Could it be a luxury all-electric SUV?
Buick has filed a trademark for the name “Buick GS” at the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property. CarBuzz discovered the trademark, the first time this particular designation has been filed for as a standalone model. And it will be a car, as the trademark was filed in Nice classification 12, specifically for “land motor vehicles, namely automobiles.”
The GS badge has been used prior and has been trademarked previously in conjunction with other model names. Last year, CarBuzz discovered the trademark for the Electra GS name, for example, and in recent history, there have been several models wearing the badge. The last vehicle to wear the GS badge was the Regal GS, which was killed off in 2020. Other famous examples include Riviera GS, Wildcat GS, and Century GS.
But “Buick GS” as a trademarked name suggests something entirely different, not a trim, but a standalone model wearing the GS name.
The GS or Gran Sport designation arrived in 1965 as an optional extra for the Skylark and Riviera. It was meant to signify performance, so Buick bolted a 6.6-liter “Nailhead” V8 under the hood. Buick's were already considered luxury cars, so all the American automaker needed to do was add power.
These days Buick is arguably more of a Chinese brand, but it is in the process of reinventing itself, a process that started with an all-new global identity. Shortly after, Buick unveiled the Wildcat electric concept and said it wanted to go all-electric by 2030. Buick even started forcing its dealers to invest $300,000 to sell electric vehicles it hasn't launched yet.
The 2024 Envision and 2024 Envista Coupe are still very much combustion-powered, so what gives?
There's the Electra, which will come to the US, but so far, the electric Buick for Americans hasn't been shown.
The name Buick GS suggests an all-new halo model, possibly similar to the Cadillac Celestiq. We've already seen some of the Wildcat's design elements filter down into the range, but not a standalone model based on the concept. An ultra-luxurious and sporty version of the 2024 Buick LaCrosse would be excellent, but the sedan is only meant for the Chinese market. In the USA, Buick is a crossover-only brand, so the Wildcat will likely be updated to be a bit more robust.
Could this be another example of Buick being behind the times? It may think SUVs and crossovers are the future, but other heavy-hitters in the automotive industry believe that post-SUV times are coming.
Either way, it is an exciting trademark, and we're excited to see what Buick puts it on.
Keyword: Buick Gran Sport Could Return As Standalone High-Performance Model