DETROIT — Buick's pricing strategy for the 2011 Regal is curious. It announced on Thursday that the new sedan will hit the market in the second quarter of 2010 in premium CXL trim only, with pricing pegged at $26,995, including a $750 destination charge.
That puts the 2011 Buick Regal CXL pricing exactly on top of the base 2010 Buick LaCrosse, which starts at $26,995. It also slots the new Regal under what it has called its major competitors: the Acura TSX, Volkswagen Passat and Volvo S60.
The base 2010 Acura TSX starts at $30,120, including an $810 destination charge. The base 2009 Volvo S60 starts at $31,775, including an $825 destination charge. The base 2010 Volkswagen Passat starts at $27,745, including a $750 destination charge.
Buick said the 2011 Regal CXL turbo model will start at $29,495, including shipping. The base Regal CX will be available in the 2012 model year, Buick said in a statement. It listed a Buick Regal CXS model, which slots in above the CXL turbo model, but said no information was available on pricing or launch.
The Regal CXL gets a standard 2.4-liter inline-4 engine that delivers an estimated 182 horsepower. A 220-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 engine will be available as an option in late summer 2010, but pricing on that feature was not announced. Both engines have a standard six-speed automatic transmission with driver shift control. The Regal has standard 18-inch aluminum wheels, a standard 12-way power driver's seat and an optional Harman Kardon sound system.
Inside Line says: Buick opts to be the value leader with its new Regal sedan, as it undercuts some of its most daunting foreign competition. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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orbit9090 says:
06:00 AM, 08/31/2010
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Too bad the Buick Regal regal is an import.
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frank129 says:
02:47 AM, 05/16/2010
Do you know that´s a german deleveloped car that also build in Germany ?
coolb944 says:
10:37 AM, 01/22/2010
@adavis2493:
I think looking at the Regal as a flop for the reasons you listed is sort of missing the point. Buick is trying to reinvent iteself and move its clients' average age down so that people will grow into the Buick brand. They're liable to die-off if they don't.
If Buick were trying to stick with its current client base, then sure, the Regal would be a flop. But Buick is trying to aim for entry-level Acura models (TSX), entry-level Volvo models (S40), VW (Passat), and entry-level Lexus models (IS250).
I'd say if they are looking for the right product for the age group they're seeking, they've hit it. I'm a 23-year-old male, VERY very enthused about cars, and if I were in the market for a sedan, you better believe the Regal would be on my list of potentials. I'd very happily take a CXL, CXS, or GS manual-equipped turbo car for a test drive. The only other car I find that can offer that kind of thrill and style from is an Audi A4, which, in this entry-premium class, is really the only other sedan I'd consider. BMW 3s, I'm sorry to say, are far too common-place (at least here in Los Angeles, where every other car is a 3 or 5), and a little too sober and sterile for me, though they may have the dynamic edge with rear-wheel drive. Most people my age want a car that has more Euro-esque driving dynamics, and I can say this definitively of car people and non-car people my age. They want a driving experience that is comfortable, but not isolated. They still want a connection to the machine and the road. I always hear from younger people about how they like driving German cars because they feel "heavier" and more "planted." This all results not from actual weight, but from the more direct, connected feel that European cars tend to have in the chassis calibrations. I think Buick has done the right thing by changing the chassis calibrations on the Regal to fit American driving tastes while still retaining what makes the drive distinctly European feeling.
NOW, the real challenge for Buick is to develop the right marketing scheme that will reach their target, and get the car in front of the people it's aimed at so that they can be convinced it actually is a worth while car of checking out.
Someone like me who reads these blogs and websites and knows about cars knows how good this car will be, but Buick has to figure out the right plan to reach those who are not as in touch with what the car industry is doing, and who basically find out about a new car from a TV or magazine ad, billboard, or a friend, which is the majority of the buying public. Get the product out there, and I really think this car will be a big success. It has the build quality, design, and driving ability to really capture a good group of new customers. If they can filter this throughout the rest of their lineup, they very well could become the American version of Audi (FWD with all-wheel-drive as an option, and a nice compromise between style, dynamics, and comfort), sending Cadillac after BMW and Mercedes-Benz (RWD, more driver oriented in the lower end for BMW customers, more comfortable but still direct in the higher-end for MB customers).
hondacura4 says:
12:23 PM, 01/21/2010
"Acura is smoking crack charging $30k for the TSX."
Sting, Im not a big fan of the current TSX but the long list of standard features somewhat justifies it's preice of entry. I'm not sure how the Buick comes equipped but I bet if it was equipped the same it would be priced similarly.
kingisback350 says:
11:39 AM, 01/21/2010
They have a long way to go, but the Lacrosse and Regal are good cars... Nice job Buick!!!
1487 says:
11:32 AM, 01/21/2010
I think sales projections for this will be modest- maybe 50k cars a year. They can do that. This car is going after the Passat and TSX, not volume cars like Altima, Camry, etc.
vvk says:
09:28 AM, 01/21/2010
Lunacy. 18" wheels when this car really needs something like 205/75-15. I can just imagine the shock when it comes to replace those huge, expensive tires.
stingray454 says:
09:08 AM, 01/21/2010
@adavis2493 - I agree with you, and Buick has an uphill battle in changing consumer perception with the Regal. They attempted to change consumer perception with Saturn (only cheap cars to full line Euro-influenced cars & crossovers) and failed. With Buick, they have to change perception of only an old person's brand to Acura and entry level Lexus competitor for younger buyers.
This is why properly marketing the Regal, and Buick as a brand is crucial. They did a good job so far advertising the new LaCross, but I think it was a big mistake not going with a new name like Invicta. People are familiar with the Lacross name as a car for old people, and old people are familiar with the name, so you're not going to get much change there, even though the design of the car is much more modern and attractive to a younger crowd.
wrinklebump says:
08:39 AM, 01/21/2010
Like the interior, and the bodywork of the rear fascia.
adavis2493 says:
08:17 AM, 01/21/2010
stingray454:
Agreed completely, but it's all about consumer perception as we saw in Cash for Clunkers when the bland Corolla outsold everything else on the market, and in the lack of sales of the G8. The lazy car-shoppers will much prefer to buy a Camry LE over a Regal just because it's a Toyota.
Hate to say it, but I see the Regal as being a bit of a flop. It seems that old people love Large American Built Sedans (Grand Marquis) over a zippy, euro-inspired smaller sedan with a Buick Badge.