2011 Buick Regal: Click to watch our video review.

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Paul Batista
Instant Wheels Editor, InstantRiverside.com

The Regal is back. My first thought, after hearing the name and not seeing the car, was that Buick would have another contender for the rental car industry. If I’m being honest, the last time we saw a new Regal on US shores, it was nothing to write home about. It was generally a practical car. Not particularly stylish or fast — a Point A to Point B type of ride. However, it proved to be a hit in China, where Buick is a well-liked brand.

The Regal thrived in China until 2008. A new version was introduced in November 2008 based on the Opel Insignia from Germany. And from that, we now have the American version of the Buick Regal. It was introduced to Los Angeles on November 12, 2009. Reminiscent of Buick’s glamorous days, the event was held at the recently renovated Hollywood Palladium. It featured a buffet courtesy of Wolfgang Puck and a mini-concert by artist Colbie Caillat.

It was encouraging to see a lively “welcome home” to a new Buick. While standing with back-lit blue curtain raising, Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman of GM, admitted to on-lookers “Buick was the choice. Somehow it turned into the old fogeys car.”

The 2011 Regal is being touted as a sports sedan, and Buick is not shy to admit to its Opel-based Euro-roots. With this new Regal, the company hopes to continue to fight the imports, naming Acura and Volvo as its main competitors in this segment. (Lutz freedly admits this in my video report.)
When it debuts in mid-2010, it will have a 2.4L 4-cylinder motor that produces 182 horsepower. Later in 2010, a turbo-charged 2.0L motor will be
available that will produce 220 horsepower.

Will Buick’s come-back strategy prove successful? Cars like the Regal and the recently-released LaCrosse are helping to point GM in the right direction. These new offerings can definitely be considered a departure from the norm — not automatic rental car candidates.

Ultimately pricing, build quality, and reliability will be the determining factors for Buick’s success.

Filed under Video Library, Wheels

Thursday, November 19, 2009

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