Buick took a new approach with the reveal of the new Enclave at the New York Auto Show this week, presenting it in an upscale Avenir trim. But while the big crossover is the first North American model to get the high-end treatment, it won’t be the last.
According to Motor Trend, the Avenir treatment will be applied to every model in Buick’s lineup within the next two years.
The name is derived from the French word for “future” and was previously applied to a sedan concept which GM’s premium (if not luxury) brand showcased at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2015. It has already been applied as well to the GL8 minivan for the Chinese market, revealed a few months ago.
The approach mimics that which sister brand GMC took with its Denali line, which has been hugely profitable for the American automaker. Take an existing vehicle, spruce it up and fit it with all the bells and whistles, slap a high-end nameplate on it, and poof! You have a luxury vehicle for which dealers can charge significantly more.
Lincoln has taken a similar (albeit more extensive) approach to its Black Label line. Ford offers the Vignale line in Europe – where it doesn’t sell Lincolns, and where Renault also offers its luxurious Initiale Paris models. The way Mercedes has rehashed the Maybach brand is not so different, either – although it is much higher up the market. If the move proves as profitable for Buick as it has for GMC, we wouldn’t be surprised to see other brands follow suit with upscale trim lines of their own.
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