Friday, January 29, 2010

2011 Buick Regal Price

2011 Buick Regal2011 Buick Regal
2011 Buick Regal
2011 Buick Regal

Buick today announced pricing for the all-new 2011 Regal. Prices start at $26,995 for the premium CXL model, including a $750 destination charge.

Regal’s CXL turbo model will start at $29,495, including a $750 destination charge.

Regal will initially be offered in premium CXL trim only, with additional trim levels to be offered in the 2012 model year. The well-equipped Regal CXL includes the following as standard or available equipment:

* Standard 2.4L Ecotec direct injected engine rated at an estimated 182 horsepower (136 kW)
* Available 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected engine rated at an estimated 220 horsepower (164 kW) – available late-summer 2010
* Both engines have six-speed automatic transmission standard with Driver Shift Control (DSC)
* Estimated 30 mpg on the highway with the 2.4L and 29 mpg highway with the 2.0L turbo engine
* MacPherson strut front suspension and four-link independent rear suspension
* Class-exclusive Interactive Drive Control System is available with the 2.0L turbo,

offering enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, while also adapting the driving characteristics of the car to the driver’s preferences. The driver selects among three operating modes that adjust suspension, steering, throttle, transmission, and stability systems to personalize the driving experience

* Four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel anti-lock braking system, brake assist and electronic parking brake
* Standard StabiliTrak stability control system and full-function traction control
* Standard dual-stage frontal air bags, side-curtain air bags and pedal-release system; and available rear-seat thorax air bags
* Available navigation system, Harman Kardon sound system, and internal flash drive (1GB)
* Standard 18-inch aluminum wheels (19-inch aluminum wheels come with available Interactive Drive Control on the 2.0L turbo)
* Standard 12-way power, leather and heated driver seat; leather and heated passenger front seat; Bluetooth for phone capability; i-Pod auxiliary jack and USB port; XM Satellite Radio and OnStar

“The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and we’re excited to bring this Buick sport sedan to market,” said Craig Bierley, Buick Marketing Director. “The dynamic driving experience and intuitive, personal technologies offer customers a premium sport sedan for great value.” 2011 Regal pricing compares to the 2010 LaCrosse as follows:

Buick Trim Level 2011 Buick Regal 2010 Buick LaCrosse
(CX) Available 2012MY $26,995
(CXL) $26,995 $30,395
(CXL) with turbo $29,495 N/A
CXS N/A $33,765

Regal production for sale in the U.S. and Canada begins late Q1 2010 in Russelsheim, Germany, with vehicles expected to start arriving at dealerships in Q2 2010. North American production will begin at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant beginning in Q1 2011.





2011 Buick Regal
2011 Buick Regal

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Buick LaCrosse world-class comfort for a reasonable price

2010 Buick LaCrosse
The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is the first non-specialty car I've driven that makes me believe General Motors really can still build world-class cars.

The 2010 LaCrosse is an awfully nice entry-level luxury sedan. It drives great, rides great and offers plenty of comfort and luxury features, all for a modest price.

I tested a gorgeous metallic red ($325 extra for cool paint, just like other luxury cars) CXS, the top-level model. Price started at $33,015 and was well equipped. The base CX model starts at $27,085. There also are CXL and CXL all-wheel-drive models, starting at $29,645 and $31,820, respectively.

Power comes from a strong 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. The quiet V6 generates a hefty 280 horsepower and puts it to the pavement with a smooth 6-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is good, bringing the solid (roughly 4,000-pound) sedan up to highway speeds quickly and easily. Pulling away from a stoplight with authority is easy thanks to 259 foot-pounds of torque.

The base LaCrosse's engine is a 182-horse 2.4-liter I-4, which may seem a bit meek. The CXL moves up to a 255-horse, 3.0-liter V6, that creates just a touch less in AWD form.

Handling is good with moderately heavy steering feel to the front-drive car, but quick turn-in as you slip the sedan through tight turns and there's no body roll to speak of either. LaCrosse is on par with the likes of a Lexus ES350 or Toyota Avalon for feel. It's also on par or slightly better than the Ford Taurus I recently drove and its cousin, the Lincoln MKS.

The Buick ride, long its primary selling point, is exceptional. The LaCrosse handled our rough roads and streets with as much comfort as any car I've driven, some at twice the price. The independent suspension at all four corners, plus MacPherson struts up front create a well controlled ride, not the old soft, floaty ride of the past.

Braking is excellent with four-wheel discs, anti-locks and stability and traction control. I had this in some sloppy weather and didn't spin the 18-inch tires.

Inside, the Buick delivers one of the best GM interiors to date. Fit and finish is up there with the imports, both in form and function.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Buick Regal GS Concept

Buick Regal GS Front Three Quarter 1

Buick Regal GS Concept Tipped as the Next Gran Sport

Buick Regal GS show car.
Buick says the Regal GS show car will “reinvigorate Buick’s storied Gran Sport legacy.”

