Topic: 2011 Buick Regal CXL; Day 1

[John]

And now for something completely different: an American car built in… Germany?

It just a re-badged Vauxhall/Opel Insignia it's been around since 2008 and was a replacement for the Vectra. Next year Insignia/regal will be built in Canada. Only this year will be the German versions.  The Chinese can't get enough of these cars GM has sold buckets loads over there.

China must have buckets loads of senior citizens then? 

As stated earlier, GM need not rebadge Opels with the grandpa brand Buick.  Keep the Opel badge, attract more customers....just a thought.  Well, at least it has a timing chain engine   

[rrocket]

As stated earlier, GM need not rebadge Opels with the grandpa brand Buick.  Keep the Opel badge, attract more customers....just a thought.  Well, at least it has a timing chain engine   

Stupid idea, IMO.  Especially since Opel is on the brink in Europe.  GM is trying to rebuild their brand here.  They don't need to muddy the waters with cars labelled anything but "GM"

[toolatecrew]

Maybe they should have made it a Cadillac and revivied the Cimmiron name 

[John]

As stated earlier, GM need not rebadge Opels with the grandpa brand Buick.  Keep the Opel badge, attract more customers....just a thought.  Well, at least it has a timing chain engine   

Stupid idea, IMO.  Especially since Opel is on the brink in Europe.  GM is trying to rebuild their brand here.  They don't need to muddy the waters with cars labelled anything but "GM"

That's news to me.  Why are they on the brink?  Even if correct, how is rebadging a brand that is on the "brink" with a Grandpa stigma buick brand any better?  I don't think your business model is any better.

[John]

Maybe they should have made it a Cadillac and revivied the Cimmiron name 

 

[rrocket]

Ummm...they are in financial difficulty.  GM really needed to secure ~$7 billion in aid from the Germany gov't, and they were turned down.  So they are on the brink.

My business model is better.  GM even thought it was a better idea to have a couple less brands in their line-up. (Saturn, Pontiac, etc..)

As I said...GM needs to focus on car, not on getting the public interested in a brand-new-to-the-USA nameplate. 

Yes, the perception of Buick will need to change. 

[dirtyjeffer]

I'd love to see a comparison between a loaded 40K Regal and the 31K loaded Sonata Limited with Navi...

i haven't driven the Regal, but i have driven the Sonata (Limited with Navi)...awesome car to drive...some of the best seats i have ever sat in (seriously, the leather on the seats in that car is really soft, not like the "vinyl", "leatherette" or "Artico Leather" you get in most cars in that price range, including BMW and Mercedes models that are $5-$6k MORE)...with more power, more features, a better warranty, and less money, i can't see why anyone would pick the Regal.

[Erik]

I'd love to see a comparison between a loaded 40K Regal and the 31K loaded Sonata Limited with Navi...

i haven't driven the Regal, but i have driven the Sonata (Limited with Navi)...awesome car to drive...some of the best seats i have ever sat in (seriously, the leather on the seats in that car is really soft, not like the "vinyl", "leatherette" or "Artico Leather" you get in most cars in that price range, including BMW and Mercedes models that are $5-$6k MORE)...with more power, more features, a better warranty, and less money, i can't see why anyone would pick the Regal.

You answered your own question: You haven't driven a Regal.

[rrocket]

I'd love to see a comparison between a loaded 40K Regal and the 31K loaded Sonata Limited with Navi...

i haven't driven the Regal, but i have driven the Sonata (Limited with Navi)...awesome car to drive...some of the best seats i have ever sat in (seriously, the leather on the seats in that car is really soft, not like the "vinyl", "leatherette" or "Artico Leather" you get in most cars in that price range, including BMW and Mercedes models that are $5-$6k MORE)...with more power, more features, a better warranty, and less money, i can't see why anyone would pick the Regal.

You answered your own question: You haven't driven a Regal.

    So the drive is going to make up for the thousands in cost disparity is it?  It better be the best handling FWD car in the world then...   

[John]

Ummm...they are in financial difficulty.  GM really needed to secure ~$7 billion in aid from the Germany gov't, and they were turned down.  So they are on the brink.

My business model is better.  GM even thought it was a better idea to have a couple less brands in their line-up. (Saturn, Pontiac, etc..)

As I said...GM needs to focus on car, not on getting the public interested in a brand-new-to-the-USA nameplate. 

Yes, the perception of Buick will need to change. 

Let's see.......
So Opel wasn't selling well, not making a profit?  Turned down by the Europeans. Failed brand then, right?
So GM is in the same boat, not selling well, bloated, not making a profit, needed a bail out...equals Failed brand, right?
Marry up both failed brands (perceived or real)...AND, rebadge with the Buick stigma brand equals.....(drum roll)  you fill in the blank. 
Sorry, your services as a business manager will not be needed. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Ummm...they are in financial difficulty.  GM really needed to secure ~$7 billion in aid from the Germany gov't, and they were turned down.  So they are on the brink.

My business model is better.  GM even thought it was a better idea to have a couple less brands in their line-up. (Saturn, Pontiac, etc..)

As I said...GM needs to focus on car, not on getting the public interested in a brand-new-to-the-USA nameplate. 

Yes, the perception of Buick will need to change. 

Let's see.......
So Opel wasn't selling well, not making a profit?  Turned down by the Europeans. Failed brand then, right?
So GM is in the same boat, not selling well, bloated, not making a profit, needed a bail out...equals Failed brand, right?
Marry up both failed brands (perceived or real)...AND, rebadge with the Buick stigma brand equals.....(drum roll)  you fill in the blank. 
Sorry, your services as a business manager will not be needed. 

