Wednesday, August 29, 2012

They Took My Advice: 2013 Enclave

The 2013 Buick Enclave, top of the illustration, has finally resolved its greenhouse treatment in exactly the way I suggested they should in September, 2010, bottom of the illustration.

D E S I G N   A N A L Y S I S   U P D A T  E – In September, 2010, I wrote a post named, "My Cranky Old Man Andy Rooney Moment." I gave a short design analysis of the 2008 series Buick Enclave's greenhouse, or window treatment. Briefly, I didn't like the side windows rimmed in chrome for a unified look, while the enclosed B- and C-pillars were treated differently. The B-pillar was matte black and the C-pillar was always body -olored. They should both have been matte black or both body-colored. It just didn't work as a design detail, to me. For the original post, click here.

I guess I can count Buick as one of my readers, lol. The brand new face-lifted 2013 Enclave has taken my advice and treated its B- and C-pillars equally, both in matte black. Since the area is rimmed with chrome, it just looks so much better to have the darkened windows and pillars acting as one shape.

The bright Buick crest on the C-pillar is a really nice new touch. I'd love for them to bring their "Tri Color" logo back with its red, white, and blue, shields. A bit of color used on today's updated all-chrome logo would look great. 2014, perhaps?

My version of the current Buick logo. I like the updated facets and clean style Buick has created, but without color, it seems too flat to me. I've added color back into it, above.

6 comments:

  1. You are 100% correct on this Buick. We built a SEMA Enclave when it first came out and I noticed the same thing. You gotta wonder how their designers missed this important detail.

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  2. Wow! I am often accused of being a nut on details. I noticed this too. I'm glad I wasn't the only one. I also agree on the tri-color logo! Do you remember what it used to stand for when it was introduced? Le Sabre, Invicta, Electra. Sadly all gone now. I don't agree with the placement though. Coloring the C-pillar black is supposed to make it disappear. Hanging a logo on it doesn't make sense to me.

    For Buick fans: Palm Springs Automobilist has a nice segment on the '67 Buick Brochure. The link is available on the right of Casey's home page. Thanks again Casey.

    BobF

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  3. thanks, guys!

    For some reason, the "floating" logo doesn't look bad to me. Now that the C pillar is darkened, it's all fine with me, lol.

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  4. Many of us are sticklers for such detail and I'm glad that there are bloggers out there who help validate my penchant for detail. I know that you are one, Casey, and now I know about the Palm Springs Automobilist!

    It's starting out to be a good day!

    Paul, NYC

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  5. I absolutely agree, I was very happy to see that blacked out pillar when the '13 was revealed. And, as an owner of a '10 Saturn Outlook, I was thrilled to see GM recycle the Outlook panels & rear glass on the '13 Acadia. Not only a cleaner look for the GMC, but gives my abandoned Outlook a new lease on life.

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  6. Damn, you said it, then it happened - will you use this new power for good, or evil...?
    Agree on bringing back the colour to the shields - hell, if I had me a new Buick, I'd paint 'em by hand...

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