The sculpted Buick Bengal concept offers a modern twist on sporty convertibles, while showcasing leading-edge technology. With the retractable tonneau in place, the Bengal is a sleek roadster. However, when transportation for four is needed, the leather-enshrouded rear seats can be accessed through a third door on the driver's side.
Bengal owes its hunkered stance and dramatic proportions to its "wheels forward" architecture, pushing 20-inch wheels out to the corners. Although the Bengal's 110-inch wheelbase is only two inches shorter than the Buick LeSabre, the Bengal is actually 25 inches shorter than that 200-inch-long sedan.
Power comes from a transverse-mounted, supercharged, 3.4-liter/250-horsepower V-6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission mounted in front of it, rather than behind. This new drivetrain creates a shorter front overhang and a more rearward center of gravity that promises improved handling on curves.
The smooth power of the engine and precise front-wheel-drive handling give this roadster self-assurance and control in all kinds of driving situations, we're told.
First shown on Buick's LaCrosse and Cielo concepts, Quiet Servant features voice-activated controls from Visteon Corporation and a reconfigurable, color heads-up display that shows gauges on demand. This advanced setup enables the driver to control the car and its systems with either voice commands or a four-position joystick on the steering wheel. As a result, the dashboard is simple and elegant and the driver operates the car with both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Freed of the usual gauges and knobs, the entire dashboard is essentially one large flat-panel speaker from NXT Audio, anchoring Bengal's premium audio system. Altogether, five of these unobtrusive speakers envelop the interior in audiophile-quality sound.
The Bengal offers imaginative interpretation of what a convertible should be, one whose influence may be felt beyond the General's camp.