BUICK EXCELLE

After Shanghai General Motors had chosen for the American Buick Regal to be manufactured in China from 1999, they stuck to this brand when smaller cars were assembled, such as the Opel Corsa B based Buick Sail (in the Brazilian sedan and wagon form) from 2001, and the Buick Excelle from 2003, a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti. But at the end of that year the Chevrolet brand was introduced for the Spark (Lechi), based on the Matiz, and built by SAIC-GM Wuling.

Following the globalization of Chevrolet, the Buick Sail became a Chevrolet in early 2005, but then the Excelle sold already over 150,000 as a Buick, so Buick it stayed, though its larger brother, the Epica (Daewoo Magnus/Evanda) was launched as a Chevrolet. Later Opel models (Astra J and K, Insignia A and B) were branded as Buicks.

The Buick Excelle line is confusing in that two separate car lines are badged Excelle with Roman letters, while they are sold under different names in Chinese characters, pronounced as Kaiyue and Yinglang.

Buick Excelle (Kaiyue) August 2003 - 2016

The first Buick Excelle (Kaiyue) went on sale in August 2003 and was a rebadged GM Daewoo Lacetti sedan that was launched in November 2002 in South Korea, developed by Daewoo, before GM Daewoo Auto & Technology had started its operations in October 2002. From 2004, a 5-dr hatchback Excelle HRV and from 2005 a wagon were sold until 2009. Assembling changed to manufacturing in China, after a waterfall Buick grille had been adopted in 2008, inspired by one designed in Taiwan (Sun Yat-sen is well known here also) in 2006 for their Buick Excelle (based on the mainland model, and lasting until 2009). Earlier the 1.6 and 1.8 engines became China-made as well.

While the best selling vehicle in this era in China since 2003 was the Wuling Sunshine (Zhiguang) microvan, developed by SGMW (then 34% GM owned), the Excelle took first place in passenger car sales in 2006, replacing the Daihatsu Charade derived Tianjin Xiali that had outsold the long time best seller Volkswagen Santana by 2005 (which has been the best selling vehicle up to 2002). In 2011 and 2012 the Excelle was best seller again, after the price dropped to 99,900 yuan. Top years were 2013 and 2014 with nearly 300,000 sold. In 2013, the Wuling Hongguang MPV took the leadership of the Sunshine, with 750,000 sales in 2014, until 2018, when after 15 years GM model reign Volkswagen became leader again (with the Lavida, which has been best selling passenger car since 2015). It should be noted that these best sellers (VW since 1992) were built by SAIC-partnered companies.

The 1598cc and 1799cc Daewoo engines, based on Opel designs, were replaced in 2013 by an SGM-developed 1485cc engine, that earlier was launched in 2011 in the Baojun 630 (known as Chevrolet Optra by 2014 in Northern Africa). The Excelle remained popular until its last year with still over 100,000 sold in 2016. Its gap was filled by the Chinese Chevrolet Cavalier (Kewozi) with the same engine, but on the D2XX-derived PATAC K platform, and sold over 180,000 in 2017. The Chevrolet Lacetti with locally made 1485cc engine is still CKD-built at GM Uzbekistan, and exported as Ravon Gentra to CIS countries. GM withdraw in December 2018, and the company was named UZAuto Motors.

It should be noted, that in most markets, the Lacetti was replaced by the Chevrolet Cruze in 2009 (née GM Daewoo Lacetti Premiere in South Korea), even in China, where it was lower priced than its Buick predecessor which nevertheless outsold the Cruze. When a new Cruze arrived in 2014, the first Cruze was held and sold for 99,900 yuan, now with the 1485cc engine, but then the price of the Excelle had been dropped to 96,900 yuan and it sold better than the whole Cruze range. Over 2.8 million Kaiyues were made in 13 years, when it stopped production in November 2016, and so it was Buick’s best seller.

Daewoo J200

rear suspension:

dual transverse links,

sedan

hatch

wagon

Daewoo

Opel

Daewoo

SGM

one longitudinal link, coils

1150

1145

1163

ex Opel

Family I

Family II

ex VM

wheelbase (cm):

260

4 cyl.

length from (cm):

450

429.5

456.5

DOHC

OHC-4v

DOHC

width (cm):

172.5

cc:

1399

1498

1598

1799

1796

1998

1991

1485

inject.

dir. inj.

inject.

turbo

diesel

market:

sedan

hatch

wagon

Europe

03-04

Daewoo Nubira

03-04

04-04

sedan/wagon

03-04 '

03-04

Europe

04-09

Chevrolet Nubira or Lacetti

04-09

sedan/wagon

04-09 '

