Buick Takes Another Look at Premium Small-Car Market With Action Avant Concept
By Scott Doggett September 23, 2009
After years of avoiding the competition that exists in the premium small-car market, Buick has decided to take another look at it -- and some of the innovations the brand's designers have come up with are very impressive.
The vehicle pictured here is the Buick Action Avant, and as best we can tell it exists principally in artists' renderings. No problem, because it's very clear to see a designer's work this way, especially when it's conveyed in a publicly accessible video.
We strongly encourage you to check it out. If you do, you'll be able to see some of the nifty innovations Buick designers have come up with recently. They include:
- A luggage porter that consists of automated trays or arms that extend luggage to you, rather than requiring you to reach into the vehicle to get it.
- A "smart door" that recognizes when you've pulled into a tight parking space and automatically slides forward to facilitate exiting.
- And, seats and other components that move sideways (inward and outward) to maximize occupant space depending on how many people are in the vehicle.
The video's narrator says "this is a small, very premium vehicle, somewhat coupe-like, for city driving." That it is. But it's also a showcase of GM innovation and a Buick a normal person could easily get excited about.
If the Action Avant is an indication of what Buick intends to take to the premium small-car market, we would not be surprised if it thrived there -- if the brand's reliability and fuel economy are on par with the attention this concept gives to customer needs.
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