The renderings included in this story are not related to or endorsed by Buick.
The freedom from packaging limitations that comes with electric vehicles opens up many doors for designers to get creative with their vehicles, and perhaps even bring back old nameplates that have been lost to time. One digital designer, Jordan Rubinstein-Towler, did exactly that as he reimagined the iconic Buick Roadmaster for the electric age.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the same designer that brought us a fictional Integra Type R coupe last month as the sequel to his regular Integra coupe from a few years prior. But aside from his sport coupe designs, Rubinstein-Towler has a few wagons in his portfolio, and we’d argue this is one of his best.
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Since EVs allow for more storage space due to their lack of an engine, combining that trait with a spacious, practical wagon just makes sense. Additionally, the large footprint of this vehicle, assuming it would be the same size as the old Roadmaster, would allow for a large battery pack to fit in the floor, leading to a higher range.
The vehicle’s conservative front and rear end designs are made even more subtle by their all-black coloring, while bright chrome strips highlight key character lines. These accents appear on places like the leading edge of the hood and roofline, both of which help shape the wagon’s design. The chrome also appears on the fang-like front corner intakes, which we suspect is a nod to the similar feature on the recently departed Regal GS.
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Other design features include Buick’s new triple shield logo, black and silver multispoke wheels, and vertical taillights that hook around into the shoulder line. The front end bears somewhat of a resemblance to the Opel Astra, though that makes sense given Opel and Buick’s badge engineering relationship under the GM umbrella.
A Roadmaster wouldn’t be a Roadmaster without its iconic wood paneling, and this car wears it proudly. Surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to clash all that much with the futuristic exterior design, instead almost evoking the same feeling as a piece of modernist furniture. Of course, the prospect of a wood-paneled longroof like this in today’s wagon-averse market it slim, but we can dream. Throw it on the Cadillac Lyriq platform, and we’d reckon you’d have yourself a cult classic in the making.