Buick debuts new Cascada Sport at L,A Auto Show

This car was the darling of NAIAS 2 years ago.  Its Buick's Cascada, a compact luxury convertible.  A nice enough car for 2, perfect for those who really don't have to take other passengers.  Yes, there's a back seat, but with only a couple of inches between front seat back and the leading edge of the rear seat you won't get adults that want to keep as friends long back there.  But I digress.

Its a sexy 'mericanized Opel.  In Sport Touring trim  with the Dark Appearance package it appears to have the makings to put this car on the charts for more than a few buyers.  With it already outselling its entry level luxury tourers from BMW and Audi its safe to say this is a big deal for Buick and GM.

Full Press Release after the jump.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — When Buick introduced the all-new Cascada convertible early this year, it was an invitation to drivers who want to live life wide open with features unexpected in a convertible. In a market devoid of options, the Cascada has found success by offering a quiet, three-layer insulated top and stress-reducing engineering at a price that leaves room in your budget to explore the open road. Cascada also has the honor of being the first 2017 convertible to receive a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for Safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration¹.

In the months since the Cascada launched, its competitive set hasn’t grown, but choice within the Cascada portfolio has. The latest sport touring color introduction — Sport Red — is the response to customers who asked for a brilliant shade of red.

“We’ve heard it from customers all year: ‘What a beautiful car. Can I get it in red?’ Well yes, now you can,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “This new addition to the Cascada portfolio offers a modern style statement with blacked-out exterior trim and red interior stitching.”

Exterior styling is a top consideration for customers, and the Cascada’s new Dark Effects package makes a unique statement. The package features a gloss-black finish on the grille, mirror caps and 20-inch wheels, as well as body-color trim across the decklid. Inside, new red stitching adds contrast to the instrument panel, doors and seats. The package is paired exclusively with the new Sport Red exterior color and is available only on the Cascada Sport Touring model in limited volume — 150 initial vehicles will arrive starting February 1, 2017.

The new Sport Touring Cascada in Sport Red with the exclusive Dark Effects package is the second unique expression added to Buick’s convertible lineup this year. Earlier this fall, the 2017 Cascada Sport Touringlaunched with a vibrant True Blue exterior color, an exclusive new 20-inch wheel design and sporty interior trim.

A recent Autotrader study² showed that almost a quarter of customers will delay the purchase of a vehicle if the color they want isn’t available, so Buick will regularly offer new color and trim combinations for the Cascada, giving the brand more opportunities to explore new style statements and connect with unique personalities.

Through August, the Buick Cascada has outsold BMW 2 Series, Audi’s A3 and A5 convertibles combined and attracts six out of 10 buyers from outside Buick and other GM brands. Sales since launch have been limited to retail buyers, with no deliveries to fleet customers.

¹Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov).

² Autotrader Trendtracker Consumer Omnibus, June 2016

Buick is an international modern luxury brand offering vehicles with sculpted designs, luxurious interiors and thoughtful personal technologies, along with responsive-yet-efficient performance. Buick is attracting new customers with its portfolio of award-winning luxury models in North America and China. Learn more about Buick cars and crossovers at www.buick.com, on Twitter @buick, on Instagram, or at www.facebook.com/buick