That’s a Buick? Stunning 400HP Twin-Turbocharged Avista Concept Begs For Production
We present to you the Buick Avista, and well, just look at it! It’s hard to find fault with the vehicle’s design, which has its wheels pushed out to the corners, a low and long hood, crisp sculpting along its flanks and a bootylicious rear-end. The Avista is a 2+2 coupe which means that there is plenty of room up front for the driver and passenger, while there’s a tiny back seat that will accommodate two additional passengers (we’d suggest that you only put children back there, or a couple of adults if you’re a glutton for punishment).
Buick calls the Avista a concept, but there’s nothing about this vehicle (other than its futuristic interior) that is out of the realm of possibility for production. For starters, the Avista is built on General Motors' rear-wheel-drive Alpha platform, which underpins the Cadillac ATS and the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro (it shares the Camaro’s 110.7-inch wheelbase and 63-inch front/62.9-inch rear track dimensions).
When it comes to powertrains, there are also no real big surprises — it features a twin-turbocharged V6 engine that develops a pavement-thumping 400 horsepower. This is likely a detuned version of the 3.6-liter twin-turbo charged V6 found in the Cadillac ATS-V, where it develops 464 horsepower.
Given that this is still a Buick, we’re not so sure that a 6-speed manual transmission will make its way into the Avista — after all, this is more of a grand tourer than a balls-to-the-walls performance machine like the Camaro SS. So if the Avista does end up getting the green light for production, expect to see an 8-speed automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels.
So will they or won’t they? Buick is finally fleshing out its product portfolio with compelling products which includes small, mid-size and large sedans along with a complimentary lineup of crossovers. A high-powered 2+2 luxury coupe might be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to a new halo for the brand. All of the pieces are in place to put this vehicle into production — get it done, GM!
