Well-equipped convertible offers high levels of standard content, technology

DETROIT – The top-down driving experience of the 2016 Cascada – Buick’s first convertible offered in the United States in 25 years – is priced at $33,990.

When it goes on sale early next year, the Cascada will offer more standard content, a more powerful standard engine and a lower starting price than the Audi A3 Cabriolet.

“Cascada expands Buick’s lineup with a uniquely fun and personal driving experience,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. “With a lower price than key competitors, it also promises to shake up the segment – and look good doing it.”

The 2016 Cascada – designed from the ground up as a convertible – comes well-equipped in a 2+2 configuration, with room for four adults. Performance is rooted in a 200-horsepower (149 kW) turbo engine, backed by a six-speed automatic transmission, with Buick’s sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension and a Watts Z-link rear suspension standard.

Additional standard features:

• Acoustically and thermally insulated electro-hydraulic power roof that lowers in only 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph
• High-intensity discharge, articulating headlamps and front LED daytime running lamps; and LED taillamps
• Automated, spring-loaded and pyrotechnically activated rollover bars behind the rear seat that are linked to the air bag system
• IntelliLink system with 7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen
• Navigation radio and seven-speaker premium audio system
• Rear Vision camera
• Remote start
• Dual-zone climate control
• Front and rear 12-volt power outlets
• Heat-reflective leather-appointed seating
• Heated front seats with eight-way power adjustments
• Heated, leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel
• Twenty-inch aluminum wheels with bi-color finish
• Electric power steering
• Rear Park Assist

A Cascada Premium model, priced at $36,990, adds:

• Forward Collision Alert
• Lane Departure Warning
• Automatic headlamp control with tunnel detection
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Rainsense automatic windshield wipers
• Twenty-inch wheels with “diamond graphic” bi-color finish
• Front and rear air deflectors.

The Cascada also offers plenty of storage space, including 13.4 cubic feet of cargo room with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet with the top down, as well as a 22.4-inch x 12.6-inch (320 mm x 570 mm) pass-through from the trunk to the passenger compartment. When the 50/50-split rear seat is folded, longer items such as skis and wakeboards can be stowed inside.

Editors’ note: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price includes destination freight charge but excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Excludes other General Motors vehicles.

Convertibles compared

	2016 Buick Cascada	2016 Audi A3 Cabriolet
Starting price	$33,990 (incl. DFC)	$37,525 (incl. DFC)
Standard engine	1.6L Turbo – 200 HP	1.8L Turbo – 170 HP
Standard transmission	six-speed automatic	six-speed automatic (dual-clutch)
Standard wheels	20-inch aluminum	17-inch aluminum
Front suspension	HiPer Strut	MacPherson strut
Rear suspension	compound crank with Z-link	four-link
Convertible top	lowers up to 31 mph	lowers up to 31 mph
Leather seating	standard	standard
Heated front seats	standard	available
Seat adjusters	eight-way power	eight-way manual with four-way power lumbar
Heated steering wheel	standard	not available
Dual-zone climate control	standard	standard
Rear-view camera system	standard	standard
IntelliLink infotainment	standard	not available
Navigation radio system	standard	available
Forward Collision Alert	available	not available
Lane Departure Warning	available	not available
Front and Rear Park Assist	available	standard

 

 

 

Buick Cascada Blends Safety and Style

Reinforced structure contributes to sleek design

DETROIT – The 2016 Buick Cascada convertible rolls into the sun early next year with a reinforced structure designed to complement its refined appearance and enhance its versatility, while bolstering the car’s strength, rigidity and chassis precession.

Special features include spring-loaded, pyrotechnically activated roll bars behind the front seats that are linked to the air bag system.

“Intelligent design is a hallmark of Buick’s renaissance and the all-new Cascada advances that legacy with seamless integration of great convertible design and safety,” said Holt Ware, Buick exterior design director. “It’s a design that fosters the Cascada’s clean, uninterrupted lines while helping enable confident, top-down driving enjoyment.”

The body structure allows the top, its folding mechanism and the roll bar apparatus to be stowed below the car’s “belt line” and under a hard tonneau cover, for a smooth, uninterrupted profile. It also enhances cargo space, with a 22.4-inch by 12.6-inch (320 mm by 570 mm) pass-through from the trunk to the passenger compartment. When the 50/50-split rear seat is folded, longer items such as skis and wakeboards can be stowed inside.

“There are no design compromises with the Cascada,” said Ware. “The structural elements enhance the driving experience, not intrude on it.”

The roll bar system, for example, enables the rear-seat cargo pass-through, because it is less obtrusive than some vehicles’ hoop-style pop-up protection systems. When deployed, the roll bars extend approximately 14 inches (358 mm) to match the height of the windshield.

It is also a lighter system than others, which enhances performance and agility.

The Cascada’s strategically reinforced body structure supports the roll bar system and is the foundation for the car’s strength and responsive driving experience. Elements include:

• A-pillars featuring press-hardened steel in the inner structures and reinforced with high-strength, hot-rolled and cold-bent tubes within the pillars
• Reinforced rocker panels with increased cross section
• Underbody reinforcements including X-braces, V-braces and additional brackets
• A reinforced “torsion box” bulkhead behind the rear seats that incorporates the pop-up roll bars

As a result of the structure’s rigidity, engineers were able to tune the suspension and steering systems with a high degree of precision, because they didn’t have to compensate for chassis flex.

“That stiffness is at the core of the Cascada’s precise, refined driving experience,” said Bernd Pohl, Cascada structural engineer. “It is exceptionally responsive, with great driver feedback.”

About the Cascada

The Cascada goes on sale in early 2016. It will be the first Buick convertible offered in the United States in 25 years and the latest globally developed vehicle to join the brand’s growing portfolio.

The Cascada’s 2+2 configuration offers comfortable room for four adults. Its expressive driving experience is rooted in a rigid body structure, Buick’s sophisticated HiPer Strut front suspension and responsive Watts Z-link suspension in the rear – along with a 200-horsepower (149 kW) turbocharged engine.

When it comes to dropping the top on a whim, the electro-hydraulic power roof system lowers in only 17 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph. Multilayer construction offers superior thermal and acoustic insulation for driving comfort in all seasons.

Inside, a thoughtfully trimmed and comprehensively equipped cabin reflects Buick’s renaissance. The instrument panel is wrapped with soft-touch material featuring authentic stitching, while heated front seats and steering wheel offer comfort in colder weather conditions.

Advanced safety features include Lane Departure Warning, Rear Park Assist and a standard rearview camera.

The Cascada also offers plenty of storage space, including 13.4 cubic feet of cargo room with the top up and 9.8 cubic feet with the top down.