Potential buyers of an upcoming Buick convertible might want to hold off on trying to fit “Cascada” onto a personalized license plate.
If a recent trademark filing found by GM Authority is any indication, Buick may not be adopting the Cascada nameplate from Opel, instead picking up the Velite nameplate for its version of Opel’s four-seat convertible that is all-but-confirmed to arrive next year, looking like the Opel Cascada, in fact.
The Velite name appeared a decade ago on the 2004 concept convertible that shared the rear-wheel drive Zeta platform that later went to the Chevy Camaro. While it never became a halo production car for Buick, the Velite did foreshadow the styling direction the company has been on in the last few years.
The Cascada, on the other hand, is a very front-wheel drive cruiser of a convertible that won’t have a twin-turbo V6 under the hood, but most likely a turbocharged four-cylinder from one of Buick’s existing models. But hey, it’s still a looker in its own right.
While GM has applied to extend its trademark on “Velite,” it’s no guarantee it will go on a future Buick, and could very well be a name the company would like to use some other time.
Personally, I’m still in the camp that says they should call it the Riviera, something so right for the south-of-France image Opel lashes onto the Cascada (it even ends in A, Opel!). Cascada is alright for a Buick, and still better than Velite, I think. Unlike the portholes, some vestiges of Buick’s heritage are worth digging up on these strong new models.
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