Peter Palmer: Buick Hits Record Conquest Sales As Image Changes

Buick’s steady growth the last three years is continuing in 2016. The automaker recently hit an all-time high in conquest sales. Conquest sales are when a customer trades their current vehicle for one from a different manufacturer entirely. In 2016 alone, more than 35,000 new customers have switched to the brand.

The Cascada and Encore have driven this trend the most.

Through April, 64 percent of Cascada buyers traded in vehicles from outside GM. Prior Audi, Toyota, and Honda customers are among the most common.

“The lasting impact of the Cascada will be a change in perception that only a sexy, sleek convertible can provide,” said Duncan Aldred, Vice President of Buick Global Sales, Service, and Marketing.

Demand for the Cascada has outpaced supply with 2,487 sales year-to-date through April and 1,090 sales in April alone. Buick’s first convertible in 25 years has made quite an impact to say the least.

“It’s changing minds and attracting customers in the country’s biggest convertible markets, with nearly half of sales coming from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, and California,” Aldred said.

The Cascada is the first of four new Buick’s arriving in U.S. showrooms. According to Aldred, the aforementioned states are an area of focus.

“These are all key markets for continuing success,” he said.

2016 Buick Encore

Just as the Cascada has brought in new buyers, so has the Encore. More than 57 percent of Encore customers this year have come from competitive brands. Encore now represents 40 percent of Buick’s sales with an updated 2017 version on the way later this year.

Buick positions themselves as “attainable luxury,” with pricing structures and technology offerings to match. Last summer, we took an Enclave on a test drive and were pleasantly surprised.

“It’s a year in which we’ll stop asking customers to question their preconceptions of the brand and instead make a strong statement about what the brand is today,” Aldred said.

*Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

Photos & Source: Buick