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The Meaning Behind the Names of Buick’s Vehicles

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The 2017 Buick Envision is one of only a few 2017 model year vehicles to have earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating

Can you “envision” where each Buick model gets its name from?

In recent years, Buick has made an effort to revitalize its brand by reimagining several aspects of its vehicles. Still, one aspect that has generally remained the same is the names selected for Buick’s models.

Part of the reason for this is because each nameplate was carefully selected and chosen to match the performance capabilities and designs of its corresponding Buick model. Of course, since Buick often chooses exotic or foreign words for these names, it’s not always obvious what they mean.

As such, we here at The News Wheel have decided to take an in-depth look at the origins behind each Buick namesake.


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Verano Buick’s smallest sedan and most affordable model is currently in the process of being phased out in North America, although sales will continue in China. In the meantime, you still have one summer left to purchase the Verano, and that is precisely what “verano” means in Spanish: “summer.”
Regal Throughout its history, Buick has always been regarded as a luxury brand. That’s why it makes perfect sense that both the classic Regal model and the current one both adopted a word that means “magnificent or dignified” for their namesake.
LaCrosse A rising star in the Buick lineup, the LaCrosse gets its name from the sport of lacrosse, which has roots in the activities of the Iroquois people. For a while, the LaCrosse was known as the “Allure” in Canada, as “crosse” is considered to be a vulgar term there.
Cascada The most recent addition to Buick’s car lineup, the Cascada is the only current convertible model in the Buick family. GM designed the Buick Cascada with a streamlined design that matches its name, which roughly translates to “waterfall” in Spanish.
Encore The Buick Encore has continued to be Buick’s most popular model in recent years. This continually strong sales performance matches its namesake, a word that means “a repeated or additional performance.”
Envision One of Buick’s newest models, the Buick Envision is designed to represent Buick’s vision of the future for its vehicles. After all, “envision” literally means “to visualize a future possibility.”
Enclave Buick’s largest utility vehicle, the Enclave has a spacious interior cabin. Perhaps that is where it adopted its name from, as an “enclave” is a distinct territory that is surrounded by a larger territory.
Avenir With the debut of the 2018 Buick Enclave, Buick introduces the highest trim of the Enclave: the Buick Enclave Avenir. If its name is anything to go by, this luxury sub-brand may soon be added to other Buick models, as “avenir” is French for “future.”

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