Topic: 2011 Buick Regal CXL; Day 1

[TopGun]

Hmmmm...didn't hear a peep about BK....

Did Burger King take money from the Japanese government too?   

[dirtyjeffer]

Yea...I'm excited to hear about that car, too!!

Have they decided if they will offer it with AWD??

Turbo+6 speed+AWD would be a very, very cool car.

it would have been exciting, if it had more than 220HP.

personally, i don't get it.

i think they would have been best to offer this car with a nice 3.0L V6 or perhaps even the nice 3.6L...the car would really do well with the extra power and with the tall gearing in a 6 sp auto, it would still get decent fuel economy...instead, you have an underpowered 2.4L I4 or an uninspiring 2.0L Turbo...i mean, where did they source that engine from, Saab?...why didn't they use the engine from the Solstice GXP?...it had about 270HP...that would have at least made it competitive...the Regal just seems like a Malibu in a nicer suit...nothing wrong with that, but i don't think it lives up to what it COULD have been.

[rrocket]

Yea...I'm excited to hear about that car, too!!

Have they decided if they will offer it with AWD??

Turbo+6 speed+AWD would be a very, very cool car.

it would have been exciting, if it had more than 220HP.

personally, i don't get it.

i think they would have been best to offer this car with a nice 3.0L V6 or perhaps even the nice 3.6L...the car would really do well with the extra power and with the tall gearing in a 6 sp auto, it would still get decent fuel economy...instead, you have an underpowered 2.4L I4 or an uninspiring 2.0L Turbo...i mean, where did they source that engine from, Saab?...why didn't they use the engine from the Solstice GXP?...it had about 270HP...that would have at least made it competitive...the Regal just seems like a Malibu in a nicer suit...nothing wrong with that, but i don't think it lives up to what it COULD have been.

Unlike the non-turbo car, you'll be able to extract 270HP from this engine with ease.

[dirtyjeffer]

Unlike the non-turbo car, you'll be able to extract 270HP from this engine with ease.

i know, they already did that in the Cobalt SS and the Solstice GXP...why didn't they put that engine in the Regal Turbo?

i mean, i think back to the Buick Regal Grand National with its turbo 3.8L (a buddy at work has one)...that car was bad ass...all black, fast and mean looking...it was awesome.

i don't see any of that "greatness" in the new Regal...is it a nice car??...of course it is, but so are many other cars, which offer more value.

[Jaeger]

Yea...I'm excited to hear about that car, too!!

Have they decided if they will offer it with AWD??

Turbo+6 speed+AWD would be a very, very cool car.

it would have been exciting, if it had more than 220HP.

personally, i don't get it.

i think they would have been best to offer this car with a nice 3.0L V6 or perhaps even the nice 3.6L...the car would really do well with the extra power and with the tall gearing in a 6 sp auto, it would still get decent fuel economy...instead, you have an underpowered 2.4L I4 or an uninspiring 2.0L Turbo...i mean, where did they source that engine from, Saab?...why didn't they use the engine from the Solstice GXP?...it had about 270HP...that would have at least made it competitive...the Regal just seems like a Malibu in a nicer suit...nothing wrong with that, but i don't think it lives up to what it COULD have been.

Unlike the non-turbo car, you'll be able to extract 270HP from this engine with ease.

And the number of people likely to "mod" their Buick is.... ?? 

If the turbo puts out 220hp and anywhere in the neighborhood of, say, 250 lb/ft of torque, I could be quite happy with this car in a stick.  To me, the big question is how it will price out when optioned out a bit. I have this sinking feeling they will be asking G37 money for it.  And for G37 money, I buy a G37, not a Regal.

Jaeger

[D70]

"It is a nice mid-sized sedan that performed well for its segment and pricing but does not stand out as a segment buster"

I sat in one at the Vancouver auto show and found as in it's close cousin the Malibu I had to duck my head getting in and out of the drivers seat.

The economy seems to be not as good as my Intrigue which has better highway figures and more headroom.

That being said I believe this car should sell well especially when the price becomes more attractive.

In the mean time I'll stick to my older cars which combined cost way less than one new Regal

For the Regal I saw in China last year

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4194683902/

My summer ride with better head room and economy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4911484003/

My winter ride with better room and economy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4256986670/

[Equalizer]

Post #15 for Jaegermeister in this thread.

I think I'll go and post another 14 times in the Sonata thread.

 

No worries, the "Emperor" will post another 15 more, saying the same thing.

[CatsEye68]

Post #15 for Jaegermeister in this thread.

I think I'll go and post another 14 times in the Sonata thread.

 

No worries, the "Emperor" will post another 15 more, saying the same thing.

I'm pretty sure he already has. I lost count at 30...

[tpl]

Come on guys make it 200 posts.   

[Equalizer]

We may be over exaggerating the reasons, pros and cons of retaining the Regal name.

It may be as simple as (a) the aging population average and the demographic coming closer to what traditionally Buick represents, therefore keep a familiar name regardless of past vehicles, (b) GM arrogance thinking the Regal name represents a past filled with the pinnacle of automotive excellence and customer appreciation     , (c) don't take a chance on change, leave the name alone and improve the car underneath it, (d) laziness.

GM in essence is asking us to forget the last thirty (30) years with its' Buick Brand, a hapless relic of a mindset that believed Detroit nameplate automakers could get away with foisting outclassed machinery on consumers too patriotic or dimwitted to look outside a Detroit nameplate.

Senior folks may still be attracted to the the Park Avenue and Roadmaster brand, I am afraid for the rest of us.  But the Regal/Opel clone with stiff suspension and firm seats is not to the typical liking to older folks.

