How Hacker-Craft Sport Boats Inspire Buick’s New Avenir Cars
Our factory visit digs in to the essence of boat-building and how it informs auto design
In a warehouse at the northernmost end of Lake George in upstate New York, Jeff Brown walks the length of what will become a 27-foot Hacker-Craft sport boat. Although it’s only a skeleton right now, the mahogany ribs will soon be planked, varnished, and fitted with a motor and interior before being delivered to a proud new owner. Brown is the director of special projects and the former production manager at the Hacker-Craft facility, where 40 craftspeople work anywhere from 1,700 to 3,000 hours building each boat by hand.
“The Avenir is the highest expression of Buick luxury,” says Chris Hilts, Global Director of Buick Interiors. “Buick is not something that gets old really quickly; they age gracefully.”
About the same time Hacker was building boats, The Buick Motor Company was producing cars in Detroit and later in Flint, Michigan. In the years that followed, Buick became the best-selling brand in the US. Today, Buick is not only enjoying a resurgence in America, it has become a status symbol in China, the world’s fastest-growing automotive market.
Avenir models are differentiated on the outside by a front grille insert with a crosshatch pattern and unique wheels. The cabin uses upgraded materials and comes standard with nearly every option, including heated and ventilated seats. Mechanically, they are identical to their standard Buick counterparts. On the Enclave SUV, the optional tow package is rated for 5,000 pounds—enough to tow a 26-foot Hacker-Craft runabout.
Just unveiled this summer, the Regal Avenir is the most yacht-like of the line-up, with a sleekly sloping roofline reminiscent of more expensive luxury sportbacks such as the Audi A5 and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. It’s powered by a 250-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Inside, the Regal Avenir gets an exclusive interior clad in Whisper Beige leather with ebony trim and a new, more refined central touch screen. Other standard features include an eight-speaker Bose audio system, navigation, and wireless device charging.
Buick Enclave and LaCrosse Avenir models are available now; the Regal Avenir will go on sale this fall at a starting price of about $36,000. A handful of options will be available such as adaptive cruise-control, perfect for those with a tough daily commute. For those who’d rather play hooky, we recommend heading to the shores of Lake George for a little boat shopping.
Hero image by Steve Fecht
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