JINGGUANTAICN ORIGINAL
"You just step on the gas pedal and leave the rest to the finances!"
"No matter how fast you drive on the highway, there's always a GL8 that overtakes you!"
"GL8, which never goes out, only fires once in his life, and never drinks overnight oil!"
About Buick GL8, there are endless "stalks" in the market, and the popularity of GL8 may even be able to name a little girl who doesn't know how to drive. So many paragraphs have marked GL8 with a distinct commercial car label, and its status in the hearts of the Chinese people can be seen.
Since its launch in 1999, the GL8 has ushered in a golden age of MPVs. In April this year, SAIC-GM Buick launched a plug-in hybrid version of the GL8. On June 21, deliveries of the new plug-in hybrid GL8 Luzun PHEV began.
Source/Buick official website Screenshot of the Mirror View Platform
GL8 has always been the "sales king" of the domestic MPV market, but after the launch of BYD Denza D9, GL8's supremacy has been challenged. In the new energy circle, it has been killed, in the niche track of MPV, is the GL8 plug-in hybrid version capable of turning the tide and returning to the top to regain the sales crown? It's only now that it's "electrocuted", is GL8 a little late?
GL8 rises in China
If you want to predict the future, you must first understand the past. Looking back at the history of GL8, there is more than the word "brilliant".
If you want to talk about GL8, you have to talk about MPV (multi-purpose vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles), in a sense, it can be said that GL8 defines China's MPV.
The MPV is a minivan born from the late 1950s, which is called a minivan in English, just like the Volkswagen T2. In the decades since its birth, various car companies have launched similar models, such as the Chevrolet Van, which can always be seen in various post-apocalyptic movies.
The evolution of this type of car in the United States is called the Mini Passenger Van or Mini Van – a small van, or mini passenger van. This evolved model focuses on being able to pull some goods after sitting on the master.
Buick's GL8 is actually a product of the American Mini Van.
In 1997, SAIC Motor and General Motors established Shanghai General Motors Co., Ltd. as a joint venture. In December 1999, SAIC-GM Buick officially introduced a long-wheelbase version of the Chevrolet Wancheng. GL is the body code, and when the car was first launched, it was a 2+3+3 8-seat layout model, so it was named GL8.
When the GL8 first entered the Chinese market, the domestic MPV segment was still in its infancy, with a limited number of models to choose from, and most of them were biased towards the low-end or commercial market. With its precise positioning of commercial vehicles, GL8 quickly filled the gap in the market and won countless orders for corporate and government reception vehicles.
In addition, there was no direct benchmark model on the market at that time, with its atmospheric and stable exterior design, flexible interior space layout, and more luxurious configuration than similar models, the GL8 became an instant hit as soon as it was launched, becoming the undisputed overlord of this class.
Since its launch in 1999, the Buick GL8 has undergone five generations of innovation. For a long time, GL8 has occupied half of the MPV models in China. It is no exaggeration to say that there are only two types of MPVs in China, one is the Buick GL8 and the other is the other.
With such a brilliant GL8, who would have thought that last year it was counterattacked by the fledgling new energy brother Denza D9, and forcibly pulled the overlord big brother for so many years off the throne of the sales crown.
According to the official data of Denza, a total of 119,000 units of the Denza D9 were sold in 2023, surpassing the 111,000 units of the GL8 and ranking first in domestic MPV sales.
GL8 loses out to New Energy
In fact, in the MPV circuit, the GL8 has never lacked competitors, or rather followers. But as time went on, the Chinese auto market has undergone a sea change, and the track has changed.
The fuel car can't beat the GL8, but the plug-in hybrid overtakes in the corner.
Source/Buick official website Screenshot of the Mirror View Platform
It is also based on this change, in the face of the wave of new energy vehicles and increasingly stringent emission regulations, Buick launched a plug-in hybrid version of the GL8, trying to maintain the original advantages while attracting consumers who pursue green travel through electrification transformation.