2011 Buick Regal

2011 Buick Regal
With a chassis engineered for European roads and a Buick badge, the Regal could add some zing to Buick's image and compete with luxury sport sedans like the Acura TSX and Volvo S60. The Regal is about 5.8 inches shorter than the Buick LaCrosse.

Other than its grille and lights, the Regal's exterior is a dead ringer for GM's German Opel Insignia sedan, 2009 winner of Europe's Car of the Year award. The Regal features a choice of two four-cylinder engines: a 2.4-liter that offers a thrifty 30 m.p.g. on the highway and a 220-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter for enthusiasts. Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions are available, as is an adaptive suspension that improves handling in sporty driving.

Interior features include standard leather seating and Bluetooth hands-free phone capability.

Buick will also show a Regal GS concept car that features all-wheel drive, a 255-horsepower version of the 2.0-liter turbo engine, a performance suspension and Brembo brakes. Buick will probably build the GS model.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

First Drive: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS
When the original car arrived, those to the south of us called it LaCrosse. Not in Canada. Here, the name of Canada's national sport was dropped because it had (has) a lewd connotation en français. Enter the weakly named Allure. Thankfully, Buick has come to its senses and named its full-sized family sedan what it should have been from Day One. Ironically, the owner's manual still welcomes the owner to the 2010 Allure.

In the past, getting behind the wheel of a Buick made me forget where I was going and why I was going there, such was the drive-the-living-room-to-the-mall excitement of the Allure - it was more overly padded recliner than supportive Recaro seat in nature. Sure, it served a purpose, but, gee, what an anemic form of transportation. The LaCrosse is a very different car as it is, believe it or not, actually sporty and has a sense of purpose, all of which makes it a very distant relative to the Buicks of yore.

Gone are the somnolent interior, iffy materials and cobbled-together feel. Instead, there's a snazzy cabin (the French stitching that runs through the door panel, over the instrument binnacle and across the dash to the other door panel adds a welcome touch of elegance) that boasts rich materials. It's also very comfortable without feeling like an old pair of slippers, and it is very well equipped. In the tester's case, the list ran the gamut - everything from heated/cooled power front seats, a heated steering wheel and a heads-up display to a navigation package that included a very good harman-kardon audio system with a 40-gigabyte hard drive and a backup camera. The hard-drive-based navigation system has a neat twist ­- it warns of impending traffic delays or road works. The coverage area is limited at present (essentially Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver), but it works very well. Perhaps the only downside is being told that a highway that's moving at the limit is coming to a standstill in 8.7 kilometres - it's demoralizing.

Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=2412532#ixzz0bx7izeLt
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Buick Regal GS Concept Tipped as the Next Gran Sport

Buick Regal GS show car.
Buick says the Regal GS show car will “reinvigorate Buick’s storied Gran Sport legacy.”

General Motors is gradually revealing the cars it plans to unveil at the Detroit auto show over the Internet. Two days ago it was the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. On Thursday, G.M. revealed the Buick Regal GS.

G.M. introduced the Buick Regal last December at the Los Angeles auto show. At the time, Buick said the Regal would release a turbocharged 2-liter version, with 220 horsepower, late this summer. The Regal GS pushes the performance threshold a bit more.

Buick Regal GS Concept

Buick Regal Gs Show Car Side

2010 Detroit auto show -- is any indication of things to come.

Conceived as a "21st-century successor" to the vaulted Skylark Gran Sports and Regal Grand Nationals, the show car -- like the production 2011 Regal itself -- has European roots. Much of the car stems from the high-performance OPC version of the Opel Insignia, including the lowered stance, aggressive front fascia, and large 20-inch wheels. Inside, the Regal GS sports an all black interior, highlighted by special Recaro front buckets (donated from the Insignia OPC), and a flat-bottom sport steering wheel.

The GS show car is powered by GM's turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec I-4, but receives a bump in power to live up to the Gran Sport legend. GM says the engine is pumping out about 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to propel the Regal GS from 0-60 mph in under six seconds. Power is put to the ground via a six-speed manual transmission and an advanced all-wheel-drive system, developed in part by Haldex. The system uses an electronic limited-slip rear differential to help push the car through corners, giving it a balanced, rear-drive feel. Further helping to instill that balanced feel are the unique "HiPerStrut" struts up front, which reportedly help to quell torque steer while improving steering feel.

Similar to Audi's "Drive Select" controller, Regal GS show car allows drivers to modify the car's ride control, steering effort, and throttle response through the "Interactive Drive Control System." IDCS has three settings -- normal, sport, and GS -- to allow drivers to tailor the car for soft cruising or hard driving. You'll know if you've selected either the sport or GS setting -- the instrument cluster will glow a soft blue hue.