I found this great preview article on the new 2011 Buick Regal by Scott Deveau. Get information on the new Regal at Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac 14000 E Wade Hampton Blvd Greer, SC 29651. Shop 24/7 at http://www.bradshawgreer.com/. Stop by today to see all of the new Buicks.Frankfurt, Germany • The Nürburgring Nordschleife race track is widely held to be the most dangerous and difficult in the world. Not only has it been the cause of countless deaths, but its 73 turns over 21 kilometres are some of the most difficult to drive.
At first blush, it would seem the infamous track should be the last place to test a new Buick, screaming around curves at 100 kilometres an hour like a roller coaster but with no promise of remaining hinged. Yet the Nürburgring turned out to be an excellent test of Buick’s new 2011 Regal sport sedan. Not only did the base CXL model prove adept at handling the pounding delivered by the Nürburgring, but the 2.0-litre turbocharged version actually appeared built for just such a test.
There’s a very strong reason why. The Regal, which is sold as the Opel Insignia in Europe, underwent hundreds of thousands of hours of testing during its development at General Motors’ facilities at the Nürburgring.
GM makes it no secret the track was the “birthplace” of the Regal, and it will likely figure heavily in the car’s marketing. The result so far is a sleek, sexy sedan that can handle the switchbacks of the German countryside as smoothly as being opened up to 220 km/h on the autobahns.
The Regal is Buick’s most aggressive foray into redefining the embattled brand, carrying on where the LaCrosse and Enclave models made inroads.
For decades, Buick had aligned itself with the Greatest Generation — Second World War veterans and the like — creating vehicles GM would have described as “big, safe, quiet and comfortable.” But the limitations of that market have become abundantly clear, with the buying power of the subsequent Baby Boomer generation shifting to more youthful brands.
The Regal is not your grandfather’s Buick. The car was designed by a team of engineers and designers based at GM’s Opel facility in Germany, but incorporated the talents of the company’s counterparts in China and the United States to create the Buick’s truly global platform.
While the Regal is already sold in China and carries the Insignia name in Europe, the model destined for North America has more than 230 different parts, many due to regulatory demands (such as different headlights), but also aesthetics, including the car’s trademark waterfall grille. Interior designers from China put their stamp on the interior — the Regal’s cabin has a sexy, slick look that borrows from premium brands, including ice-blue lighting for the instruments, a thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel and raised stitching in its leather seats.
But the most noticeable departure of the Regal’s previous incarnations comes in the sculpted and contoured exterior that draws heavily from tight European designs. Buick is attempting to position the Regal as a sport sedan and is taking aim at the likes of Acura’s TSX and the Volvo S60.
The Regal CXL (base price of $32,990) comes standard with a 182-horsepower 2.4L four-cylinder, the same engine as in the LaCrosse, as well as a six-speed automatic transmission and 18-inch wheels. Later this year, a sportier version with a 220-hp 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged four will be available, carrying a base price of $35,990.
The Regal is just a starting point for Buick as it looks to expand into other segments. The brand estimates its vehicles cover about 14% of the North American market. By 2012, it plans to have another, smaller crossover in its portfolio as well as another compact car, based on the Excelle it sells in China. This will expand its product portfolio to the point where it covers 42% of the North American market. By 2016, Buick wants to have enough models on the road that 60% of the market’s segments are covered. It’s through the continued introduction of products that GM hopes that it will finally be able to appeal to a younger demographic, as well.
The question remains whether Buick will be able to successfully reposition itself in the North American market, where it still carries a connotation for being the brand of choice among an older demographic. While acknowledging it might take a decade or more to entirely reposition the brand, GM believes that as more products are introduced into its lineup — such as the Regal — the company will be able to reinvent itself for a younger clientele.
Only time will tell, but the Regal is certainly a step in the right direction.
There’s a very strong reason why. The Regal, which is sold as the Opel Insignia in Europe, underwent hundreds of thousands of hours of testing during its development at General Motors’ facilities at the Nürburgring.
GM makes it no secret the track was the “birthplace” of the Regal, and it will likely figure heavily in the car’s marketing. The result so far is a sleek, sexy sedan that can handle the switchbacks of the German countryside as smoothly as being opened up to 220 km/h on the autobahns.
The Regal is Buick’s most aggressive foray into redefining the embattled brand, carrying on where the LaCrosse and Enclave models made inroads.
For decades, Buick had aligned itself with the Greatest Generation — Second World War veterans and the like — creating vehicles GM would have described as “big, safe, quiet and comfortable.” But the limitations of that market have become abundantly clear, with the buying power of the subsequent Baby Boomer generation shifting to more youthful brands.
The Regal is not your grandfather’s Buick. The car was designed by a team of engineers and designers based at GM’s Opel facility in Germany, but incorporated the talents of the company’s counterparts in China and the United States to create the Buick’s truly global platform.
While the Regal is already sold in China and carries the Insignia name in Europe, the model destined for North America has more than 230 different parts, many due to regulatory demands (such as different headlights), but also aesthetics, including the car’s trademark waterfall grille. Interior designers from China put their stamp on the interior — the Regal’s cabin has a sexy, slick look that borrows from premium brands, including ice-blue lighting for the instruments, a thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel and raised stitching in its leather seats.
But the most noticeable departure of the Regal’s previous incarnations comes in the sculpted and contoured exterior that draws heavily from tight European designs. Buick is attempting to position the Regal as a sport sedan and is taking aim at the likes of Acura’s TSX and the Volvo S60.
The Regal CXL (base price of $32,990) comes standard with a 182-horsepower 2.4L four-cylinder, the same engine as in the LaCrosse, as well as a six-speed automatic transmission and 18-inch wheels. Later this year, a sportier version with a 220-hp 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged four will be available, carrying a base price of $35,990.
The Regal is just a starting point for Buick as it looks to expand into other segments. The brand estimates its vehicles cover about 14% of the North American market. By 2012, it plans to have another, smaller crossover in its portfolio as well as another compact car, based on the Excelle it sells in China. This will expand its product portfolio to the point where it covers 42% of the North American market. By 2016, Buick wants to have enough models on the road that 60% of the market’s segments are covered. It’s through the continued introduction of products that GM hopes that it will finally be able to appeal to a younger demographic, as well.
The question remains whether Buick will be able to successfully reposition itself in the North American market, where it still carries a connotation for being the brand of choice among an older demographic. While acknowledging it might take a decade or more to entirely reposition the brand, GM believes that as more products are introduced into its lineup — such as the Regal — the company will be able to reinvent itself for a younger clientele.
Only time will tell, but the Regal is certainly a step in the right direction.
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