According to media reports, SAIC-GM Buick officially announced on June 21 that the new GL8 Luzun PHEV will be delivered. Zhuang Jingxiong, general manager of SAIC-GM, handed over the new car keys to the first batch of car owner representatives, and said that the Buick brand is going all out to step up production scheduling to ensure the timely delivery of new cars.
It is reported that the GL8 Luzun PHEV was launched on April 24, with four configuration models, all of which are Avia versions, with a price range of 359,900-419,900 yuan.
Obviously, the GL8 plug-in hybrid is aimed at its direct competitor Denza D9, and it is necessary to rely on electrification to continue the glory of the gasoline vehicle era.
Compared with the plug-in hybrid GL8, the biggest difference of the DENZA D9 is that it is built on a hybrid and pure electric symbiosis platform, providing more diversified power options, directly responding to the urgent demand of the market for new energy vehicles.
Although the plug-in hybrid version of the GL8 also tries to improve fuel economy and driving experience through electrification, it may not fully meet the market's high expectations for new energy models in terms of range, energy efficiency and advanced power system.
In terms of space and comfort, both have their advantages. The GL8 has always been known for its spacious interior and comfortable ride, while the DENZA D9 is slightly inferior to the GL8 in terms of size, but also performs well in other aspects, such as the passenger experience.
Judging from the market feedback, the DENZA D9 has quickly gained market recognition by virtue of its NEV identity, brand endorsement and product competitiveness, especially in first- and second-tier cities, and its market share has been increasing. Although GL8 still has a group of loyal fans, in the face of the impact of new energy models, it has not tasted the championship for 7 consecutive months since November 2023.
The plug-in hybrid GL8 became a catch-up
The strong performance of the DENZA D9 not only injected fresh blood into the MPV market, but also posed a substantial challenge to traditional models including the GL8. Can the GL8, which has launched a plug-in hybrid version, return to the peak of MPV?
You can't catch up with one step, you can't catch up with one step at a time. In the context of new energy transformation, if GL8, which has been slow to move, wants to regain its former glory, it must accelerate the pace of electrification and intelligence, and at the same time make a more distinct distinction in brand positioning and product characteristics, so as to better meet the increasingly diversified and personalized consumption needs of consumers.
Take brand image, for example.
GL8 is still a benchmark for commercial vehicles in the minds of Chinese, still the stereotype of "never turn off", "just step on the accelerator" and "don't drink overnight oil", and now that the plug-in hybrid version is launched, how many people who want to buy and can buy GL8 will care about its economy and environmental protection? After all, the word "fuel consumption" rarely makes it into the GL8 dictionary.
The GL8 has established a stable image of business in the minds of consumers, while new energy models are often associated with more modern labels such as environmental protection, technology, and economy, and this image transformation is not achieved overnight.
From the perspective of consumers, with the improvement of environmental awareness and the maturity of new energy technology, more and more people have begun to accept and even prefer new energy models. For GL8 loyalists, they are looking forward to a new era GL8 that retains comfort and luxury, while also maintaining environmental performance. For potential customers, the appeal of the new version of the GL8 lies in whether it can provide a driving experience and lower cost of use than the gasoline version.
In view of this judgment, it may be difficult for the plug-in hybrid GL8 to completely reverse the loss of the fuel vehicle market in the short term, but its exploration of electrification transformation is of great strategic significance for the long-term development of the brand.
After all, within 72 hours of the Buick GL8 Luzun PHEV being launched, the cumulative orders have exceeded 10,017 units.
Source/Buick's official WeChat public account Screenshot of Jingguantai
In the complex and changeable market environment, GL8 has accumulated "audience popularity". In the coming days, we will continue to innovate, keep up with consumer needs, and start again as a catch-up, and perhaps the plug-in hybrid version of the GL8 will have a chance to continue to write new glories.
*The title picture comes from the official website of Buick Motors, screenshot of the mirror viewing platform.
*Disclaimer: Under no circumstances does the information or opinions expressed in this article constitute investment advice to any person.