Montreal Auto Show | GM plugs everything

The rebirth of Buick, the determination of Cadillac, the populism of Chevrolet and the return of the Hummer to GMC. General Motors is obviously putting all of its subsidiaries under stress.

Buick/GMC

Like many others, electrification gives ideas to Buick. Hope too. The American brand is still very successful in China, but is having a little more difficulty regaining its former glory in North America. The electric transition represents a golden opportunity for this brand founded in 1899. Determined to jump on the occasion, Buick invites us today to decipher the subliminal messages of the Wildcat EV. This study incorporates visual elements of the Buicks of tomorrow, such as this modernized logo where the three shields are now aligned instead of being juxtaposed in a circle.

This Buick with no future (it will never get the green light for mass production) is based on an architecture (code name BEV3) that is very current. This is powered by the Ultium technology on which General Motors (GM) and its partner LG Chem are relying.

A technology that is both malleable and interchangeable since GM offers it to each of its subsidiaries. It is up to the latter to dress them in their own bodywork. To mark the spirits and flaunt its mastery, GM resurrects the Hummer which now defends the colors of GMC. Two models (pickup truck and SUV) will make up this range, which does not need to be ashamed of the comparison with their ancestors. The newcomers are just as cumbersome, have extraordinary crossing capabilities, but look more agile. Indeed, the Hummer has a four-wheel steering system that can all steer in the same direction at low speed (up to an angle of 10°). This means that it is possible to perform a sideways movement like a crab.

The Edition 1 presented at the Auto Show has three electric motors: one on the front axle, two on the rear axle. A trio that produces 1000 hp, which allows you to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3 seconds, without emitting noise or greenhouse gases.

Chevy

Many spotlights will be on the bow tie brand this year. Chevrolet is indeed taking advantage of its visit to the Motor Show to unveil two of the most anticipated vehicles of the year: the Equinox EV and the Blazer EV.

Both of these utilities are aimed at the heart of a booming and increasingly crowded market. That doesn’t worry Chevrolet. Long before many of its rivals, the American brand got off to a flying start with the appearance of the Volt, then the Bolt. Tomorrow it will be the Equinox EV’s turn to “lead that charge for us,” said General Motors President and CEO Mary Barra at the time of its launch.

These two utilities are designed on an identical platform (Ultium), but hunt a different clientele. The Equinox EV targets the compact market while the Blazer EV targets the midsize market. Another difference is that the Equinox EV will offer two drive modes (traction or all-wheel drive) compared to three for the Blazer EV since it will have the particularity of offering a rear-wheel-drive (propulsion) configuration. The two vehicles should, according to initial estimates, offer substantially the same range on a full charge.

Cadillac

Cadillac does not lack ambitions. The American firm, whose noble coat of arms is inherited from Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac, who came from his native Gascony to found the city of Detroit, intends to once again become the world reference (Tea Standard of the World).

The Lyriq is promised a wide distribution. This model incorporates the aesthetic codes of the American brand and the Ultium architecture, the battery of which suggests a longer life than the average.

The first Lyriqs to hit the streets were all driven by their rear wheels (propulsion). From this year, another configuration (four-wheel drive) is added to the catalog. This has two electric motors and displays higher performance and almost perfect weight distribution compared to the two-wheel drive version. The latter, however, has a higher autonomy.