept MPV sits on 20-inch, 9-spoke forged aluminum wheels. This concept also gets a 6-speed automatic transmission with a hybrid auxiliary pump.Buick Business Concept also comes with an OnStar system with security, navigation and hands-free online service.Interior trim and features befitting Buick prestige abound such as a power central console with a deployable tablet for writing or to hold a laptop computer. The console can be moved up and down the two rows of rear seats. The second row of power captain’s chairs slide on hidden rails and swivel 225 degrees, enabling them to be adjusted to an infinite combination of orientations. Traditional huiwen patterns are embroidered onto the seats and seat backs, bringing harmony to the entire design theme.
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The three-dimensional instrument cluster reaches across the entire width of the front panel and features a multi-layer information display. The instrument cluster design reflects the liuli art influence but is utterly modern in design. It is complemented by a central console with touch pad controls on either side of a cylinder-shaped roller mouse. A large LED display crowns the central console. Once again, the huiwen motif shows up as details on the wings of the instrument panel.PATAC designed the Buick Business Concept Vehicle to accommodate the next-generation GM Hybrid System, which will be introduced in China in the near future.The next-generation GM Hybrid System will build upon the successful belt-alternator-starter hybrid technology currently available in the Buick LaCrosse Eco-Hybrid. An advanced lithium-ion battery will help make the next-generation GM Hybrid System more powerful than the current system, improving fuel economy of vehicles with this system by up to 20 percent, depending on engine and vehicle application.
