One of the most interesting reveals of the Los Angeles Auto Show has to be the 2011 Buick Regal. The new Regal is basically a rebadged version of the European-market Opel Insignia, just as the Saturn Aura was a rebadged Opel Vectra. Basically, all GM did to Buickize the car was slap on some Buick bling (badges, grille, and those stupid portholes).
But the Regal sure as hell looks great on paper: 182 horsepower 2.4 liter direct-injected four-cylinder for starters, with a 220 hp 2-liter turbo engine as an option. The turbo model will offer an optional 6-speed manual (a 6-speed automatic comes standard) and three driving modes that adjust suspension, steering, transmission and throttle response.
Clearly, this has the potential to be a great sport sedan. The powertrains sound fantastic and I know from previous experience that GM can build suspensions that can hang with the best in the world. I have no doubt that if a car of this description came from Audi or Honda or Saab or Suzuki, or even Saturn, everyone would praise it to high heaven.
But it's coming from Buick.
The way I see it, one of two things could happen. One, the car could totally change Buick's image, like the Navigator did for Lincoln and the Escalade and CTS did for Cadillac. Or, two, people just won't accept it as a Buick, and the car will fall flat on its nose. What do you think will happen? Click the "comments" link below and share your thoughts, oh autointelligentsia! -- Aaron Gold
Take a closer look at the Regal: 2011 Buick Regal photo gallery
Photo © General Motors
Looks ok. The rear is a bit odd – a departure from traditional Buick designs. The interior design looks good – just hope they used good materials. Lastly, regarding the power train, I’m not a fan of 4 cylinder engines nor fwd cars. Let’s hope the engines are smooth and mated well to a good set of transmissions.
Mike
I think it has a chance to work if GM is launching it with pride for its autobahn roots. The rebadged Opels commercialized under Saturn were great cars but they were hiding their origin and nobody thought Saturn could come up with a good car. Ditto for Buick. Good thing GM turned around and decided to keep Opel.
I don’t understand the marketing of GM at this time. Who does Buick target? It seems too “old” for me and I am in my 40s. I think GM blew it when they first messed up Saturn and then didn’t make it a vehicle to bring European style cars to the US.
This may be a good car but I fear they will make it super soft to fit with the typical Buick tastes.
Not bad.. I can see the Acura target group with the shape of the truck ..but the integrated spoiler looks a little odd. The side view is very nice. The front also nice. I don’t mind the car.. Looks very good on paper. I can see my partner’s parents loving this car.. They use to race cars in their heyday and had the biggest engine put in their 90-something Regal. I wonder if it drives like a Buick or is it more Euro?? Nice car and it is in the right direction. I don’t see anything wrong w/ a sporty Buick. There is nothing wrong with Vanilla w/ some sprinkles!!
If Buick markets the heck of this car as being a re-badged Euro car, it may be accepted by graying baby boomers, who are tired of the stigma of owning a “foreign brand”. At least it might get them into the showroom for a test drive. Coupled with legendary Buick quality, it might do OK.
As for traditional Buick buyers, they’re mostly driving mobile electric chairs in retirement homes!
I say do a Grand National or drop Buick from the US market all together.
Plus the whole strategy is suspect since Opel doesn’t have the best reputation in Europe.
It isn’t a bad looking car. The last version of the Regal was about the only Buick I liked or would have considered buying. I was in my 30’s then. I think this car has a chance if it’s marketed right, and most importantly, built right. If it ends up being just another Badge-engineered GM product, then shame on GM.
those stupid portholes… come on, guys, if you’re gonna do portholes, do ‘em right…. ummm there are no portholes on this car, maybe you should do some better researching
Hope G.M. has finally gotten it together. The La Crosse isn’t a bad looking car and with any luck they may have it together with this Regal. If the design and quality is there, the people wil come.
Hmmm, could have sworn Buick showed us a slide of the hood with ports, but maybe that was the LaCrosse. When you’ve sat through a dozen press conferences, you’re bound to get a detail or two wrong! — Aaron
I dunno about this. If GM couldn’t sell large numbers of Opels under the Saturn brand, what makes them think they can sell one as a Buick? Die hard Buick lovers are older guys who’ll get bent out of shape that the Buick isn’t an “American” car. Younger folks (and by that, I mean 40 and under) consider Buicks an old person’s car, and only the seriously open-minded will even go into a dealership to check them out.
IMHO, GM shot themselves in the foot when they got rid of Saturn…they no longer have a brand “undefined” enough to market their rebadged Opels.
I don’t care if it was designed on Mars. If it’s a good car bring it on. It certainly looks nice.
220 horsepower turbo 4 with a six speed. My money says it will take regular unleaded as well.
But let’s just forget all the reasons GM’s newer cars make more economical sense and IMHO look better than imported brands and just continue to bash them. We sound so much smarter when we degrade ourselves.
Duh!
i think it will fall flat on its face!!!..a buick with a turbo 4?!?!?!?…no v6?!?!?!?!…manual?!?!?!….not in a buick!!!!!!!!!
Hey Bryan,
you seem very excited and bewildered. Are you drunk typing again?
I’m sure few people would have predicted the success of the Enclave but there’s really no denying it now. I could have it wrong but I believe that was a much bigger undertaking than this. The Enclave, besides competing with foreign makes also had to be compeling enough to attract more value consious buyers away from it’s badge engineered syblings the Acadia and the Traverse.
The closest thing within GM to the Regal as far as I know that’s on sale here in the U.S.A. is…., well…, nothing.
Actually, the new Saab 9-5, which looks to be staying GM, will come close but I think there’s enough difference in brand identity there for there to be any real issue particularly given the much bolder styling of the Saab.
