Buick Riviera Concept Vehicle Makes Global Debut
The Shanghai Motor Show has been turning out some astonishing vehicles, and the new Buick Riviera concept is no exception. This car is definitely “not your father’s Buick.” The new Buick Riviera will start a new chapter for the 110-year-old Buick brand.
Equipped with avant-garde aesthetics, advanced technology, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion — in a single package — this concept very well could rebrand Buick for the next century. Although GM’s car of the future is being developed in Shanghai, we hope there is still a chance this will hit America.
An old Chinese saying — “the greatest good is like water” — helped inspire the elegant design. The Buick Riviera mimics the dynamic nature of water as it goes from thick to thin, and has an athletic shape, while expressing a sense of ambience that can be felt from a flowing river.
“Riviera is a design study of the future expression of Buick design with its elegant athletic shape, sculptural beauty, and precision execution,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “It is a great opportunity to share Buick’s future design language and technology strategy.”
One of the key signature attributes of Buick’s future designs will be the waterfall grille and wing-shaped daytime running lights. The new Buick Riviera will also contain BIP (Buick Intelligent Performance) technology. It is equipped with GM’s all-new, dual-mode W-PHEV (wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) propulsion system.
The user can drive the car on green power in electric mode and enjoy the exhilarating handling and performance of a sports car while driving “green” in hybrid mode.
The owner will have two options on recharging her or his vehicle — with either a traditional cable, or wirelessly via a sensory recharge panel on the car’s chassis. The charging port is integrated into Buick’s iconic porthole design.
The Buick Riviera will have intelligent four-wheel steering, with electromagnetic-controlled suspension and an air spring package to ensure comfort and handling in extreme conditions.
Some of the other key features that were made available in the press release include:
The innovative mobile Internet system adopted in the new Riviera supports high-speed 4G LTE network use. The concept vehicle offers real-time traffic information, weather updates, and news and entertainment while communicating with other vehicles. The vehicle’s voice commands and controls along with touch and gesture recognition activate a range of vehicle systems and enable seamless interaction between driver and vehicle.
The new Buick Riviera employs a forward-looking active safety system that collects traffic information through 10 high-resolution cameras (for image monitoring) and 18 micro high-precision sensors (for distance monitoring). The information is integrated and presented in a holographic image onto the windshield.
With the intelligent driver assist system, its astonishing the features included to improve safety and security. The system incorporates everything from an “eagle view record system” to a rear cross-traffic alert system. This is definitely a new look for Buick, and so far — I’m loving it!
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