Buick Excelle GT spied in US

The Buick Excelle GT is the luxury compact sedan marketed by Shanghai General Motors Company Limited under GM's Buick brand. Launched in 2003, the Buick Excelle GT ran for six years and the Chinese car market received the second generation in 2009. The spy shots of the Buick Excelle GT confirm that the third generation is in works and the new sedan should spawn by early 2018.

The test mule wears a heavy camouflage, however, the images give away a few styling bits. The new car gets a restyled grille and the headlamp assembly is now sleeker with projector setup. The side profile is leaner and the vehicle seems to have lost bulk due to its new design.  The rear is styled different than before and houses a full LED tail lamp with a sharper design. The rear bumper is styled aggressively which add to the leaner look of the car.

Inside the cabin, the Buick Excelle gets a blacked out dashboard with aluminium inserts. The touch screen infotainment system gets the centre stage surrounded with piano finish to add to the premium feel of the car. The Excelle GT receives beige seats and door trims as the luxury compact sedan segment demands.

Powering the Buick Excelle GT is a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 110bhp and a 1.8-litre petrol engine producing 144bhp. The former gets an option of two gear box – five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, while the latter is only offered with the six speed automatic gearbox

The third generation Buick Excelle GT is expected to hit the Chinese market by early 2018. After its launch, the Excelle GT will rival again the Volkswagen Jetta and Opel Astra.