It would be great competition for the TSX if Acura still offered it will a 4 banger. As is though the Buick may find an audience with an older crowd looking for more fuel economy out of a mid-size sedan with better quality or lower maintenance cost than some German sedans like BMW and Audi(of which I’ve heard from a Audi mechanic that the recalls are legendary for internal engine problems). If the price is right it may appeal to younger buyers. If the turbo 4 works out as a performance engine it may be the rebirth of some kind of higher performance at Buick. I did have a ‘98 Regal GS with the Supercharged 3800 V6 for awhile and that car would run like a raped ape in a straight line, but through the curves it was scary. I hope Aaron’s right about the suspension and it all comes together. Good luck Buick.
Well Buick has always pulled good numbers in the US, hence the demise of Pontiac while Buick persists. Sure we have grown up seeing the Buick badge catering to the elderly while Pontiac was the youthful performance brand. I see this going one of two ways…
1: We will continue to see Buick targeted for the 60+ age group, but now grandpa can actually get up to 70 mph and merge into traffic successfully. Old people need a little fun too. As long as the suspension is good why not drop a turbo in there? The turbo lag might even help when the 90 year old man accidently hits the gas instead of the break at the local mall parking lot and give that family the extra half second to get out of the way. JK
2: The performance aspect of these new models will start to attract more youthful buyers similar to Cadillac. I doubt it but then again I said the same thing about that whole “Caddy that Zigs” campaign. Seems I was wrong there.
Either way I think its about time the American buyer be presented with more choices besides the heavy and slow American boat car, the nimble but tin-can like Japanese car, and the way over priced luxury performance cars from just about everyone else.
This is basically a rebadged Vauxhall Insignia that they sell here in the uk, And its a very good car, Great to drive, Great kit on it, Very Reliable and quick engines.. and they have sold loads here, Its a modern G.M. car. It beats the old g.m. stuff anyday with poor dash layouts old heavy and thirsty bangers that were dull to drive.
It would have made a better Pontiac than a Buick if they hadn’t canned it.
The new Regal has been on my radar for a few months as a potential replacement for my wife’s now 13 yr old BMW 328is. We are both in our mid to late 50s, so we still like a little sportiness in a vehicle. They keys for us are the right mix of comfort, some power, reasonable price, reliability, safety, ability to avoid the high labor and part costs to repair BMWs, Mercedes and other high-end vehicles and a little space( e.g. new Camaros are not on our list ). On paper the Regal has a good shot. Thanks for the photos Aaron.
I have to agree with LWATCDR.
Buick does seem “old”.
In their commercials they try to compare themselves to Lexus and it’s too hard to buy.
The Regal, like the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia that it is based on, has a disappointingly small back seat for a car in its price range. The Chevy Malibu and Buick LaCrosse share the same platform and a larger, roomier 4-cylinder Malibu is less expensive. (A 6-cylinder Malibu is probably less expensive, too.)
Buick seems to be marketing the car as a competitor to the Acura TSX, Lexus HS250h, Volvo S40, and Audi A4. Even so, I think Buick has over-priced the car, just like the over-priced the LaCrosse.
How much is it priced?
I love it!!!! I have been hoping for cars like this for decades. I am one 50 year old who would seriously consider this new Regal. I was also floored when I saw the new LaCrosse and think that the Lexus comparison is not too far fetched.
I rarely drive in traffic and have nearly always driven manual transmission cars. SAABs, VWs, a BMW were chosen primarily because they were the only ones offering an entertaining drive and manual transmissions. A wild hair caused me to trade-in my SAAB 9-5 for my current 2006 Pontiac GTO. I was actually hoping for a manual G8 but it never made it. The GXP was too much and too late – RIP. In retrospect I am glad I went with the GTO. Okay folks, bring on those turbo-4, manual transmission mid-size cars. I’m ready to return to eco-mode in my daily driver. The GTO stays but could now be joined by a Regal. Whoda thunk!!! It would also allow me to be a re-re-repeat customer at my Cadillac/Buick/SAAB/GMC/Pontiac dealer.
Perfect. Buick is offering two things the The Malibu needed, a turbo 4 (like the Saturn Sky), and a GPS system.
Just like previous comments, it’s the perennial question of almost all GM brands…what is Buick’s demographic? What is the brand about? These simple questions were never answered for the brands that were cut from Buick’s portfolio, and this indecision will doom Buick in the same fashion that ended Oldsmobile years ago.
At least the brand seems to be doing well in the Chinese market…
americans are stupid people… buick has built sporty cars, race cars for 100 yrs…. inc a stage 2 that was the fastest q.m. car. they also owned the fastest q.m cars in the 50″s and 60″s and the 70’s..just rember this when you buy a japanese car your money leaves the country and never returns along with jobs…you talk a bunch of bull…go drive one you’ll find it built better runs better then anything you drive…..BIG D
The need to offer all the options the Opel Insignia has. Drivetrain options with the all wheel drive turbo charged V6. Also the Camera that scans the road signs and display them in insturment panel. It also lets you know if you start to veer into another lane. I hope that they will bring all the technology over to the US shores. If it had the V6 turbo or 160hp CDTI diesel, I would consider selling my E60 530i BMW, and purchasing this vehicle.
I think that Buicks are great cars very reliable (3800 series motor lasting easily to 260,000 without major repair) comfortable and if ya get the right one can move quick. I had my sights set on the Supercharged Regal GS anywhere from 97-03 but I beilieve that I’ll wait a couple years for this Regal instead as it looks to be very fun to drive. (Oh and btw I’m only 19 years old)
To Aaron,
Supercharged not Turbo… There is a difference. I owned a 2000 Grand Prix GTX Supercharged with SLP add-ons. Loved the car, heads up display, growl from the upgraded exhaust, Ram Air and Cold Induction system. Fun to drive and handled great. Let’s see if the new Regal can come close.