GM was selling very well. The problem they had was lack of profitability due to very high costs: labour, benefits, discount pricing, warranty etc. Throw in the worst economic crisis since the 1930s and the floor fell out from under them. They were not alone in Europe, Renault, PSA, Fiat are all struggling.

Much of the cost issue was solved by going through bankruptcy. Only good products will fix the discount pricing and warranty issues.

Getting rid of the very well known Buick name and introducing the completely unknown Opel name would have been utterly stupid.

[initial_D]

2.0 Turbo, 6 speed manual, Old's car? Intrigued!

[bikenut]

if buick wanted to attract younger buyers , they already have their name going against them --
( except for their high rankings in reliability )
, why call it a regal  ?   ( excluding the black turbo many years ago ) regal isen't a name that will inspire the young today to buy , it just means an old mans car name to them , why should they even look at it ?
they are not going to be bragging to their friends , hey , i just bought a regal !!!!

why didn't buick just name it something else instead of regal   ?  using a name that might appeal to a younger crowd .
better still ,  call it an opel instead of a buick , and lend a little european mystery to it , maybe a sportier one too .
that might have a better chance of attracting younger buyers ,---- like james

[toolatecrew]

if buick wanted to attract younger buyers , they already have their name going against them --
( except for their high rankings in reliability )
, why call it a regal  ?   ( excluding the black turbo many years ago ) regal isen't a name that will inspire the young today to buy , it just means an old mans car name to them , why should they even look at it ?
they are not going to be bragging to their friends , hey , i just bought a regal !!!!

why didn't buick just name it something else instead of regal   ?  using a name that might appeal to a younger crowd .
better still ,  call it an opel instead of a buick , and lend a little european mystery to it , maybe a sportier one too .
that might have a better chance of attracting younger buyers ,---- like james

That's actually a good point I had not thought of. If you are trying to revitalize Buick and get new young customers to think "This is not your grandfather's buick" why bring back an existing Buick nameplate that is associated with past "grandfather" Buicks. Yes I know the Regal is supposed to be the sporty (relatively) Buick but the most recent Regal (only 6 years ago was a 4 door sedan that was based on the Impala platform and had only cosmetic differences from the Buick Century. Ask some 30 something target market for the new Regal if they remember the last Regal and they will probably say "Yeah my dad's friend had one it was gussied up Impala with a Buick Grille. There is no "sporty" legacy with the Regal except for the GNX/Type T more than 25 years ago.

I mean is Ford going to being the Pinto name back? This is "old GM" think. Should have called it Vectra or Insignia.

[inco]

Funny that you bring up the new names. People DO associate Buick as being an older person's car and it was marketed that way for years - and it worked. Now they want younger people - hmmm challenge.

But wait - didn't that happen before? Along came Saturn with new thinking, new ideas and new ways of marketing and that might have been a brand worth keeping to do this very thing - revitalize the company with a new direction and new product. Oh well, we know that ain't going to happen so what to do?

How can you make an old name new?

[Wheelboy]

You haven't driven a Regal.

I have and it was what I was expecting from a Buick, which I've never driven before - soft & wallowy.  I finally went with a used 2007 Acura TL Type S which could never be accused of riding like the Regal.

[toolatecrew]

GM has come a long way bringing a new image to Cadillac......I think they can do the same thing here. I won't be easy, though.

I am young (29) and I would consider the hi-end turbo (AWD) version of the Regal they are considering. A name is a name - all I want is a good car.

I do think the Buick has some pretty good potential. A few great models over a few years and people will quickly forget. Many have very short memories (IE SUV and gas prices now).

It's all about product, product, product, at this point. Hyundai not too long ago were making dreadful (I had a friend in University with an "S Coupe") cars. A few good products and people have (for the most part) forgotten. It can be done.

No one is arguing that good product can help change a brand. But why saddle a new product with not one but TWO barriers to overcome?

Why does the car not only have to prove its "different" than past Buicks but different than past Regals?

Lets say that you had a bad experience with Tide Super Clean detergent. It didn't clean all that well and lots of people said the same thing..it didn't clean that well.

Now Tide has come out with a new detergent that cleans really well. People have a negative association that Tide detergents don't clean all that wall but this new one..its going to prove them all wrong. So should Tide name this new one Superclean or call it Mega Clean? When you hear tide Super Clean the first thing that pops into your head is "it doesn't clean well" Mega Clean? Well that's new ..I'll wait to hear the reviews of Mega Clean its new! Mega Clean works really well? I guess I'll check it out.

That's how you change the perception. I don't get why Buick is trying to capitalize on a name (regal) that is long associated with the OLD Buick.

[ovr50]

From James' review, Day 2 - "Seating, unfortunately, is rather flat and unsupportive in my test model. No sports seats in this version of the Regal; perhaps the turbo model will bring the sport to this sports sedan."

Read no further, that would be a deal-breaker for me (and, I suspect, many others). Seat comfort is very important, and I am surprised that many car makers have not twigged to that yet. 

[tpl]

From James' review, Day 2 - "Seating, unfortunately, is rather flat and unsupportive in my test model. No sports seats in this version of the Regal; perhaps the turbo model will bring the sport to this sports sedan."

Read no further, that would be a deal-breaker for me (and, I suspect, many others). Seat comfort is very important, and I am surprised that many car makers have not twigged to that yet. 

I expect that they have  twigged that.   But your fathers Buick doesn't need supportive seats ( side to side) because it won't be driven fast around corners.    Or if you prefer because of UAW seniority rules all the seat people are arthritic 64 year-olds.   

[wing]

Yeah I didn't say they were uncomfortable just unsupportive like you would expect from a Buick haha