Buick unveils China-designed Riviera concept in Shanghai

• Fourth global concept vehicle to come out of GM%27s joint ventures in China
• Powertrain is plug-in hybrid system that can be charged via a cable or wirelessly through a panel underneath.
• High-tech active safety setup gathers traffic data through 10 cameras%2C 18 sensors

General Motors unveiled a sleek China-designed Buick concept coupe today at the Auto Shanghai show.

It dubbed it the Riviera -- reviving the name of the stylish two-door from Buick's 1960s glory days for the futuristic concept, a plug-in hybrid that seem similar in direction to the coming Cadillac ELR plug-in coupe.

GM says it is the fourth global concept vehicle to come out of its Shanghai GM and Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center joint ventures. And it's the second time Buick has used the name for a concept from China. Buick is celebrating the 110th anniversary of its founding in the U.S., but its future may depend a lot more on China, the world's largest auto market where Buick sells significantly more vehicles than in the U.S.

As Shanghai GM President Ye Yongming put it in a statement: "By seamlessly integrating advanced technologies, flexible functions and contemporary aesthetics, the new Riviera heralds the start of a new chapter for the 110-year-old Buick brand."

GM said the Riviera's designers were inspired by the Chinese saying: "The greatest good is like water" to try to capture in the design "the vibrant nature of a moving river" and a "three-dimensional effect that resembles waves in the ocean." Inside, the design attempts to evoke the style of Chinese jade-inlaid wood with aluminum, suede and ebony.

But the concept retains a version of Buick's signature "waterfall" grille and incorporates the wing-shaped LED running lights that Buick is hoping to make a signature -- you'll see them on the refreshed 2014 Regal and Lacrosse models.

GM says the powertrain is a new plug-in hybrid system that can be charged via a cable or wirelessly through a panel on the undercarriage. A nostalgic touch: the charging socket is integrated into a Buick "porthole," the faux vent holes that date to the 1950s.

No concept worth the name these days would be offline, and the Riviera sports a high-speed 4G LTE mobile internet system.

And while GM does not call it a "driverless" car, the Riviera concept incorporates a high-tech active safety setup that provides a lot of driver assistance including, GM says, an "autopilot" system. The Riviera uses 10 cameras and 18 sensors to gather traffic information that it displays in a heads-up holographic image on the windshield, and GM says it offers night vision help, full-speed adaptive cruise control and blind spot, lane departure, lane change and cross-traffic alerts.