by The coupe won’t make it to production but it showcases the new design philosophy that Buick will carry forward in future
Buick Wildcat Electra Concept is the new direction
Buick Wildcat Electra concept is a futuristic-looking and adorable car unveiled by the company. Brand Electra for Buick is very special as it has years of front-runner models associated with it. GM trademarked the Buick Electra name recently. GM saved the name Electra as it’s quite popular in China. ALL electric Buicks in the future shall carry Electra, followed by an alphanumeric model or class differentiator. Buick also fortifies its plans, saying the first EV for North America will hit the market in 2024, and by 2030, the entire Buick lineup will be electric vehicles—or rather Electras.
The first EV is an SUV. In 2020 GM showed us a pair of compact SUVs, with the same wheelbase, but one crossover was lower, more athletic, and sedan-like, geared to singles and couples. The second SUV sits higher with more cargo room for families. We think the taller SUV will be the first to hit the market. In the interim, we will still see some new Buicks with internal combustion engines—think at least one small crossover. The Avenir top-trim sub-brand will continue to be offered with EVs.
And all of the above, regardless of powertrain, will adopt a new look shaped by the Buick Wildcat EV Concept, a luscious 2+2 coupe unveiled today with the new face and form of Electras to come. It is quite stunning, which pains us because it is a design study, not a precursor to a production car. Buick has teased us with many beautiful concepts over the years.
Buick Wildcat Electra Design
The Wildcat wears a new tri-colored and illuminated Buick badge—the first significant change to the emblem since 1990—and the tri-shield leaves the grille and is now body-mounted on the front fascia. It is a practical move as grilles evolve or may go away completely on EVs, says Therese Pinazzo, design manager for the Wildcat’s exterior and interior. A second logo enhances the back. The horizontal headlights are also mounted higher and the LED lights have a wake-up/greeting sequence which has become a modern trend, but in the Buick, the dynamic light dance is a more conservative welcome than the dramatic light shows on other vehicles, such as the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. The Wildcat has a low mouth and forward-leaning nose.
The Buick Wildcat Electra has a long, fluid body (no door handles on the concept) with convex haunches, concave sides, and a sloping roofline that draws the eye to the taillights. The large, tinted glass hatch and fast roofline give it a sports car mystique. The coupe rides on 22-inch wheels with 18 spokes—turbine style—evoking the spirit of the 1954 Wildcat show car.
Across the top of the roof, “Buick” is spelled out in a new, more sophisticated font. On the lower fascia is another badge: Ultra Cruise, in anticipation of future models, has GM’s latest hands-free driver assist system.
Buick Wildcat Electra Interiors
The two elongated doors open conventionally, but the portion of the roof above them also lifts for more headroom and ease of entry. Remember, this is a concept. This is why it also has rearview cameras for side mirrors. Inside there are floating elements, including the oval instrument panel, two-thirds of which is a single touchscreen. It ends in front of the passenger, who is faced with an open cargo room for greater cabin airflow and comfort. The center console also floats from the instrument panel to the rear seats.
The Wildcat has four sculpted seats that cradle occupants. There is a nice use of acrylic trim in the futuristic headrests and throughout the cabin, as well as brushed and polished aluminum throughout the cabin. The floor is Legato Green carpet, contrasting the vivid orange seatbelts.
Buick Wildcat Electra Design Inspiration
The Buick Wildcat Electra is carved out by design cues from previous wildcats of the company. There was something about the optimism of that early model that inspired the team, Pinazzo said. It inspired the sketch that led to the Wildcat coupe, even thought that is not a body style for the brand going forward. With its dramatic proportions, the coupe was deemed a perfect canvass for the future design language, she says.
Buick Wildcat Electra Concept is a reinvention
It all amounts to the reinvention of Buick for the electric age, which Brand Marketing Manager Rob Peterson says is a perfect transition for a premium brand that already has “quiet” as a selling point. The EVs to come will have tech designed to create a calm interior where biometric sensors in the car can detect the driver’s elevated heart rate and heightened stress level and the vehicle can automatically respond with Zen Mode, which dims the cabin lights, activates the massaging seats, disperses aromatherapy scents, and plays soothing music. Though the concept is never going to make it to the market it showcase of new design philosophy and embraces the new era of the electric revolution with the might of the company to show what the brand is capable of in keeping pace with the rapid revolution in the EV automobile space.
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