Buick Skylark for China in 2009
General Motors will launch a new Buick Skylark compact in China in 2009 that could be exported to the U.S. as a 2010 model.
The Skylark will replace the Daewoo-based Excelle in China and will be assembled by the Shanghai GM joint venture, Inside Line has learned.
GM also is considering whether to add another Chinese Buick, the new Australia-sourced Park Avenue sedan, to its U.S. lineup in 2009, supplier sources told IL.
The new Skylark is based on GM's Delta 2 global small-car architecture. It will share its underpinnings with the next-generation Chevrolet Cobalt, Opel Astra and Pontiac G6. A new Saab, the 9-1, will be based on the same platform, as will the next-generation Saturn Astra.
The current Buick Excelle that's built in China is a version of the Daewoo Lacetti that's also sold in North America as the Suzuki Forenza and in other overseas markets as the Chevrolet Optra. The next-generation Lacetti also is expected to shift to the Delta 2 platform in Korea.
The new Park Avenue is based on the Holden Statesman and goes on sale shortly in China. IL has learned that Buick's U.S. dealers have asked for the car in late 2008 as an '09 model. GM has tentative plans to assemble a redesigned Park Avenue, based on its Zeta rear-drive architecture, in North America in late 2010, alongside a new rear-drive Chevrolet Impala.
