In a move that makes the Pontiac G3 look like one of the longest-running nameplates in history, General Motors announced on Wednesday that it has killed its plan to bring a smaller Buick crossover – and its plug-in hybrid counterpart – to market.
The news of the cancellation comes less than two weeks after GM initially revealed its plans for a smaller Buick crossover. Had the program been allowed to run its course, the so-called baby Encalve would have hit Buick dealers next year, with a plug-in hybrid version following a year later in 2011.
GM vice chairman Tom Stephens revealed on GM’s corporate blog that the project was killed due to negative feedback. “The Buick crossover we showed received consistent feedback from large parts of all the audiences that it didn’t fit the premium characteristics that customers have come to expect from Buick,” Stephens said.
“We were all struck by the consistency of the criticism of the compact crossover. And what we decided to do in response is a good example of the essence of the new General Motors… acting quickly, and boldly, and listening to feedback from customers, employees, dealers, media and just about anyone else with an opinion.”
The D.O.A. Buick crossover was slated to be based on the current Saturn Vue.
Despite the death of the Buick CUV, Stephens says the ‘ute’s plug-in hybrid technology will live on in another GM product, although he gave no indication as to which brand would carry the torch.
