2019 Buicks Will No Longer Say ‘Buick’ on Them
The brand is hoping the tri-shield design that’s been around since the ’50s can speak for itself.
Buick isn’t exactly known for being a big mover or shaker in the car industry, at least not in the last few decades. However, GM’s premium brand has been doing a nice job rebranding itself for a younger audience and it’s actually working. Buick has been dishing out surprising new entries like the Buick Regal TourX wagon and its new high-end Avenir subbrand is off to a great start. Buick is making all of the right moves to hold onto its relevance in its home market while it simultaneously dominates China.
The next step is taking something away from its vehicles rather than adding something. Starting in the 2019 model year, Buicks will no longer wear the “Buick” script emblem on the back. The brand is hoping that its tri-shield design which has been on American roads since the 1950s is recognizable enough to make the word “Buick” an unnecessary redundancy.
"We’ve removed the Buick badge from the rear for global consistency and because the tri-shield badge is recognizable to consumers and able to stand on its own," said a Buick representative in an email to The Drive. "Additionally, removing the badge opens up the possibility of adding an Avenir badge down the road."
That’s a nice hint that the Avenir subbrand will continue spreading throughout the Buick lineup. The only Buicks to get the Avenir treatment so far are the LaCrosse sedan and the Enclave crossover. Thirty-five percent of all Enclaves sold since Avenir availability began have been Avenir models, which is a pretty significant amount. With crossovers seemingly constantly moving upmarket, we wouldn’t be surprised to see an Envision Avenir in the near future. Maybe an Encore Avenir will arrive even sooner considering Buick’s smallest crossover is its best-selling model.