04-09

03-06

06-09

07-09

Europe

04-09

Daewoo Lacetti, 04 > Chevrolet Lacetti

04-09

hatch

04-09 '

04-09

04-06

06-09

07-09

Europe

5M/4A

5M/5A

106

109

122

121

South Korea

02-09

GM Daewoo Lacetti

02-08

04-09

07-08

sedan/hatch/wagon

02-05 '

04-09 '

07-09

South Korea

export

03-13

Chevrolet Optra

03-13

04-12

04-11

sedan/hatch/wagon

03-09 '

03-13

03-06

06-09

07-12

export

CKD sedan export to Uzbekistan ongoing

5M/4A

5M/5A

106

109

121

USA

03-08

Suzuki Forenza

03-08

sedan/wagon

03-08

USA

04-08

Suzuki Reno

04-08

hatch

04-08

USA

Canada

03-08

Chevrolet Optra

03-05

04-08

05-08

sedan/hatch/wagon

03-08

Canada

5M/4A

88~93

119~127

Australia

05-09

Holden Viva

05-09

sedan/hatch/wagon

05-09

Australia

5M/4A

121

Uzbekistan

08-….

Chevrolet Lacetti '

08-….

sedan

08-13

13-…. '

Uzbekistan

' CIS countries: 13-16 Daewoo Gentra, 16-19 > Ravon Gentra

5M/4A

5M/6A

122

107

sedan

hatch

wagon

1220

1255

1285

China

03-16

Buick Excelle (Kaiyue)

03-16

05-09

sedan/wagon

03-13 '

03-09

13-16 '

China

04-09

Buick HRV Excelle (Kaiyue)

04-09

hatch

04-09

China

length (cm:

451.5

430.8

458

5M/4A

5M/6A

77-81*

88*

105-110*

120*

109

l/100 km

8.0/8.3

8.3/9.1

6.6/7.6

l/100 km

10-

7.7/8.0

*gross

' not wagon

Buick Excelle XT/GT (Yinglang) January/June 2010 - 2015

Building on the success of the first Excelle, but on a much higher price level, the Excelle XT 5-dr hatchback was released in January 2010, essentially an Opel Astra J. Though Excelle-badged this car, was sold as Yinglang rather than Kaiyue, and used the Opel 1598cc (also with turbo) and 1796cc engines. The Chinese developed a 4-dr sedan version, called Excelle GT, which was released in June 2010, and was the same as the late 2011 North American Buick Verano (with GM US direct injection 2.0 turbo or 2.4 engine). The 2012 Opel Astra GTC was imported (as had been the Astra H with the sedan known as Astra A+, and earlier the Astra G). Opel decided to design its own Astra sedan (with a 5 liter larger trunk), that was built from autumn 2012 till June 2018, not as a Vauxhall.

This Yinglang eventually sold nearly 250,000 in its last full year 2014. Both Excelles combined sold over 500,000 in 2013 and in 2014. Four out of every five Yinglang was a sedan. When the next Excelle GT arrived in March 2015, the XT hatchback was held until October, and instead of it a wagon version of the new Excelle GT arrived in 2017, called Excelle GX (Yuelang).

platform:

Delta II

Astra J

engines:

rear suspension:

compound crank, coils'

5-dr hb

wagon

3-dr hb"

sedan*

Cascada

Opel

1373

1393

1405

1701

ex Fiat

Family 0

Family I

MGE

MDE

ex Isuzu

Family I

ex Fiat

L850

L880

wheelbase (cm):

268.5

269.5

268.5

269.5

4 cyl.

length from (cm):

441.9

469.8

446.6

465.8

469.6

DOHC

width (cm):

181.4

184.0

181.4

183.9

cc:

1248

1364

1398

1598

1598

1686

1796'''

1956

1998

2384

diesel

inject.

dir. inj.

inject.

dir. inj.

' ' Watt's linkage; Opel/Vauxhall non-GTC/Cascada optional from 2012

turbo

(bi)turbo

turbo

" Astra GTC; Vauxhall GTC from 2014, Opel GTC from 2015

diesel

market:

''' East Europe

market:

Europe

09-18

Opel/Vauxhall Astra

5-dr hb

wagon

3-dr hb"

sedan^

Cascada

Cas 13-18

Cas 13-19

Cas 13-18

Europe

09-15

10-15

12-18 "

12-18

13-19

10-15

09-18

09-15

09-18

09-14

13-18

09-15

12-15

09-16

12-18

^not Vxhll

6M/6A

5M/6A

6M/6A

88-103

64-74

132

125/147

81-100

81~96

103

118~143

206

120-140

87-100

115

180

170/200

110-136

110~130

140

160~195

280

^not GTC

^GTC

^no sedan

^GTC

China

10-15

Buick Excelle XT/GT

5-dr hb

sedan

1375 kg

1380 kg

10-15

10-14

length (cm):

