Buick Bengal

Last updated
Buick Bengal
2001 Buick Bengal concept.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Buick (General Motors)
Model years 2001
Designer Dave Lyon
Body and chassis
Class Concept roadster
Body style 2-door roadster
Powertrain
Engine 3.4 L V6 (250 hp)
Transmission 6-speed Manual transmission
Chronology
Successor Buick Velite (concept)

The Buick Bengal was a concept roadster designed and built by Buick. It was first shown to the public at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. [1]

History

The Bengal was an attempt to rejuvenate the Buick line, and make it seem more appealing to younger people. It was powered by a supercharged 3.4L 250 hp (186 kW) V6, which was mated to a six speed manual transmission. [2] The transmission was mounted ahead of the engine, to allow a more forward placement of the front wheels to improve handling.

Though a 2-seater roadster in general design, the rear decklid can be lifted to reveal two extra seats. One of the most desirable features of the Bengal is its voice activated controls. The car is able to distinguish over 100 commands given to it by voice, which can operate various things from the headlights, windshield wipers, and convertible top, to the heater, navigation system, seat adjustments, and cruise control. [3] The system was named Quiet Servant and it was developed by Visteon Corporation. The dashboard is free of traditional gauges, everything instead is displayed on demand on a single flat panel screen.

In 2001 Buick claimed they wanted to put the Bengal into production, but plans were shelved until 2004 when they revealed the Velite concept, which is a more realistic roadster design.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Murciélago</span> Sports car produced by Lamborghini

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a sports car produced by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini between 2001 and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship V12 of the automaker's lineup, the Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001. The car was first available in North America for the 2002 model year. The Murciélago was Lamborghini's first new design in eleven years, and was also the brand's first new model under the ownership of German parent company Audi, which is owned by Volkswagen. The car is designed by Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini's head of design from 1998 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Riviera</span> Motor vehicle

The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi TT</span> Motor vehicle

The Audi TT is a production front-engine, 2-door, 2+2 sports coupé and roadster, manufactured and marketed by Audi from 1998 to 2023 across three generations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW Z3</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW Z3 is a range of two-seater sports cars which was produced from 1995 to 2002. The body styles of the range are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick LaCrosse</span> Motor vehicle

The Buick LaCrosse is a four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan manufactured by Buick since model year 2005, and marketed variously across four generations for the North American and Chinese markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class (R170)</span> Motor vehicle

The R170 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class is the first generation of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class range of compact luxury roadsters manufactured by Mercedes-Benz between 1995 and 2004, using a shortened variant of the W202 Mercedes C-Class platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class (R171)</span> Motor vehicle

The second generation Mercedes-Benz SLK, internally designated model R171, is a two-passenger, front-engine, rear-drive, retractable hardtop roadster, unveiled at the 74th Geneva International Motor Show—and manufactured and marketed for model years 2004–2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin Vantage (2005)</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin Vantage is a series of hand-built sports cars from the British automotive manufacturer Aston Martin. Aston Martin has previously used the "Vantage" name on high-performance variants of their existing GT models, notably on the Virage-based car of the 1990s. The modern car, in contrast, is the leanest and most agile car in Aston's lineup. As such, it is intended as a more focused model to reach out to potential buyers of cars such as the Porsche 911 as well as the exotic sports and GT cars with which Aston Martins traditionally compete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Enclave</span> American Full-size Crossover SUV

The Buick Enclave is a three-row full-size crossover SUV produced by General Motors since 2007. It was previewed at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, officially as a concept car, making it the first Lambda vehicle to be displayed. The Enclave is partially based on the Buick Centieme concept shown at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LA Auto Show</span> Annual US auto show

The Los Angeles Auto Show, also known as the LA Auto Show, is an auto show held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is open to the public for ten days, filling 760,000 square feet (71,000 m2) of exhibit space. Since 2006 the event is held in November or December.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexus LF</span> Concept Car Series

