Trucks->ke1311 and high-performance cars definitely made their presence felt at the 2015 North American International Auto Show, but when all is said and done, it could be the Buick Avenir Concept vehicle that turns out to be one of the most important introductions in Detroit. Avenir is French for "future" or "coming soon," and we can only hope that this new concept vehicle hints at a new flagship sedan for Buick.->ke17 Buick has definitely turned its lineup around starting around 2010 and 2011, but the addition of a stunning, all-wheel-drive flagship like the Avenir Concept would punctuate this brand’s renaissance.

In recent years, rumors have swirled regarding a Buick attempting a four-door coupe in a similar vein as the Porsche Panamera,->ke1840 and while that sounded like an impossible feat for an automaker like Buick, the Avenir Concept is definitely a home run. Unlike most concept vehicles, there is an impressive amount of realism in every aspect of the Avenir. It isn’t powered by a mythical 600-horsepower, plug-in hybrid->ke147 powertrain, the styling isn’t too extreme that we couldn’t imagine it out on the road and even the interior -- while obviously conceptual -- still has the feeling of a production car.

More importantly, Buick’s global momentum has progressed enough that we could really see the brand green-lighting a halo vehicle such as the Avenir. With a lineup filled with front-drive sedans->ke142 and crossovers,->ke288 the timing is perfect for Buick to become a true player in the luxury segment with a flagship based on this concept.

“Avenir embodies Buick design, which centers on effortless beauty and presence without pretense. It demonstrates the growing international reach of Buick and offers an exciting vision of where it can go,” said Ed Welburn, vice president of General Motors Global Design. “The interior is designed with the driver and passengers’ comfort and well-being in mind.”

Updated 01/23/2015: We've added a series of new images from the car's official debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Check the new images in the "Pictures" tab.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Buick Avenir Concept.

Exterior

As expected from a concept car, every inch of the 2015 Buick Avenir Concept is beautifully sculpted. From its long hood to its truncated rear end, the concept is amazing from all angles. Despite the progressive styling, though, most of the cues found on the 2015 Buick Avenir Concept are essentially just improved upon from current or past Buick design language. This includes the LED-trimmed headlights (from most current models) and the pronounced wheel arches (found on the LaCrosse) to the modern versions of the classic Buick portholes and even the boat-tail rear end styling. Speaking of classic cues, it would also appear that Buick is considering going back to its red, silver and blue trishield logo rather than the current all-black logo.

Looking at the limited spec sheet, we’re instantly reminded of another stunning concept car from GM, the 2013 Cadillac Elmiraj. Both the Cadillac and Buick concepts are the same 76 inches wide, and the Elmiraj is just a half inch longer than the Avenir. As such, we could see both cars sharing the same platform, and with the Elmiraj-inspired Cadillac flagship coming out, it makes an even better case for this Buick.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

The most outlandish part of the Avenir’s design is its interior, but even then, it seems very doable for a production vehicle. With the exception of the four-passenger seating configuration and the floating door pulls, it looks like this design would transition from concept to reality rather easily. This includes the “next-generation” Buick IntelliLink infotainment system, which in this case features a 12-inch touch screen display, and like most recent GM products, the concept also gets the OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot. There are also massive rear-seat entertainment screens for occupants to enjoy in the rear seats, which like the Panamera is limited to being just a two seater.

Drivetrain

More so than the exterior and interior styling of the 2015 Buick Avenir Concept, the sedan’s powertrain is very realistic. Under that long hood is a “next-generation,” direct-injected, V-6 engine that features stop/start technology and GM’s Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation system. There is no additional information about this engine, so your guess is as good as ours when it comes to power output. To be competitive, though, we’d have to imagine no fewer than 400 horsepower. This engine is paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, and power is sent to all four wheels through a twin-clutch, all-wheel-drive system.

Prices

Blank check. That’s how much I’d give Buick to build the Avenir right now. If it does come to production, I could see Buick making a good run at the $60,000 price range. With Cadillac recently mentioning the possibility of a flagship sedan with a six-figure price tag, it looks like Buick is ready and waiting to fill any voids left by automakers.

Competition

Lexus GS

The current Lexus GS has quickly become one of the premier examples of a luxury sport sedan. On the luxury end, the GS has an incredible interior design that includes an option for bamboo accents, and the big sedan offers plenty of space for passengers to stretch out and relax. On the road, the suspension tuning makes the GS feel more like a German sports sedan, and there’s an available all-wheel-drive option as well.

Priced at $47,700, the Lexus GS could still be in the competitive set for a Buick flagship, and Buick would definitely be doing itself a favor to benchmark the handling abilities of the GS350. In its base form, the GS comes with a 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 306 horsepower, but Lexus just introduced the all-new 2016 GS F with a high-revving 467-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 under the hood.

Kia K900

The 2015 K900 was introduced last year, and it was a huge step up for Kia last year in terms of both luxury and pricing. So far, initial sales show that people are willing to buy a high-quality car at a high price regardless of the badge on the grille. Prices for the 2015 Kia K900 start at $54,500 and go all the way up to $68,400.

In terms of the interior, the K900 offers a smorgasbord of luxury goodies to further woo buyers such as the digital instrument gauge cluster, rich, soft perforated leather, a wide center console in the rear seat with built-in controls and an available package with power-reclining rear seats. Luxury sedans also tend to focus on high-output engines, and the Kia K900 delivers with a 5.0-liter V-8 producing 420 horsepower.

Conclusion

Following the GM bankruptcy, many questioned why the automaker chose to keep a lethargic Buick brand rather than the sportier Pontiac brand. The 2015 Buick Avenir Concept is the answer. If Buick could bring an Avenir-based, rear-drive flagship to market, it would be an exclamation point for Buick as a global luxury brand. Then again, the Avenir Concept -- as most concepts are -- could just be a design study to gauge interest in a future Buick model. Even if that is the case, Buick still has an exciting future ahead of it.