Forgetting 30 years of unfulfilled promises labeled Buick Century, Reatta, Skylark and Lucerne is a tall order.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

We may be over exaggerating the reasons, pros and cons of retaining the Regal name.

It may be as simple as (a) the aging population average and the demographic coming closer to what traditionally Buick represents, therefore keep a familiar name regardless of past vehicles, (b) GM arrogance thinking the Regal name represents a past filled with the pinnacle of automotive excellence and customer appreciation     , (c) don't take a chance on change, leave the name alone and improve the car underneath it, (d) laziness.

GM in essence is asking us to forget the last thirty (30) years with its' Buick Brand, a hapless relic of a mindset that believed Detroit nameplate automakers could get away with foisting outclassed machinery on consumers too patriotic or dimwitted to look outside a Detroit nameplate.

Senior folks may still be attracted to the the Park Avenue and Roadmaster brand, I am afraid for the rest of us.  But the Regal/Opel clone with stiff suspension and firm seats is not to the typical liking to older folks.

Forgetting 30 years of unfulfilled promises labeled Buick Century, Reatta, Skylark and Lucerne is a tall order.

People forgot these:

[toolatecrew]

We may be over exaggerating the reasons, pros and cons of retaining the Regal name.

It may be as simple as (a) the aging population average and the demographic coming closer to what traditionally Buick represents, therefore keep a familiar name regardless of past vehicles, (b) GM arrogance thinking the Regal name represents a past filled with the pinnacle of automotive excellence and customer appreciation     , (c) don't take a chance on change, leave the name alone and improve the car underneath it, (d) laziness.

GM in essence is asking us to forget the last thirty (30) years with its' Buick Brand, a hapless relic of a mindset that believed Detroit nameplate automakers could get away with foisting outclassed machinery on consumers too patriotic or dimwitted to look outside a Detroit nameplate.

Senior folks may still be attracted to the the Park Avenue and Roadmaster brand, I am afraid for the rest of us.  But the Regal/Opel clone with stiff suspension and firm seats is not to the typical liking to older folks.

Forgetting 30 years of unfulfilled promises labeled Buick Century, Reatta, Skylark and Lucerne is a tall order.

People forgot these:

Yes they did..and Hyundai has never once named a new model "Pony" or "Stellar"

Hyundai has only been in the US since the 80s it hasn't ven been 30 years yet. In fact after only 18 years in the market they were tied with Honda for initial brand quality in a survey/study from J.D. Power and Associates.

[Leviathan]

Ah, yes, the "Stelwhore" as my friend called his 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Yes they did..and Hyundai has never once named a new model "Pony" or "Stellar"

Hyundai has only been in the US since the 80s it hasn't ven been 30 years yet. In fact after only 18 years in the market they were tied with Honda for initial brand quality in a survey/study from J.D. Power and Associates.

The Stellar was replaced by the, you guessed it, Sonata! The first gen Sonata was only marginally better than the Stellar. I'd take a 1990 Century long before a 1990 Sonata.



Buick has done very well in J.D.Power's surveys for a long time.

[Equalizer]

As we all know, the Buick Regal is a rebadged Opel Insignia.  Initially it was meant to be a Saturn Aura until GM's bankruptcy, once the Saturn door was closed, GM was forced to make it into a Buick.  Explains why GM would chose to saddle the car with the Buick "grandfathers" brand and the anemic Ecotech four banger.

[sailor723]

Yes they did..and Hyundai has never once named a new model "Pony" or "Stellar"

Hyundai has only been in the US since the 80s it hasn't ven been 30 years yet. In fact after only 18 years in the market they were tied with Honda for initial brand quality in a survey/study from J.D. Power and Associates.

The Stellar was replaced by the, you guessed it, Sonata! The first gen Sonata was only marginally better than the Stellar. I'd take a 1990 Century long before a 1990 Sonata.



Buick has done very well in J.D.Power's surveys for a long time.

I can remember people in our dealership using the line "It's  S'not a car....it's a Hyundai" when the first Sonata's came out.   (and you're right, they had more in common with a Stellar than today's Sonata)

[toolatecrew]

As we all know, the Buick Regal is a rebadged Opel Insignia.  Initially it was meant to be a Saturn Aura until GM's bankruptcy, once the Saturn door was closed, GM was forced to make it into a Buick.  Explains why GM would chose to saddle the car with the Buick "grandfathers" brand and the anemic Ecotech four banger.

Really? Why not name it the Buick Insignia or Buick Pinapple? There really was no requirment to use an exisiting Buick nameplate (why isn't the Lecross called the Century) All the other cars in their lineup have NEW never before used names.

[Thinking Out Loud]

I can remember people in our dealership using the line "It's  S'not a car....it's a Hyundai" when the first Sonata's came out.   (and you're right, they had more in common with a Stellar than today's Sonata)

I remember that...I thought it was 'cause the pre-Genesis pre-Tiburon coupe they had was called the Scoupe?

[TopGun]

I'll apologize in advance for this interruption in the Hyundai love-fest.

IIHS Awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/30/iihs-awards-2011-buick-regal-top-safety-pick/

[ArticSteve]

I'll apologize in advance for this interruption in the Hyundai love-fest.

IIHS Awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/30/iihs-awards-2011-buick-regal-top-safety-pick/

The Regal joins its Buick sibling, the LaCrosse, along with the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volvo S80 as a Top Safety Pick in the large car segment.

I think "safety" is a relative term.  Like small, medium and large.