Buick this week celebrated the production of the two millionth GL8 in Shanghai, making it the first premium MPV in China to achieve this milestone. During the ceremony, Chinese swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Sun Yang accepted the historic GL8 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as its new owner.
Buick launched the all-new GL8 PHEV in China this April and has received more than 30,000 orders to date. The brand confirmed that its first navigation on pilot (NOP) system will be available on the GL8 PHEV this year over the air.
Buick introduced the GL8 in China in 1999. It has been a game-changer ever since, evolving over a quarter century through superior craftsmanship, advanced safety features, the latest infotainment systems and cutting-edge driver assistance technologies.
Each iteration has met the ever-changing needs of the GL8’s diverse customer base and MPV customers nationwide. Buick shared and open sourced its eight “golden rules” for the market to grow together:
– Comfortable Ride During All-Distance Driving – The GL8 family focuses on making each trip a comfortable experience through optimized chassis engineering, with more than 50 key parameters on the front and rear suspension and superior in-cabin standards such as ergonomic seats, and enhanced space and air quality.
– Comprehensive Safety – The GL8 family fully meets the maximum C-NCAP 5-star safety standard and the highest ASIL-D global safety standards for electrical systems.
– Superior Hybrid Range and Efficiency – The GL8 PHEV has a range of more than 1,000 km on a single charge, with its plug-in hybrid technology balancing power and efficiency.
– Ergonomic Seats – The GL8’s custom-developed seats meet more than 60 comfort parameters and pass 101 tests to ensure a luxurious supportive experience for all passengers.
– Premium Travel Experience – Features like Nappa leather, plush carpeting and advanced infotainment create a first-class travel environment.
– Optimized Space with Parking Convenience – The GL8 family has optimal dimensions for urban driving, including parking convenience, while maintaining exceptional space utilization.
– High Retained Value – The GL8 family has consistently maintained the highest resale value among domestic MPVs due to its long-term reliability and quality.
– 25 Years of Expertise – The manufacturing excellence of the GL8 family is backed by SAIC-GM’s decades of MPV development, introduction of cutting-edge technology and premium craftsmanship.
During the celebration, Buick also introduced the Organic Mobile Private Villa (OMPV) concept showcasing the brand’s vision for future premium MPVs. The OMPV pioneers the use of organic forward-looking aesthetics and presents an even more powerful silhouette, while the interior presents an organic and dynamic environment through its connection with the Internet of Things.
The OMPV captures the different needs of users, adjusting the layout, lighting, amenities and more. The cabin can be transformed into a living room for leisure and entertainment, a children’s playroom, a mobile meeting room or a private space for executives. The human-machine interaction simply requires users to express their emotions.
For the emerging group of contemporary consumers pursuing a sustainable quality of life, the new energy MPV concept goes beyond the imagination of transportation. It offers an unprecedented experience that satisfies all the senses, creating yet another breakthrough in the ongoing evolution of MPVs by Buick.