441.9

467.1

5M/6A

131

105

117

178

143

l/100 km

6.9/7.6

6.2

6.1

l/100 km

USA/CDN

11-16

Buick Verano

sedan

Cascada

USA/CDN

11-17

16-19

12-16

11-17

length (cm):

467.1

469.6

6M/6A

125

184

132

200

250

180

AUS/NZ

15-16

Holden Astra

3-dr hb

Cascada

Cas 6A

Australia

15-16

15-17

15-16

length (cm):

446.6

469.6

6M/6A

147/125

206

200/170

280

* Opel and Buick sedans are different designs

Buick Excelle GT (Yinglang) March 2015 – August 2023

Priced at 109,900 yuan range, this second Excelle GT was obviously meant to attract owners of the Kaiyue, which was then still on sale for 97,900 yuan. It was the first Chinese designed Excelle and retained the Kaiyue’s more comfortable (reworked) independent rear suspension, rather than the Opel Astra semi-independent torsion beam of the first Yinglang. The popular choice was the 15N model with the 1485cc engine known from the Kaiyue, next to a related 1372cc engine with turbo, initiated in June 2013 in the Encore, and mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automated gearbox. This gearbox was jointly developed by SGM and SAIC and had debuted in the Chinese Chevrolet Cruze in 2014. The turbo model had the suffix 18T, suggesting that it had the power of a 1.8 litre engine.

Over 240,000 Yinglang models were sold in its first year vs 175,000 for the Kaiyue. This rose to 420,000 in 2017, when the Kaiyue was no longer sold. The Excelle GT was built in an all-new factory in Wuhan.

Then in October 2017, a new generation of 3-cylinder alloy engines was introduced, again jointly developed with SAIC, with dual injection, available with 999cc (15T) and 1349cc (18T), both with a turbocharger. This twin-jet engine uses port (indirect) injectors only, but closer to the valves. In the first half of 2019, 18T models outsold 15T models.

Based on the Excelle GT with changed front end and door panels, since March 2019 the Chinese Chevrolet Monza (Keluze) was marketed with the same engines, but priced over 20,000 yuan lower (entry-level model 23%), eventually replacing the Chevrolet Cruze (Keluzi), that never sold well in China by in-house competition of the Cavalier.

Due to relatively low customer acceptance of the 3-cylinder engines, SGM decided to re-launch the proven 1485cc engine in March 2020, now meeting the new emission standards, though only with automatic transmission, priced slightly higher than the corresponding 1-litre turbo model. However, in 2019, the Yinglang returned to the sixth place in the Chinese car rankings with its annual sales of 279,280 vehicles.

In late April 2020, the 1349cc model became a mild-hybrid by adding a 48V 8 kW/40 Nm electric motor, improving the fuel consumption with 9%. When the Excelle GT is started, the motor operates before the engine to increase efficiency. During acceleration, the motor and engine run simultaneously. This decreases the engine load, saving energy and reducing emissions. The 1.0 turbo entry-level model was deleted, while the 1.5 and 1.3 turbo (losing the 18T badge) were now equally priced, but, though the ‘heroic Yinglang’ 1.5 is 30% less powerful, and the 1.3 turbo 10% more fuel efficient, over 25 4-cylinder 1.5 units were sold against every 3-cylinder 1.3 turbo. In the first half of 2022 however, 3 out of every 10 was a 3-cylinder 1.3 turbo. After July 2022, hardly any Yinglangs left the factory. Retail sales in 2022 were 100,000 and 3,600 in the first half of 2023, after which sales stopped. This meant the end of the Buick Excelle after 20 years.

Buick Excelle GX (Yuelang) October 2017 - 2020

Together with the release of the new engines, a short-backed wagon version of the Yinglang was launched, selling about one to ten, compared with the sedan. Wagons now became more popular in China for the first time. Less than one out of ten was a 1.0 turbo (15T). In November 2018, the 1.0 manual was deleted. Production stopped in January 2020.

platform:

PATAC-K

Yinglang/Yuelang (K215/K221)

rear suspension:

dual transverse links,

1225

1245

SGM

SGM/SAIC

one longitudinal link, coils

sedan

wagon

4 cyl.

