Is the Buick Regal Really the Mercury Milan?
Apparently the Chinese influence in the Regal’s design was greater than we realized. It’s unfortunate that of all the brands Buick chose to mimic, it’d be the one that’s in worse shape.
And, like the Milan, the Regal is extremely dull.
2011 Buick Regal Prices Released
Hot from Autoblog’s child labor press: we now have the prices for Buick’s Regal. The mid-level CXL will be the only Regal at launch, starting at $27,000. That starting model will include GM’s 2.4 L inline-four that’ll squeak out 182 hp. The optional turbo 2.0 will up the price to $29,500 and bump up horsepower to a modest 220. Both CXL powertrains will come with a 6-spd. auto tranny.
Buick Regal GS Concept Photos from Detroit
It looks like Buick is planning to use the Regal GS to inject some excitement into its lineup. GM will give the Opel Insignia-based sedan sportier looks and some performance boosts.
On the outside, the GS gets some unique body work and 20″ wheels. It’s also lowered 0.4 inches thanks to a sport suspension with an adaptive shock system. The concept also has AWD with a 6-speed manual transmission. Under the hood, you’ll find a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged powerplant. Specs on the turbo 4 are 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
Source: Car and Driver
Buick’s Regal GS Looks to be an Under-Performer
Just after dogging on Autoblog, I’ll take the crew’s word for this piece of news. It looks like the Regal GS will be stuck with GM’s Ecotec engine.
The ol’ Eco, a 2.0 L I-4, isn’t a bad engine by any means–it has been used to power the compact Chevy SS line will positive results. But there was hope GM would venture beyond the little ripper for the upscale Buick compact. The turbo’d four will put out 250+ hp and 290+ ft.-lbs. of torque, according to the ‘Blog. The engine will be equipped with a 6-spd. manual-shift, with a manu-matic set to arrive soon after.
The torque number is astonishing, but the horsepower figure is a lot less than the rumor mill was putting out late in the fall. We gotta say: we’re not dropping jaws here at the office (i.e. the Jack in the Box men’s room off Sunset). The Regal GS will probably be a fine car, but it’s hardly Lexus material.
We’ll stay settled with our stolen IS-F for now.
This Week’s Loser: General Motors
Can’t GM keep an exec? The General has lost how many people in the past three weeks? CEO Fritz Henderson bailed right out of nowhere. Then came word Chevy head Brent Dewar flew the coop. Right after the Dewar break came the shock that the Buick-GMC chief, Michael Richards, jumped ship after nine days on the job.
We contend Buick-GMC is a doomed asset, but Richards’s departure is shocking even for us cynics. GM isn’t finding any love in Europe either, with Swede authorities demanding GM sell off Saab before the new year. German treasury and trade officials–as well as the labor force–are equally hostile to the General maintaining ownership of Opel. No rest at home, no rest abroad.
Shame no one wants to live in Detroit.
GM’s Decapitated Leadership Creates Waves of Unrest
A lot has been happening with the General. The blogosphere went into a hoot over Frederick “Fritz” Henderson’s resignation as CEO,as the move was unexpected even by his colleagues. As Vice-Chair Bob Lutz put it, “None of us had any hint this was coming.” Ed Whitacre, GM’s board chair, will step in temporarily to fill the CEO slot.
Henderson’s departure comes as GM continues to suffer heavy losses, as well as some very public embarrassments. The Opel, Saturn, and Saab deals all fell through, with European trade and treasury officials publicly questioning GM’s competence. Opel’s CFO, Marco Molinari, quit the exhausted German subsidiary just yesterday. (Not an inspiring sign.)
Mike Jackson, head of the largest US auto retailer, was open about his fears in an interview with Automotive News: “I’m concerned because I think Ed [Whitacre] and Fritz made a great team of complementary talents and I think Fritz’s expertise will be missed. And, since everyone agrees the core business of GM was on a very good path, you have to ask the question, why are they doing this?” Read more
GM to Spice-Up Cadillac and Buick
The once-mighty “GS” moniker will be coming back in the next year. The GS series will be reserved as the sport trim for the Regal and LaCrosse sedans. Cadillac will be sexed-up–somewhat–with a “V” edition of its CTS “sport wagon.” If you need reminding, the CTS-V sedan features a 556 hp supercharged 6.2 L V-8, good for 0-60 times in four seconds. We’re not sure about the investment in Buick, but the V-wagon sounds good.
GM Takes Another Blow in Earnings; Sales Bonanza to be Announced
General Motors reports it lost approximately $1,500,000,000 in the third fiscal quarter of 2009.
CEO Fritz Henderson remained positive with the announcement, saying “today’s results provide evidence of the solid foundation we’re building for the new GM.” Total revenue was up from the preceding quarter and Henderson also announced the company was ready to begin paying back taxpayer loans.
The dour financial news was met by word GM’s remaining US properties would be having a cross-brand sales event during the week. How shoppers will respond to the bleak forecast remains to be seen.
Image Gallery: Buick Regal
“The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you’ve ever experienced from this brand,” said Susan Docherty, general manager of Buick GMC. “The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and will expand the portfolio to include a sport sedan.”
Buick Regal to Only Have Four-Cylinder Engines
The third model in the new Buick lineup, the Regal, will be equipped with only two inline four-cylinder engines: a 2.4 L putting out 182 hp and an optional turbo 2.0 producing 220 hp. The Regal, based on the award-winning Opel Insignia, will cover the smaller-end of the Buick luxury menu–aiming at the likes of the Acura TSX and Lexus IS250.
The I-4 engines are meant to promote GM’s greener image, but the 3,600 lb. curb weight has us wondering. The TSX and IS also have optional sixes: is it wise for GM to discount those extra two cylinders? Folks agree the LaCrosse was a step in the right direction, but the Regal looks and sounds drab. Buick is in shaky waters, and this addition isn’t quite inspiring us…yet.
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