Debuting at the North American International Auto Show, Buick revealed the stunning Avista concept – a 2+2 coupe that highlights the brand’s commitment to contemporary design and draws inspiration from its historic performance roots.
Elegant and sleek, the Avista concept is a contemporary grand tourer, with a 400-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6 with rear wheel drive and an amazing, futuristic driver-focused cockpit offering a comfortable, connected center of control.
“The Avista embodies the dynamic soul of Buick,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “It is a modern expression of the brand’s heritage of sophisticated performance, communicated with beautiful elegance.”
2016 Buick Avista Concept
The Avista’s uninterrupted body lines stretch front to rear, suggesting fluidity and swiftness. The absence of conventional B-pillars between the doors and rear side windows enhances the flowing profile.
“There is elegant simplicity in the Avista’s surfaces, which speak to the purity of the car’s performance, and a timeless beauty that’s a hallmark of Buick design,” said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director Global Buick Design. “It was designed to capture the spirit of the perfect drive.”
Marking the front and rear, Buick evolves its signature wing-shaped lighting with “soft curtain” elements that create illuminated “halos” around lamps’ edges, suggesting a three-dimensional shape and sculpture. Their design forecasts the evolution of Buick’s production lighting features, while the Avista’s grille features the brand’s new winged tri-shield insignia (returning to the 3-coulour design), set against a three-dimensional mesh background.
Like the exterior, the Avista’s 2+2 interior is elegant and streamlined. It features 3D-printed door and seat trims and a future vision of Buick’s IntelliLink, with touchscreen controls on a widescreen instrument panel display.
The centre console also incorporates touchscreen controls and extends to the rear seating area. Open side storage compartments built into the front of the console are enabled by the new Electronic Precision Shift, similar to the 2017 LaCrosse.
The Superior Blue exterior colour is gorgeous and is complemented with Mist Gray leather seating inserts, console trim and door trim. Exposed carbon fibre and aluminum accents throughout reinforce the precision of the performance-oriented driving experience. The fading pattern on the seats, console and doors were inspired by waves receding at a beach’s edge.
“Waves, whether from the sea or in the sand, are all about motion and flow,” said Nesbitt. “That’s exactly what this concept is all about – flowing design and the purity of the driving experience.”
Buick designers enhanced the passengers’ sensory experiences with next-generation QuietTuning and air-quality control, including advanced noise cancellation technology, ionic air purifiers and aromatherapy.
The Avista also advances Buick’s legacy of turbocharged performance, which carries forward in the 2016 Regal GS and other models. Similar to the 2017 LaCrosse, the concept twin-turbocharged 3.0L V-6 features fuel-saving Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and Stop/Start technology to complement its power with efficiency. The engine is backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and Magnetic Ride Control delivers more precise body motion control.
Hopefully this Buick Avista concept will find its way into production – it’s sophisticated, sleek design would be a welcome addition to Buick’s modern and innovative lineup. Visit us at Hamilton Auto Blog regularly for updates on the latest vehicles from Chevrolet, Buick and GMC.
