Should the Opel Adam be offered in the U.S. as a Buick?

[BLK9GEN]

Honestly - because it is a touchscreen. Most luxury cars seem to be moving to track pads or wheels as means of navigating infotainment screens and while doing so they include heaps of soft touch plastic and stitched leather.

The Spark and Adam look cheap the same way an Android looks cheap. Sure I own one and sure it can cost as much as an iPhone but there is something more lowbrow about the Android compared to the iPhone and I see exactly the same thing with this car. Had I had no prior knowledge of this car and all you show me is the interior shot I would likely thing new cheap Hyunida because it looks simple and inexpensive yet laden with technology. No premium to be found.

This isn't a luxury car, and Buick isn't really a luxury brand. It's always slotted above Chevrolet and below Cadillac as a "premium" brand. Nobody wants a $30k microcar, which is what it would be with more feature content, a first-rate i-drive/mmi type interface, and tons of stitched leather. And not all luxury cars have this type of interface anyway. The new Lincoln MKZ and ATS come to mind.

The interior *looks* better than the Fiat, Smart and even Mini. Me thinks you are expecting far too much from what is an entry level car w/ a vaguely premium (i.e. Euro) feel. To tart it up would be silly and akin to trying to make it something it is not. I personally find cars like the "Gucci" edition Fiat a joke, but that's just me.

[2.0T_Convert]

The interior *looks* better than the Fiat, Smart and even Mini. Me thinks you are expecting far too much from what is an entry level car w/ a vaguely premium (i.e. Euro) feel. To tart it up would be silly and akin to trying to make it something it is not. I personally find cars like the "Gucci" edition Fiat a joke, but that's just me.

I expect nothing of the Adam but I expect more from Buick. It shouldn't have a Fiat 500 competitor in the brand at least here in the US.

[chrisj428]

Only if Buick's marketing company signs Milli Vanilli for the US campaigns as well.

[ROCK AND ROLL CHEVY]

This discussion cannot proceed because you do not understand that people age.

Wrong. It's General Motors who doesn't understand its marketing. I'm a bit worried that maybe some of the people commenting in this thread work in their marketing department, from some of the terrible ideas I've read.

[BLK9GEN]

Wrong. It's General Motors who doesn't understand its marketing. I'm a bit worried that maybe some of the people commenting in this thread work in their marketing department, from some of the terrible ideas I've read.

Who comes to a car enthusiast site expecting to hear sound marketing analysis?!

As a car guy who appreciates all types of cars from various brands and cares very little about badging, I don't care if they bring it here as a Daewoo. I'm not here to discuss the merits of selling it under the Buick nameplate because, wait for it.....I don't give a rats ass.

But please, by all means, continue to get your panties in a wad over nothing.

[ROCK AND ROLL CHEVY]

Who comes to a car enthusiast site expecting to hear sound marketing analysis?!

As a car guy who appreciates all types of cars from various brands and cares very little about badging, I don't care if they bring it here as a Daewoo. I'm not here to discuss the merits of selling it under the Buick nameplate because, wait for it.....I don't give a rats ass.

But please, by all means, continue to get your panties in a wad over nothing.

I don't wear panties. I only wear underwear with jeans, because I don't shave my pubes.

[chrisj428]

I don't wear panties. I only wear underwear with jeans, because I don't shave my pubes.

QFT. And, quite possibly, signature material as well.

[MK5golf]

I expect nothing of the Adam but I expect more from Buick. It shouldn't have a Fiat 500 competitor in the brand at least here in the US.

Au contraire, maybe this is their time to get into a new niche, and get new people in the brand. Dont sell the base model here, and market it more as a mini competitor.

I know it would sell well in Canada, the B class even sells well here! But were 1/10th of the market the US is... and ive only ever been to Vermont and New Hampshire so I have no idea how this would do over there... using the knowledge ive acquired from the internet... id say it has the potential to flop But then again doesnt the 500 sell well down there? (now). Id love to see this (and similar cars) succeed in North America, and personally, I think bringing it here as a Buick is a good idea.

