The Buick Verano 2017 edition will be the last in the lineup and those who are fans of the brand should probably buy available cars because it won’t be refreshed next year.
The company’s top representatives confirmed that the automobile industry in the country has changed drastically over the years. The news from one of the top automobile magazines as Buick is considering the option to cut off production of their small luxury sedan variant and focus on crossover wagons. While not everyone is going to go for SUVs all the time and sedans are still wanted by buyers, it is not easy to stay ahead in the market due to the heavy competition that prevails. For a brand like Buick, it is tough to fight against BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Honda among dozen other auto manufacturers.
After the 2017 Buick Verano, General Motors will discontinue production of the Verano series in the United States. The sedan enjoyed a decent run in the five years of its existence but in recent times it has witnessed really low sales leaving the manufacturer with huge losses. Most customers have shifted to crossovers, opined the company’s heads. A permanent change has taken place in the market and the entry level Buick Encore crossover will take up the space occupied by the outgoing Verano model.
According to records, the auto manufacturer sold 31,886 units in 2015 which is very low compared to the 45,527 cars sold by the company in 2013. There has been a steady decline in sales. At the same time, the Encore SUV from Buick experienced amazing sales. The crossover sold over 67,549 cars in 2015 which obviously confirmed that the customer market has moved into a new segment.
Once the Verano is permanently discontinued in the region, Buick and General Motors has planned to introduce a new SUV named Envision. The information was confirmed by Duncan Alfred, head of the company. While the brand has decided to axe the luxury sedan in the United States, the same Verano will continue to be available in the Chinese region. Buyers in China still love small cars because of the constrained space and the compactness these models provide.
A new era of crossovers and electrified cars are heading to the United States which might change the automobile industry for good. However, longtime fans may miss luxury sedans and other models from the past which are becoming obsolete.
