The interesting thing about certain cars is that they manage to be adored by some crowds and then shunned by others.
One of those cars is the new Buick Regal. Yes, it's essentially an Opel. Yes, it is quite easy on the eyes. Yes, it is made in Germany.
But does it bring with it all of the great things one is to expect from a European-turned automobile? Hm, I'll let you decide.
Take a look at some of the initial impressions from Consumer Reports and USAToday. Both are widely respected for their motoring opinions but is it possible that Buick managed to drop the ball on this one? Or, did the brand hit another homerun like it did with the LaCrosse?
Let us know in the comments down below.
**Consumer Reports had this to say:
This isn’t your father’s Buick. Or even his Oldsmobile.
General Motors may have revived an old nameplate for the 2011 Buick Regal, but the car is far removed from the preceding Regal that was discontinued in 2004. This new sedan is essentially a European Opel Insignia; it’s even being built in Germany for the first model year. Buick says it’s intended to compete with other upscale four-cylinder sports sedans, such as the Acura TSX and the Audi A4....
**However, USAToday's James Healey isn't so keen on the Regal:
Fort Salonga, NY: Will the high performance version be the same as the European version Insignia OPC with the 325HP 2.8-liter turbo V6 and AWD? I think that would give Audi a run...
James Healey: Not clear. Couldn't get enough hint from the Buick folk to make a good guess. Some Buick-specific fan sites might have grapevine stuff. If the U.S. GS hot-rod is actually based on the GS show car, it'll be an amped-up version of the 2-liter turbo 4 cyl....
Jacksonville, FL: Jim, it just amazes me that GM would give you a car (Buick Regal) with such problems. I, like many others, want to support GM and the other US car manufacturers, but how can they expect us to buy their cars when they take shortcuts, don't understand their customer, etc. Comments?
James Healey: So many comments it'd make my previous long-winded answers seem short. But that's not fun, so let's aspire to brevity. I think Buick would have been better-served, in the long run, to withhold the Regal from the U.S. market until GM could begin production in Canada, where it could add U.S.-specific mods. Such as the 'quiet steel' panels that cut noise. And a retuned exhaust to minimize the coarse voice of the 2.4 engine, and some other misc. stuff that would be too disruptive (i.e., too $$$) trying to do while Regal shares an assembly line with Insignia. This is an oddball case where the vaunted German sourcing makes the car worse, not better, viewed through North American eyes. And, irony, when the Germans tuned the steering on the Buick, they made it too soft-touch, too light, trying to second-guess what their American colleagues would want. So Buick had to firm the steering a bit. On the other hand, Buick had to slightly soften the rear shocks vs. the German tuning because U.S. roads aren't as universally smooth as German roads (their tax dollars at work). OK, so we failed on the brevity thing....
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