[CHABER]

as an Opel, I'd buy it. As a Buick...hell no

[2.0T_Convert]

Au contraire, maybe this is their time to get into a new niche, and get new people in the brand. Dont sell the base model here, and market it more as a mini competitor.

I know it would sell well in Canada, the B class even sells well here! But were 1/10th of the market the US is... and ive only ever been to Vermont and New Hampshire so I have no idea how this would do over there... using the knowledge ive acquired from the internet... id say it has the potential to flop But then again doesnt the 500 sell well down there? (now). Id love to see this (and similar cars) succeed in North America, and personally, I think bringing it here as a Buick is a good idea.

If it comes as a Buick what is the point of Chevy.

[MK5golf]

If it comes as a Buick what is the point of Chevy.

If it were to come here as a Chevy it would have to be, above all else, very cheap to purchase. I doubt gm would be able to manufacture this in a more cost friendly location any time soon. Now, if they sold it and marketed it as a Bucik, they genuinely have a chance at pulling off the "premium small car" thing. They could import them from Germany and sell them at competitive prices. No one would pay 20k for this if it had a Chevy badge, but as a Buick, I personally think that it could work. It could do good to the brand as well, as I and others have stated, it could broaden the demographic appeal of the Buick brand.

This COULD work... and in my mind, the only way would be to position it as a mini competitor, something that I dont see happening if its badged as a Chevy.

[2.0T_Convert]

If it were to come here as a Chevy it would have to be, above all else, very cheap to purchase. I doubt gm would be able to manufacture this in a more cost friendly location any time soon. Now, if they sold it and marketed it as a Bucik, they genuinely have a chance at pulling off the "premium small car" thing. They could import them from Germany and sell them at competitive prices. No one would pay 20k for this if it had a Chevy badge, but as a Buick, I personally think that it could work. It could do good to the brand as well, as I and others have stated, it could broaden the demographic appeal of the Buick brand.

This COULD work... and in my mind, the only way would be to position it as a mini competitor, something that I dont see happening if its badged as a Chevy.

We have the Spark already.

Bringing a range of cheap inexpensive Buick models sounds like a recipe for Chrysler/Fiat brand identity issues.

[Wimbledon]

[norcal505]

What a bunch of pathetic wannabe hipsters. They're not even hipsters. Lame.

[VarianceVQ]

What a bunch of pathetic wannabe hipsters. They're not even hipsters. Lame.

They're called Europeans.

[nickthaskater]

Seriously, f*ck the Buick "waterfall"; it's terrible.

[thebanker]

Seriously, f*ck the Buick "waterfall"; it's terrible.

+1, the design is a turn off. Part of the problem for me is that it appears pointy. Also it tends to be too large on the car. It isnt quite in the same class of bad grille designs as the timelessly hilarious Acura eagle-beak or the Lincoln "Sperm Whale" masterpiece, but it needs a redux nonetheless. A nondescript black mesh would look better...

[nickthaskater]

+1, the design is a turn off. Part of the problem for me is that it appears pointy. Also it tends to be too large on the car. It isnt quite in the same class of bad grille designs as the timelessly hilarious Acura eagle-beak or the Lincoln "Sperm Whale" masterpiece, but it needs a redux nonetheless. A nondescript black mesh would look better...

The photoshop in the OP is perfect; just a badge swap and nothing more.

[feels_road]

waterfall_image

Not bad. Could work in black (vs. chrome).

Buick Adam? Probably will turn into a Buick Eve.

Opel Adam still confuses me.

I like the aroma of rain in Roanoke. But will I need my anorak and should I drive my Amarok or Camaro?

[TehLonz]

Can it carry oxygen tanks or walkers?

[invisiblewar]

Name it the Buick Mol. And yeah, this grill doesnt work on this car.