Detroit: 2016 Buick Cascada [Video]

The Cascada is Buick\'s first convertible in 25 years.

Buick has introduced the 2016 Cascada convertible ahead of its public debut at the Detroit Motor Show that will open its doors to the press tomorrow. The Cascada is the automaker's first convertible in 25 years.

As expected, the convertible is essentially a re-badged version of the Opel Cascada that has been on sale in Europe for several years. The droptop is nearly identical to its Opel-badged counterpart, meaning that it wears an upscale design accented by styling cues like a three-slat shield-shaped radiator grille, elongated headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights and a chromed trim bar that connects the wing-shaped tail lamps. 20-inch alloy wheels come standard.

Inside, the Opel-turned-Buick offers room for up to four passengers in a 2+2 configuration. Again carried over largely unchanged from the Opel model, the interior boasts soft-touch materials on the instrument panel, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a seven-inch screen that runs Buick's IntelliLink infotainment system.

The Cascada's soft top opens or closes in 17 seconds at speeds of up to 31 mph, and two rollover protection bars hidden behind the rear seats automatically deploy in seconds if the possibility of a rollover is detected. Cargo capacity checks in at 13.4 cubic feet with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet when the top is down.

Power for the Cascada comes from a turbocharged 1.6-liter EcoTec four-cylinder engine that makes 200 horsepower and 206 lb-ft. of torque, though an overboost function briefly bumps the torque output to 221 lb-ft. The turbo four is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission that spins the front wheels but Buick has opted not to publish performance figures.

After debuting in Detroit, the Buick Cascada will go on sale across the nation early next year as a 2016 model. Rumors indicate that Buick will also introduce a new crossover called Envision in Detroit but the automaker is keeping its lips sealed until the beginning of the show.