3 cyl.

wheelbase (cm):

264

DOHC

length from (cm):

458.7

453.9

cc:

1485

1372

999

1349

width (cm):

179.8

inject.

dual inj.

turbo

mild hybrid

designation:

15N, 1.5L

18T

15T

18T

1.3T

China

15-23

Buick Excelle GT (Yinglang)

15-23

sedan

15-17, 20-23

15-17

17-20

20-23

China

17-20

Buick Excelle GX (Yuelang)

17-20

wagon

17-20 *

17-20

5M/6A

7DCT

6M/6DCT

net kW

80-81

103

115

115+8

net kW

net hp

109-110

140

116

156

156+11

net hp

l/100 km

5.6/5.9

5.9

5.2/5.2

5.8

5.3

l/100 km

NEDC

6.28

5.88

l/100 km

WLTC

5M -17

* 6M -18

Buick Verano (GS) (Weilang) June/December 2015 – August 2021

The Chinese Verano sedan arrived in June 2015 and preceded the Astra K based 5-door hatchback, which was released in December, a month after it came in Europe, and sold much less than the sedan. It was meant to attract owners of the first Yinglang (Astra J), and was sold in the same price category. The sedan had its own body design, and was for China only. Engines were the new Opel-designed (in collaboration with SAIC) SGE direct injections. While Opel chose for 1.0 and 1.4-litre engines, China fitted the 1490cc with (20T) and without turbo (15S). The turbo engine was coupled to the 7-speed dual clutch automated gearbox, while the non-turbo received a 6-speed automatic, or up to autumn 2017, a 6-speed manual transmission. The hatchback with turbo engine was called Verano GS, and had its own front and rear treatment. In the first half of 2019, about one out of every six Weilang was a turbo.

While China now had its own sedan in the Astra K based model range, Opel in Europe would still offer the Astra J based sedan (without a successor) up to 2018, while Holden, from July 2017, surprisingly sold the Cruze sedan as Holden Astra (though production in South Korea ceased within ten months). This model was on the same D2XX platform as the Astra, using the 270 cm wheelbase on which also the Chinese Verano was built, though the rear suspension did without the Watt’s linkage. It took a sharp eye to recognize that its body differed from the other Astra models. But that was the case with the Verano in China as well. Chevrolet China also sold the Cruze in both sedan and hatchback form.

In September 2019, the Verano sedan received the global GM eighth generation 3-cylinder 1.0 and 1.3 engines, with 15% and 10% better fuel economy, but sales deteriorated with over 25,000 cars at the dealers at the end of the year and less than 75,000 sold in 2019 vs almost 200,000 the year before. A new Verano GS sedan 1.3 turbo came in April 2020, with the hatchbacks deleted earlier. The 1.3 sold more than twice the 1.0.

platform:

D2XX

Astra K/Verano/Astra K

5-dr hb

sedan

wagon

engines:

rear suspension:

compound crank, coils'

1248

1260

1273

Opel/SAIC

SGM

Opel/SAIC

Opel

wheelbase (cm):

266.2

270

266.2

SGE

E-Tec

Prime

E-Turbo

SGE

MGE

CSS dsl

MDE

length from (cm):

437

471.8

470.2

3 cyl.

4 cyl.

3 cyl.

4 cyl.

width (cm):

180.9

180.2

180.9

DOHC

' Watt's linkage; Opel/Vauxhall selected models

cc:

999

999

1199

1341

1399

1490

1598

1496

1598

dir. inj.

inject.

dir. inj.

turbo

diesel

5-dr hb

wagon

market:

'1342cc'

market:

Europe

15-21

Opel/Vauxhall Astra

15-21

15-19

19-21

15-18

15-19

19-21

15-19

Europe

5M/5s

CVT

6M/6A

6M/9A

6M/6A

66-77

81~107

107

92-110

147

77-90

70~118

90-105

110~145

145

100

125-150

200

90-122

95~160

s: semi-automatic

5-dr hb

sedan

wagon

AUS/NZ

16-20

Holden Astra

16-20

note "

17-20

16-20

16-20 '"

AUS/NZ

6M/6A

110

147

150

200

" sedan at Holden is Cruze-based

'" not wagon

D2JB

D2SB

sedan

5-dr hb

sedan '''

15T

20T, GS

15S

20T

China

15-21

Buick Verano (Weilang)

15-19

15-21

19-21

15-19

China

' Watt's linkage

"' Chinese developed

CVT

6M/6A

7DCT

116

119

116

158

114

162

l/100 km

5.2

5.5

sedan -17

5.9/6.3

6.1

l/100 km

sedan 17-

--/6.1

5.8

l/100 km

hatchback

--/6.3

5.9

Buick Excelle (Kaiyue) June 2018 – June 2023

In June 2018, a much more modern successor of the Kaiyue arrived yet, based on the all-new low-weight GEM platform for global emerging markets, which is the first GM platform developed under Chinese leadership by PATAC. This model is a reworked sedan version of the Opel Corsa F by Opel, that was cancelled because of the PSA takeover.

