Buick's New Minivan Is a Love Letter to China

The GL8 Encasa is a luxury people mover with plug-in hybrid power.

Photo by: MIIT

By: Adrian Padeanu

Apr 21, 2025 at 3:26am ET

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For decades, stretched sedans were the default luxury car in China. However, posh minivans have been gaining traction, prompting even Volvo to launch the EM90, and Lexus the LM. While these fancy family haulers have only been around for a short while, Buick has been selling the GL8 for a quarter of a century. For 2025, there’s a new version, and it looks completely different from the Buicks sold in the United States.

The GL8 Encasa has emerged via the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China, where the people mover has been homologated ahead of its market launch. Developed by the local SAIC-GM joint venture, the tall and boxy family car is essentially a production version of a strangely named concept. We’re talking about the Organic Mobile Private Villa (OMPV), introduced last year to mark the two-millionth GL8 made in China. Yes, Buick has sold two million minivans.

Photo by: MIIT

Accompanying the revealing images are technical specifications confirming a plug-in hybrid setup. The new GL8 Encasa combines a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine with an electric motor. The gas four-cylinder delivers 177 horsepower, while the e-motor produces 268 hp. Buick’s latest minivan uses a lithium-iron phosphate battery.

At 207 inches (5260 millimeters) long with a massive wheelbase spanning 124.4 inches (3160 millimeters), it’s the biggest iteration of the minivan to date. As you can imagine, the generous footprint and electrified powertrain result in a hefty curb weight. The MIIT document reveals that the GL8 Encasa tips the scales at 5,533 pounds (2,510 kilograms) in its lightest form.

It’s highly unlikely that Buick will sell the new seven-seat luxury minivan in the U.S. Nevertheless, it’s fascinating to see the massive transformation of a brand tailored to a specific market. More than 10 million vehicles have been sold in China since the brand was introduced by SAIC-GM in 1998.

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The GL8 Encasa is one of several models made and sold there, including the aging Regal. The mid-size sedan is still alive in China, years after being dropped in the United States. It’s also been a minute since Opel last sold its European counterpart, the Insignia.

Buick could officially introduce the GL8 Encasa this week at Auto Shanghai 2025 and begin sales later in the year.