Chevrolet Volt Headed to China as a Buick in 2011

Buick's Chinese division will be adding another member to its lineup next year: a rebadged Chevrolet Volt.

Destined to share sheetmetal with the European-market Opel Ampera, according to GM-filed Chinese patent images, going the Buick route in China is likely GM's safest bet. The tri-shield marque performs especially well in the Middle Kingdom and a Buick-badged Volt/Ampera would supplement the already-available Excelle and Regal sedans, also known as the Opel Astra and Insignia, respectively, in other parts of the world.

The currently unnamed Buick-branded Volt will be assembled at GM's Hamtramck plant, imported to China in the first half of 2011, and is then scheduled to debut in the latter half of the year.

The Buick rebadge would be the fifth for the Volt EREV, joining fellow GM brands Holden, Opel, Vauxhall, and, of course, Chevrolet. The Chevy model is expected to be ready by the end of this year while Opel is targeting late 2011. Holden and Vauxhall have been assigned a 2012 release year.

 source by automobi