Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Buick, GM, Opel, Rumormill, Electric
According to a new report from Bloomberg, General Motors is working on a Buick-badged version of its Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid, Europe’s mechanical twin to the Chevrolet Volt. The car hasn’t received final approval yet, as GM still isn’t sure it can get buyers to justify in inevitable premium over the $41,000 pre-incentive Volt.
To make a Buick version more marketable, the General may attempt to take measures to extend the car’s all-electric range, like using lighter materials, but that may be a higher level of investment than the program calls for. That said, any Ampera with a waterfall grille will probably require a few more creature comforts and better interior materials to command Buick’s typically higher pricepoint.
If General Motors can figure out how to build and sell an Buick Volt/Ampera, the car will probably arrive in 2013 as a 2014 model. For now, range and performance will likely be pretty similar to the Volt.
Gallery: 2012 Opel Ampera: Geneva 2011
Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Bloomberg]
Report: GM readying Buick Ampera originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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