After unveiling the GL8 Concept last fall (see video), Buick has now announced the next generation of its GL8 business van for China. With over 170,000 units sold in the country in 2021 alone, the company decided to move upmarket for the new model year.
The fourth generation of the van will be available alongside the second and the third, which is a common practice in China. Look for the GL8 Century if you want the latest and greatest, GL8 Legacy if you are fine with the previous iteration, or GL8 ES if you prefer the second generation.
There is still much time until a full premiere, as the today’s announcement only focuses on the top spec of the LG8, which is styled like a stretch limo with a partition separating the driver from the passengers.
The partition does not have a drop-down power mechanism, though, because it has a giant infotainment display built into it. The diagonal size is not specified anywhere, but we would imagine it being larger than even the dash screen of the latest BMW 7 Series. Other than that, the interior has only two passenger seats with no third row in sight. These seats offer power adjustments, footrests, audio speakers built into the headrests, and massagers.
The new Buick design philosophy dictates narrow L-shaped headlights and a low-sat radiator grille. The new van is 5,230 mm long, 1,980 mm wide and has 3,130 mm of wheelbase. The previous generation was smaller at 5,188 mm long, 1,878 mm wide and 3,088 mm between the axles.
