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Buick Avenir sub-brand.

Remember Buick's stunning Avenir sedan concept from the 2015 Detroit auto show? It seems the name does indeed have a future in the Buick line-up – though not in the way we'd hoped.

In essence, Avenir will be a sub-brand – a flagship trim level that will be to Buick what Denali is to GMC trucks.

"We're taking a lot of what we learned from Denali," said Buick design chief Helen Emsley. "You start small and then you grow."

Differentiators from lesser Buicks will include wheels, a three-dimensional mesh grille, and interior trim with "embroidery," she said.

Buick says that the brand has grown quickly with female buyers expecting a high-end experience and premium quality. A large proportion of those buyers have been brought into the brand by the Encore small crossover.

Buick isn't saying yet when Avenir will debut or on which nameplate.

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