Saturday 2 May 2009

Shanghai Motor Show: Buick Business MPV


On Monday, we brought you live images of the Buick Business MPV that's currently on display at the Shanghai Motor Show. Judging from the comments from that post, this hauler for the Chinese market is a pretty polarizing design, but in a sea of boring and derivative shapes, we don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. In any case, these new shots and accompanying press release from the GM mothership show the new concept in much better detail.One of the most controversial design elements are the shoulder-level dips about halfway into the rear sliding doors. These were reportedly added to give the MPV a distinctive look and to incorporate the rail guides for the power sliders. Up front is a large toothy grille done up in chrome that looks typical for a Chinese Buick.Inside, dual second-row captain's chairs slide for and aft and are capable of swiveling 225 degrees. A power sliding center console houses a writing tablet or laptop computer and is accessible from both the second and third rows. Under the short front hood sits 2.4-liter four cylinder engine mated up with a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain is equipped with the latest version of GM's belt-alternator-starter mild hybrid system, which reportedly improves fuel efficiency by up to 20%. Check out galleries below of both live shots and high-res images from GM, and click past the break for the official press release.

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