By Edward A. Sanchez — June 2, 2022
In the last few years, Buick’s lineup has been somewhat uninspiring, with a few model years being an all-crossover brand. A somewhat sad turn of events for the division that brought us the Corvette-beating Grand National, the tech-forward 1953 Century (first Buick to have a 12v electrical system), and the stunning 1965 Riviera. If the Wildcat EV Concept comes to production looking anything close to this stunning concept, it seems destined to be among the pantheon of Buick greats.
Being a Buick owner myself, there’s always been a soft spot in my heart for the brand, but as noted, there hasn’t been much to get excited about from the tri-shield in a few years – the last model with any interest for me being the Opel Insignia-based Regal TourX. PSA’s purchase of Opel put an end to that collaboration. I would love to see a sleek, elegant, Ultium-based Buick EV wagon, but we’re here to talk about the Wildcat EV Concept.
To quote automotive customizer Dave Kindig (and I’m sure many others), “Just look at it!” It’s a looker, no question about it. I see quite a bit of Lexus LC, which is by no means a bad thing. I’m not sure how feasible the enormous doors are for production, and I would not object if the production model came to market as a four-door “coupe.”
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Beyond the head-turning style, Buick says the Wildcat Concept incorporates artificial intelligence and biometrics to make anticipatory suggestions on cabin settings. In “Zen Mode,” the cabin lights dim, aromatherapy scents are dispersed through the HVAC vents, and the seats’ massage setting is activated. The vehicle’s state-of-charge is displayed by an indicator visible from the rear hatch glass.
Conspicuously absent from the concept’s press release was any mention of powertrain details, performance figures, range, or battery capacity. All we know is that it’s an EV.
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We can surmise from GM’s “all-in” stance on Ultium, that it will be based on that modular platform. But seeing as the “Wildcat” name has always been synonymous with performance throughout Buick’s history, if it were to come to production, it’s not a stretch to assume it would be the brand’s performance flagship.
The Wildcat Concept also marks the public debut of the new Buick tri-shield logo, morphing from a cascading, overlapping tri-shield, to three distinct red, white, and blue shields side by side, symbolically signifying the brand’s transition to an all-electric future.
Buick barely survived GM’s bankruptcy, now more than a decade in the rearview mirror, although the brand’s life likely has little to do with its U.S. sales numbers. The brand’s popularity in China was its saving grace, where it now outsells the U.S. market by more than four-to-one. While U.S. sales volumes for the brand may never reach parity with China, more models like the Wildcat will certainly increase public awareness and interest in the brand once again.
(Images courtesy Buick)
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