1997 BUICK CENTURY
DESIGN
FLINT, Mich. -- Re-inventing a classic American design is no small feat. The current-generation Buick Century, introduced as a front-wheel-drive model in 1982, earned its classic status during the last 15 years the hard way -- by satisfying well over two million buyers.
Wayne Kady, chief designer in Buick's Exterior Studio No. 2, began the Century redesign process by establishing formal priorities for the project. "One of the most important goals was instilling a strong brand character," said Kady. "It's the use of certain cues and characteristics that make every Buick a Buick. We've had this process in the back of our minds since the Mitchell days (Bill Mitchell was in charge of GM Design from 1958-77).
"Today the market is crammed with competition, and brand character is more important than ever. It was imperative for us, and Buick as a division, to decide what was important to us and our clientele, and then to deliver those particular traits in a distinctively Buick way. One cue in particular is the classic Buick grille -- fine vertical bars supported by a substantial chrome frame. That's practically the first thing anyone sees, so we made sure that this feature says Buick clearly and tastefully.
"A second priority was benchmarking competitive vehicles and conducting customer surveys to assess the wants and needs in the midsize sedan segment. With that information in hand, we began designing a new Century that was unquestionably substantial, distinctive, powerful and premium in keeping with Buick's brand character.
"Our customers said they wanted comfortable seating for six passengers in an economical automobile. To exceed that expectation, we made the new Century larger in nearly every dimension than the car it replaces. To improve access to the interior and increase roominess, we stretched the wheelbase by 4.1 inches [to 109.0 inches] and increased overall width by 3.6 inches. The net result is an interior volume increased by 5.9 cubic feet and nearly a cubic foot more trunk room.
"Building the car a little taller allowed us to position rear-seat occupants slightly higher than front passengers -- what we call theater seating. Our customers respond very favorably to this detail because it gives them a much better view of the road ahead -- from both the front seat and the back seat -- and it makes the whole interior seem more open and expansive.
"Concerning the exterior design aesthetics, we purposely avoided anything that could be considered trendy. Buick customers aren't interested in automotive fashions which may be hot one season and gone the next. We wanted a Century design that has genuine longevity. It should be attractive at first sight and still beautiful years later. The Century is inspired by sleek luxury sedans and not by sports cars.
"Century customers prize the high-quality reputation of their cars. To build on this attribute, we've taken a number of significant steps such as using a one-piece side frame to make sure that door gaps are tight and consistent. The glass is all flush-mounted. We also integrated all front lamps into one unit. Fixed, crystal-clear lenses provide a jewel-like view of the parabolic reflector portion of the headlamp. This gives the car a richer look and also greatly facilitates building a perfect fit every time.
"The new Century's side form conveys a substantial look. The belt line that begins in the hood flows through the center of the car before continuing onto the deck lid. This subtle sculpting is another important design cue that signals 'Buick' to anyone who views the car.
"Beauty is ultimately in the eye of the customer, of course. But as a pure designer, I'm convinced our new Century is a worthy replacement for one of the most successful Buick sedans in history."
INTERIOR DESIGN
Automobile design has been revolutionized by two emerging trends -- the wholesale shift to front-wheel-drive powertrain layouts, and a strong preference for smooth-sculpted shapes instead of traditional creased-and-folded forms. The graceful and contemporary result of this influence is the well-rounded shape of the new traditional family sedan of the '90s -- the '97 Buick Century. However, this revolution is nothing compared to the upheaval in interior design. Customers expect more room, comfort, convenience, entertainment and safety when they slide in and buckle up these days.
May Ellis, one of Buick's lead designers, makes sure Buick is one of the leaders in interior design. It was her responsibility to supply the new Century with all the interior features customers expect -- and then exceed expectations.
Notes Ellis: "As opposed to the linear design of today's Century interior, the 1997 model is a flowing motif with an instrument panel that wraps around into the doors. This soft sculpture is very much a Buick cue in keeping with the brand's pledge to offer premium, substantial-feeling interior decor."
Attributes such as paint color and texture are used to lend a rich ambiance to the Century's upscale passenger compartment.
"To lean in the luxury direction, we use warmer, lighter colors instead of the dark grays which are typical of the more aggressive sport sedans. Soft-touch paint on trim surfaces helps alleviate the cold, hard feeling conveyed by some of our competitors. We chose large and very legible readouts for both the radio and the instrument cluster because our customers demonstrated a strong preference for that.
"And we've added an impressive list of equipment that is new and was never offered in the previous Century: steering wheel controls for the radios; five radio choices; a center storage armrest coin holder large enough to hold about $16 in change; available dual-zone climate control which allows driver and front passenger to select individual temperatures; map pockets on front and rear doors; illumination for door-mounted switches; an available center-mounted child safety seat built into the rear seat; and certain 'Convenience Plus' features such as lockout protection (power door locks will not lock you out with the key in the ignition).
"Six large adults can ride in excellent comfort because of several special design features. For example, the standard split front bench seats are adjustable through more than 10 inches of travel. To maximize back-seat space, we sculpted the rear surfaces of the front seat backs to increase rear-passenger knee-room. We also mounted front seat tracks as wide as possible to increase rear-passenger foot-room. It was our intention to make this new Buick seem larger on the inside than it appears to be from the outside," said Ellis.
The active lifestyles of Century owners means plenty of time will be spent in this all-new sedan. The Century driving experience must be an enjoyable one. In the all-new Century for '97, meeting this essential goal is promoted by outfitting the car with instruments and controls within easy view and use.
"We set lofty ergonomic goals for the Century and met them," said Ellis. That encompasses not only the location of the controls and instruments but also the ease of understanding how they function, the effort required to operate them, and their legibility. Tell-tales are conveniently placed in front of the driver to provide information noting that the trunk or a door is ajar or that the windshield washer fluid is low. Another tell-tale notifies the driver that the anti-lock brakes are active.
"The dual-zone ComforTemp climate-control option allows the Century driver and passenger to select desired interior temperatures from one central location. A manual version is available in the Century Custom and an automatic version is available in Century Limited.
"Safety is of prime consideration," explained Ellis. "Of course, there are dual air bags in the front seats, but we also made sure that safety belts are as comfortable and as convenient as possible. Front belts mount to the B-pillar and to the seat frame so the lap portion moves with the occupant as adjustments are made. There are adjustable guide loops for outboard front and rear passengers to improve belt routing. Dual-function retractors at outboard front-passenger and rear-seat positions allow parents to cinch down their child safety seats without using a supplemental clip. We also have an optional built-in child-safety seat located in the middle of the back seat."
