The Buick GL8 is a minivan that is made by Shanghai GM, a joint-venture between Chinese automaker SAIC Motor and American automaker General Motors. The Buick GL8 is only sold in China. Introduced in 1999, the first generation Buick GL8 is similar to the GM-made minivans that are sold in North America, and is built on GM's U-body platform, which is also used by the GM-made minivans that are sold in North America, as well as the Buick Rendezvous and the Pontiac Aztek, which are both midsize crossover SUV that is sold in North America by General Motors, also uses GM's U-body platform. A revamped edition was released in late 2010/early 2011, featuring 2.4 L and V6 3.0 L engines. It is based on an old minivan platform from the U.S., but it would likely require costly upgrades to meet current U.S. safety and requirements. Sales amounted to 52,127 units in 2010, and it was relatively stable over past few years. The previous generation was still available as the GL8 First Land until 2017.
The GL8 first entered production in China in December 1999. The regular wheelbase GL8 is known as the GL8 2.5 while the extended wheelbase variant is called the GL8 First Land. There are five trim levels available, called the LT, CT1, CT2, CT3 and GT. Pricing ranged between 218,000 to 318,000 yuan. Starting from October 2001, the GL8 was exported to the Philippines, where it was rebadged as the Chevrolet Venture and available in a 10-seater configuration until 2005. Although reviews and sales were generally lukewarm, build quality was subpar and parts availability was also a source of persistent frustration for Venture owners in the Philippines. It's local competitors include the Hyundai Starex and the Kia Carnival which had better build quality. The Chevrolet Venture was sold in the Philippine market up until 2006, although some remaining units were sold in dealerships up until 2007. In 2005, the GL8 underwent a facelift for the 2006 model year, receiving a redesigned front end and new clear taillights. Production ended in 2017. Engines:
In 2001, the Buick GL8 XEA1 or Phoenix was developed as a collaboration between General Motors and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The Buick GL8 XAE1 is a hybrid vehicle that uses a 35 kW fuel cell and compressed hydrogen gas to deliver its power. The General Motors Phoenix was officially unveiled at the Pan Asia Automotive Technology Center in China in 2001.
Introduced in 2010 for the 2011 model year, the GL8 II has an all-new appearance inspired by the Buick Business concept car that was shown in 2009, with a drastic dip in the beltline. The wheelbase is the same as for the GL8 First Land,. Developed by the Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center, another joint venture of SAIC Motors with General Motors, the vehicle is based on a vehicle architecture of over a decade old. Engines include a 2.4-liter DVVT Ecotec four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter V6, with an available six-speed automatic gearbox for the V6. To differentiate the new GL8 from its predecessor which remains on sale as a "Business Edition", the new one is sold as the "Luxury Business Edition". After the 3rd Generation GL8 on sale, to differentiate the new GL8 from its predecessor which remains on sale as a "Business Edition", the new one is sold as the "Luxury Business Edition". And It have a new engine called LCV, a 2.5-liter DVVT Ecotec. But the old 3.0-liter V6 was canceled. This generation GL8 was given a facelift in May 2020 with a new exterior known as the "Land Business Edition" and had a single trim level on offer known as the 652T. The 2 litre LSYturbochargedpetrol engine is standard paired with the 9-speed Hydramatic automatic gearbox. Twelve models are available and pricing ranges from 232,900 yuan to 529,900 yuan.
The third generation Buick GL8 debuted in China in October 2016 dubbed the GL8 ES and was sold alongside the second generation model. The Buick GL8 ES received a complete exterior overhaul using the newly introduced winged Buick grille treatment, as well as a redesigned roofline. The entire engine lineup was replaced by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 253 horsepower. The last generation was sold as 25S with a 2.5-liter I4 in the new base model. The new version is based on an updated version of the same platform, abandoning the current torsion beam rear suspension in favor of a new independent setup. The entry-level price was lowered to RMB 229,000 for the old GL8 25S, while a luxury version, the most expensive GL8 Avenir, at RMB 449,000.
2020 facelift
Originally revealed as the Buick GL8 Avenir concept during the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, the production GL8 and GL8 Avenir facelift was revealed in March 2020. The GL8 facelift is available with a four-seat layout, six-seat layout, and seven-seat configurations. Technology is a significant focus for the post-facelift GL8, including the 12.3-inch integrated display and Buick’s eConnect 3.0 connectivity technology and head-up display.
