Buick GL8

The Buick GL8 is a minivan that is produced by SAIC-GM, a joint-venture between Chinese automaker SAIC Motor and American automaker General Motors. It is only sold in China.

Introduced in 1999, the first generation Buick GL8 is similar to the GM-made minivans that are sold in North America which was marketed under many nameplates. Like the North American GM minivans, it is built on GM's U-body platform, which is also used by the Buick Rendezvous and the Pontiac Aztek crossover SUVs.

A revamped edition was released in late 2010/early 2011, featuring 2.4 L and V6 3.0 L engines. It is based on an old minivan platform, with a completely reworked exterior and interior design. The previous generation was available as the GL8 First Land until 2016.

The third-generation model dubbed the GL8 ES and Avenir was launched in 2017, with the second generation still available and updated as the GL8 Legacy. Both the third generation GL8 and GL8 Legacy received a facelift with the third generation GL8 receiving an Avenir luxury variant.

The fourth-generation is marketed simply as Century was launched in 2022, with the GL8 Legacy (second generation) and GL8 ES and Avenir (third generation) models both available and updated to be sold alongside the Century, resulting in a 3-generation lineup with the latter two generations both available with an Avenir luxury trim level.

GL8 / GL8 2.5 / GL8 First Land

The GL8 first entered production in China in December 1999.[1] There are five trim levels available, called the LT, CT1, CT2, CT3 and GT (which is only available on the First Land). The regular wheelbase GL8 is known as the GL8 2.5, while the extended wheelbase variant of the GL8 is known as the GL8 First Land. Pricing ranged between 218,000 and 318,000 yuan[2] (US$31,920 to US$46,570).

Starting from October 2001, the GL8 was exported to the Philippines, where it was rebadged as the Chevrolet Venture and available in a 10-seater configuration until 2005.[3] Although reviews and sales were generally lukewarm, build quality was subpar and parts availability was also a source of persistent frustration for Venture owners in the Philippines. Its local competitors include the Hyundai Starex and the Kia Carnival which had better build quality. The Chevrolet Venture was sold in the Philippine market up until 2006, although some remaining units were sold in dealerships up until 2007.

The Venture is one out of two rebadged Chinese-market Buicks sold in the Philippines, the other being the Buick Regal-based Chevrolet Lumina. Both are sourced from Shanghai GM.

Pre-facelift styling

Engines:

• GL8 Business Edition: LE5 2.4 L I4
• GL8 2.5: LB8 2.5 L V6
• GL8 First Land: LW9 3.0 L V6

GL8 / GL8 Legacy

Introduced in 2010 for the 2011 model year, the GL8 II has an all-new appearance inspired by the Buick Business concept car that was shown in 2009, with a drastic dip in the beltline. The wheelbase is the same as for the GL8 First Land, 3099 mm. Developed by the Pan-Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), another joint venture of SAIC Motors with General Motors, the vehicle is based on a vehicle architecture of over a decade old.[5]

Initial engine options include a 2.4-liter DVVT Ecotec four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter DOHC SIDI V6, with a six-speed automatic gearbox available for the V6. To differentiate the new GL8 from its predecessor, which remains on sale as the "Business Edition", the second generation was sold as the "Luxury Business Edition".

GL8 ES

The third generation GL8 debuted in China in October 2016 and was marketed as the GL8 ES, and GL8 Avenir for the top trim. It was initially sold alongside the first generation model, and soon afterwards was sold alongside the second generation model since 2017.

The Buick GL8 ES and Avenir received a complete exterior overhaul using the newly introduced winged Buick grille treatment, as well as a redesigned roofline. The entire engine lineup was replaced by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 253 hp.

The GL8 ES and Avenir is based on an updated version of the same platform, abandoning the previous torsion beam rear suspension in favor of a new independent setup.[10][11]

Century (2022)

In August 2022, SAIC-GM introduced the Buick Century or Buick GL8 Century.[19] The Century MPV was previewed by the Buick GL8 Flagship Concept. It is the first Buick to adopt the new Pure Design philosophy, which will be seen in next-gen Buick models. the Century was launched on November 2022.

The Century is available in three models: and the top-of-the-line Century Flagship, the mid-range Century Avenir and the base Century. Both the base model and Avenir are available in single-tone paint, while the Flagship is available in two-tone with a special paint treatment. The base model and Avenir come in 7-seat and 6-seat configurations respectively, with the Flagship available with 4-seat configuration.

On the exterior, the front consists of shark-nose-like styling, a large trapezoid grille, and dual-direction headlights with a redesigned light signature. The rear features full width taillights. The base model features slightly different styling from the Avenir and Flagship. The Century is the first production model to wear Buick's new corporate emblem.

On the interior of the Flagship, there are only four seats, like in other ultra-luxury minivans in the segment. The front and rear are separated by a divider equipped with a 32" screen flanked with Bose speakers on both sides. Storage drawers are equipped below the screen. The heated captain's chairs are upholstered in Nappa-leather and feature 18-way power adjustment, ottomans, and are equipped with Bose speakers in the headrests. The infotainment system and seats are controlled by an 8-inch touchscreen. Other features include a 21-speaker Bose Executive Edition sound system, 5G internet connectivity, Apple CarPlay, and Baidu CarLife. The roof features a starry evening sky headliner, comparable to that of Rolls-Royce's Starlight Headliner.

The Century has many different colors available for the exterior and interior, depending on the trim level.

Much like the previous generation GL8s, the Century is sold exclusively in China. The Century 4-seater and 6-seater Yunshi went on sale in 3 November 2022.[20]

On August 19, 2023, Buick launched the 7-seater Base model Century, featuring slightly different styling in the front and rear compared to higher trims. It is offered in standard and Premium.[21]

• Flagship: Available in 3 exterior colors: the two-tone Guanshan Feixue, and the monotone Guanshan Cui and Cloud White, and the interior is available in 2 colors: Fir Green and Yunfengbai.
• Avenir: Available in 4 exterior colors: Glaze Green, Dailan, Cloud White, and Xiahong, while the interior comes in 2 two-tone color options: Cabernet Red and Shale Black, and Smoke Blue and Cloud Peak White.
• Premium: Available in 3 exterior colors: Cloud White, Inkstone Ash, and Sandalwood, and only one interior color: Lin Shenzong.

Electra Encasa (2025)

The Buick Electra Encasa was revealed at the 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show.[23] It is the second model of the China-exclusive Electra sub-brand and also the second model to be based on the Xiao Yao platform, developed by PATAC. Early photos of the Encasa showed a "GL8 Encasa" moniker instead of Electra.[24] The Encasa launched in 5 December 2025 with two trims.[25]

The Encasa uses the R6 Flywheel ADAS system provided by Momenta. The exterior has a drag coefficient of 0.258 Cd.[8]

Sales

External links

• Century website
• Electra Encasa website