BUICK Regal
Generations Timeline, Specs and Pictures
The Buick Regal got totally overhauled in 2017 this including the performance GS variant.
The model also grows with 51 more horsepower than the old one along with a new transmission and AWD system. Visually, the car gains the company’s latest design language, with thin headlights and stoplights as well as arching lines and sharp creases. It also differentiates from the standard model through a more aggressive bumpers and larger wheels. The interior gets heated/cooled massage seats along with an updated infotainment system and latest safety technology. Other performance parts include Brembo brakes and a tuned suspension.
In 2008, Buick introduced a new generation of the Regal range to the North-American market.
It was primarily based on the European Opel/Vauxhall Insignia. Four years later, it refreshed the lineup.
While the European branch struggled to survive and being just a step away to be bought by the Russian bank Sberbank, the U.S. model was well received on the market. The styling and the features offered by Buick for the Regal pushed the car into the premium segment.
GM unveiled the 2014 Buick Regal at the 2013 New York Auto Show. There were essential changes to the exterior. The car featured a new bumper design with wider air-intakes on the sides, where the fog lights were installed. The rear bumper was redesigned as well, and it featured two chromed exhausts under the apron. The LED technology found its way into the rear taillights and on the daytime running lights. The three-box sedan version featured an integrated lip-spoiler on the trunk-lid.
Inside, the Regal featured few modifications to the dashboard and for the infotainment system. The new instrument cluster featured a TFT color-display placed between the tachometer and speedometer. The design team relocated the lights knob upper than before, to be easier to reach by the driver.
The most significant improvement under the hood was the introduction of the 2.4-liter with light electrification assistance that transformed the car into a mild-hybrid vehicle. For those who were looking for more performance, Buick offered the Regal with a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit mated to a 6-speed manual as standard. It provided the car with an all-wheel-drive system. GM decided to offer a 6-speed automatic for both engine versions.
When GM designed a good car, it adapted it for various markets worldwide through its badge-engineering program.
So it was the 2010 Buick Regal born as a European Vauxhall/Opel Insignia.
In 2008, Vauxhall was the first brand to introduce the Insignia at the London Motor Show, and soon, Opel unveiled the same vehicle in the same year, but with the steering on the left. In late 2009, GM uncovered the 2010 Buick Regal at the LA Auto Show.
At the time of its launch, Vauxhall/Opel offered the Insignia in two body versions: a hatchback and a classic, three-box sedan, but only the latter crossed the Atlantic and gained the Buick badge on the grille. Its sculptured side panels and doors visually increased the car’s length, while the headlights were aggressive and featured daytime running lights. All the efforts of the designers toward the aerodynamics paid off with a spectacular Cd of 0.27.
Inside, there was a new design concept carried over from its European siblings with high-quality materials. But unfortunately, the car featured a shorter wheelbase than the Buick LaCrosse, which was its predecessor, which affected the knee-room in the back. On the plus side, the exterior length was smaller and thus easier to drive in traffic. A new infotainment generation included a seven-inch color monitor, a 3-D map view, a digital travel guide, and improved scroll and zoom functions.
Under the hood, GM took only the best engines from the European cousin. It offered the Regal with a choice of two, four-cylinder engines. The base version featured a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated unit, while the other two versions featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot.
The year has started with the brand new Buick Encore micro-crossover being show, and now the GM brand is slightly revising another one of their popular models.
Like a games creator releasing new content to keep the fans happy, so too has the Regal sedan been enhanced with new kit in 2012. Thus the 2013 model year Regal gets a new Aisin AF40 six-speed automatic with Driver Shift Control as a free option to the six-speed manual gearbox on the 270 horsepower turbocharged Regal GS sedan. This new box provides the same performance, as it helps propel the car to 60mph in 6.7 seconds.
The fourth generation of the Buick Regal was launched in 1997 and it was marketed as a sports sedan vehicle.
It shared the platform with the Oldsmobile Intrigue, Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevrolet Lumina and Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
In the Buick stable, the Regal was the upmarket version of the Century and the main difference was the engine. The newly developed W-platform was used for more GM vehicles and it featured a front-engine front-wheel-drive system. The Regal was advertised as “The official car of the supercharged family”, referring to the car’s performances. The Regal was the first car to be launched online, on a dedicated website. The introduction was with a car breaking through a brick-like wall. The driver of that car was the Buick General Manager, Ed Mertz.
On the outside, the three-box sedan featured profiled headlights with rounded edges and turn-signals on the outer side, on the fenders. The GS trim level featured a two-tone paint as standard which was extended on both bumpers and a black grille. It was the top model, with a 3.8-liter supercharged engine.
Inside, the 1997 ½ Regal featured exclusive amenities such as heated seats, a premium sound system, a dual-zone climate control, and sunroof. There were two available instrument clusters for the driver and for the top-spec GS there was a tire pressure monitor.
Under the hood, the Regal was offered with a 3.8-liter V6 engine naturally aspirated for the base trim level and supercharged for the GS model. Some further modifications were made over the production time and increased the GS model power from a standard 240 hp up to 270 hp. Regardless of the trim level, the Regal was offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission only.
Buick tried to conquer a more significant chunk of the market with the third generation of the Regal.
It was introduced in 1987 as a 1988 model year.
The new W platform was designed for better handling and comfort. It was the first front-wheel-drive Regal, and it showed a lack of experience in that area. Still, the comfort, look, and amenities led to enough sales, so the car was kept on the assembly lanes until 1996, with regular updates for the look and for the drivetrain.
The Regal’s grille was inspired by the Greek Parthenon, guarded on its sides by the headlights. With big, corner-mounted, turn-signal lamps, it offered a premium look. But that image was kept only or a few years until GM started to change it. Initially, it was offered in a base Custom trim level, with an option for the Limited version. The red light strip in the back of the car provided a futuristic look for those times.
The interior was designed too conservative for customers that didn’t want to experience new technologies. It was the same situation with the Cadillac buyers, who preferred walnut and leather instead. But Buick customers were surprised by the digital display, which was offered as an option. It wasn’t any TFT or LCD unit, but a LED-based system. A bucket-seat option was available.
Under the hood, the Regal started with a 2.8-liter V6 engine that offered a mere 125 hp. Later on, a 3.1-liter and a 3.8-liter were added to the list. All of them were mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.