The Buick Enspire will replace the Envision crossover.
Manufacturers often come to the Colorado Rockies to test their prototypes, so it’s a fertile hunting ground for spotting all-new models because we’re supposed to see them. Today, Roman and Tommy caught something curious sitting between two examples of the Cadillac XT6. You may think it’s a Cadillac, but we were confident that wasn’t the case after some investigation. After all, Cadillac did just launch the XT4 and the XT6’s arrival is imminent. They also refreshed the XT5, so where would this crossover fit in their lineup? In fact, what we caught in the wild was the Buick Enspire.
If that name sounds familiar, that’s because it originally debuted as a concept last year as an all-electric concept. It has come a ways from its reveal in China, losing much of the concept vibe, it seems. It also has reportedly lost its all-electric powertrain, opting instead for a more conventional platform.
According to reports from GM Authority among others, the Buick Enspire will ride on the same E2 platform Cadillac uses for its newer crossovers. That would explain why GM was testing the vehicle with those two XT6s. The Enspire is reportedly set to replace the Chinese-built Envision as Buick’s midsize crossover.
Since it rides on a similar platform, we suspect the all-new Buick Enspire will pack a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four under the hood. That engine makes 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, mating up to a nine-speed automatic. Electrified variants may come in the future, but it seems Buick is keen to replace the Envision first, possibly before GM is supposedly poised to bring out waves of all-electric models in the next three or four years.
Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!