DETROIT — General Motors has revealed that the next Buick, a midsize sport sedan, will get the traditional Buick moniker of "Regal." The information was divulged at the Buick GMC dealer business meeting on Wednesday. There hasn't been a U.S.-market Regal for six years.
The new Regal is expected to come out next year as a 2011 model and to be smaller than the new LaCrosse, although GM hasn't released those details yet beyond calling the new Regal "the next member of the Buick family."
The Buick Regal is a popular car in China, where it's marketed with heavy emphasis on its sporty qualities. As for the U.S. market? In a Web chat last week, GM CEO Fritz Henderson said, "[I] think you will like what you see in future Regal alternatives, á la [Insignia] OPC alternatives, but do not look for [a] GNX."
Inside Line says: As one Twitterer said on the Buick Twitter page, "Having a hard time picturing a performance Regal, hoping Buick will surprise me." — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent
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ms3hothatch says:
07:28 AM, 10/15/2009
A performance Riviera coupe would have made more sense. This is what the next Saturn mid-size would have been based on and definitely a rebadged Malibu with more class. Not bad, but not for me. Interesting nonetheless.
notabigdeal says:
08:33 PM, 10/14/2009
Sporty small Buick. I thought Buick was about affordable luxury. I thought Cadillac was supposed to be doing the "performance" end of things.
It doesn't come up often but GM is going on a PR craze these days. They have many cars they need to update/ get rid of. I'm kinda hoping they'd spend some money on that rather then a baby Buick to be seen in the US. Cars like the DTS/STS makes me wonder why its there. DO something with it or get rid of it. It has a 4.6L v8 that produces 292- 320 hp. Even Hyundai's V8 makes 350+ on the same 4.6L displacement and is more fuel efficient. The northstar's are another american engine icon, please save it (it seem that HEMI will be laid to rest soon).
xprojected says:
12:06 PM, 10/14/2009
"Having a hard time picturing a performance Regal, hoping Buick will surprise me."
Isn't that exactly what a GNX was?