It is equipped with the Ecotec dual-jet 3-cylinder 1.3-litre engine introduced in October 2017 in the Excelle GT/GX and Buick GL6, but now without turbocharger and with a high 11.5:1 compression ratio, and available with a CVT gearbox, a Buick first. Though priced from 83,900 yuan, sales are much lower than the earlier model, probably due to the gap left in 2016 by its predecessor that was filled by the less expensive Chevrolet Cavalier (79,900 yuan) with the conventional 1.5-litre engine, and in despite of a better average fuel consumption of 4.6 litre per 100 km, vs 5.4 for the Cavalier 1.5 (automatic 4.8 vs 5.8). These new Kaiyue figures are over 40% better than those of the first Kaiyue (before it got the 1.5 engine in 2013).

So the times of the Excelle Kaiyue seem to have come to an end, possibly as the Chinese prefer the softer independent rear suspension of the current Yinglang (priced from 116,900 yuan), selling over 146,000 in the second half of 2018, vs 136,000 for the Cavalier, and less than 10,000 for the new Kaiyue, the latter two with the torsion beam rear suspension. From June 2018, 13,400 were sold, with 9,700 to the customers.

With a wholesale figure of 6,527 in the first half of 2019, the Excelle Kaiyue was offered with discounts of 45,000 Yuan in June by a Beijing dealer, more than halving the price of the entry level model. Discounts were reduced to 35,000 Yuan in July, and 20,000 Yuan in August. There was no wholesale in June and July. All other non-electric Buicks in China sold better. A mere 9,150 units were sold in 2019, 3,100 in 2020, 3,500 in 2021. Retail sales were almost 1,200 in 2022, and 320 in the first half of 2023.

platform:	GEM	Excelle Kaiyue (9BLB)	1070	kg
rear suspension:		compound crank, coils	sedan		engines:	SGM/SAIC
		wheelbase (cm):	261.1			3 cyl.
		length from (cm):	446.8			DOHC
		width (cm):	176.5		cc:	1349
						dual inj.

					designation:	15N
China	18-23	Buick Excelle (Kaiyue)			sedan	18-23
						5M/CVT
					net kW	76
					net hp	103
				-19	l/100 km	4.6/4.8
				19-	l/100 km	4.7/5.0

Buick Verano Pro (GS) (Weilang) September 2021 -

The Verano Pro, unveiled at the April 2021 Shanghai Show, is on the new global VSS-F platform (announced in 2015 for GM front-drive cars) with a new body design in a similar style as the previous Verano sedan, keeping its 270 cm wheelbase and its Watt’s links torsion beam rear suspension, but somewhat shorter and narrower. All new is a 4-cylinder 135 kW direct injection 1.5 turbo engine, with a new steel chain CVT gearbox, and the eConnect 3.0 system, to seize young consumer groups. It is the first GM engine with dual fast cam phasers adjusting valve timing at a faster rate than traditional cam phasers. The Verano Pro is tagged 533T or GS.

While the previous Verano was priced at 162,900 yuan for the 1.3T model (152,900 for the 1.0T), the Verano Pro 1.5T starts at only 129,900 yuan (vs 119,900 for the strong selling Excelle GT). The fuel consumption for the 135 kW Verano Pro is about the same as for the previous 121 kW Verano 1.3T. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h improved from 9.3 to 7.7 seconds. So, while the fuel economy of the previous Verano improved in 2019 with the acceptance of the three-cylinder engines, retaining the performance, this time, it was the other way around. A 1.3T Verano Pro, with a fuel consumption of 5.76 l/100 km was cancelled. Over 130,000 units left the factory in 2022, retail sales were 120,000, and 112,000 in 2023.

platform:	VSS-F	Verano Pro	1315	kg	engine:	SGM
rear suspension:		compound crank, coils,	sedan			'8th gen.'
		with Watt's linkage				4 cyl.
		wheelbase (cm):	270			DOHC
		length from (cm):	466.4		cc:	1498
		width (cm):	178.6			dir. inj.
						turbo

China	21-	Buick Verano Pro				Pro, Pro GS
						21-
						CVT
					net kW	132
					net hp	179
					l/100 km	5.95~6.05	WLTC

with thanks to carsalesbase.com pages

Net output data are approximate.

Excelle and Verano

For recent specifications on Buick cars built in China, see:
On a Global Mission: The Automobiles of General Motors International

Far East Auto Literature

26 March, 2024