The Lexus LF line is a series of concept cars built by Lexus, the luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Corporation. The "LF" designation refers to Lexus Future. The LF Series vehicles features coupes/convertibles, including: the LF-A, the LF-A Roadster, LF-LC, LF-CC, and the LF-C; sedans: the LF-S, LF-Sh, and LF-Gh; crossover SUVs: the LF-X and LF-Xh; and hatchbacks: the LF-Ch. The first concept vehicle of the LF Series, the LF-X, appeared in 2003. The LF Series utilizes L-finesse, a design philosophy named for "Leading Edge" and "finesse", which debuted on the LF Series concepts and later extended to all new production Lexus vehicles. New vehicle technologies on the LF Series include advanced instrumentation, multiple driver-selected vehicle configurations, hybrid and experimental powertrains, and unconventional driver interface designs. The vehicles also feature new design cues which derive from the L-finesse design language of "Intriguing Elegance" (純), "Incisive Simplicity" (妙), and "Seamless Anticipation" (予). Several of the LF concept vehicles have appeared close to their production counterparts, while the design cues of other LF concepts appeared on more distinctly different production vehicles.

The Hyundai California Design (HCD) concept vehicles were designed at the Hyundai Motor Company's California studio for the North American market. The first concept vehicle, the HCD-1, was a targa-top sports car aimed at the Mazda Miata, and was unveiled in 1992, but was never produced. Other HCD-branded concepts have previewed production models; for example, the HCD-14 Genesis was a large sedan which eventually reached production as the second-generation Hyundai Genesis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opel Insignia</span> Mid-size/large family car manufactured by Opel

The Opel Insignia is a large family car developed and produced by the German car manufacturer Opel from 2008 to 2022. Taking its name from a 2003 concept car, the model line serves as the flagship model, slotted above the Astra and Corsa in size. The Insignia serves as the successor to both the Signum and Vectra model lines, replacing both vehicles under a single nameplate. Currently in its second generation, the model line is offered in four-door sedan/saloon body styles, five-door liftback, and as a five-door station wagon/estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG</span> Car model

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a front mid-engine, 2-seater, limited production grand tourer developed by the Mercedes-AMG division of German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, with the assistance of David Coulthard. The car is the successor to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and was described by Mercedes-Benz as a spiritual successor to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, mainly because it was inspired by the latter. SLS stands for "Super Leicht Sport".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEAT Tango</span> Motor vehicle

The SEAT Tango roadster is a concept car presented at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, designed by a team directed by Walter de Silva with the contribution of SEAT's chief of exterior design, Steve Lewis.

Toyota concept vehicles are transportation devices manufactured or designed by automobile company Toyota from 2000 to 2009. As their name suggests, these vehicles were concepts, and, as such, many were never released to dealerships. Many were developed in conjunction with other corporations such as Sony or Subaru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Motors Le Sabre</span>

The General Motors Le Sabre is a 1951 concept car. Possibly the most important show car of the 1950s, it introduced aircraft-inspired design elements such as the wrap-around windshield and tail fins, which became common on automotive designs during the second half of the decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Avista</span> Concept car developed by Buick

The Buick Avista is a concept 2-door, 2+2-seater hardtop coupe built by Buick, first unveiled at the 2016 North American International Auto Show on January 10, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin Vantage (2018)</span> Motor vehicle

The Aston Martin Vantage is a two-seater sports car built by British manufacturer Aston Martin since 2018. It replaces the previous model which had been in production for 12 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mazda MX-5 (NC)</span> Motor vehicle

The Mazda MX-5 (NC) is the third generation of the Mazda MX-5 manufactured from 2005 to 2015. At its introduction in 2005, it won the Car of the Year Japan Award and made Car and Driver's 10Best list from 2006 to 2013.

References

  1. "Concept Vehicle - Concept Car History | Chicago Auto Show". www.chicagoautoshow.com. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  2. MOTORTREND (24 October 2002). "Exclusive First Look: Buick Bengal". MOTOR TREND. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  3. D, Nick (2016-04-06). "2001 Buick Bengal Concept". Supercars.net. Retrieved 2023-12-24.