you are correct, the base motor is adequate...but that doesn't sound acceptable for a $35k Sports Sedan...
The Regal starts at $32K, very well equipped. The Turbo starts at $35K, very well equipped as well. Just saying for accuracy...
Sonata Ltd - $29K
Mazda6 GT - $29.9K
Accord EX-L- $30.8K
Altima 2.5SL - $30.6K
you aren't likely to find many $32k cars on the lot, especially if they are losing money on the car as it is...so, expect the see the "common model" (mid trim) at about $35k be the ones you see for sale...looking online, i saw 209 Regals available waiting for sale...yes, some were in the $33k range, but the vast majority of them are $35-$40k (and these aren't the Turbo models)...even the model tested in the article for this thread was $36k...that is what you are likely to find.
Can we end this incorrect point once and for all?
GM has never said they are losing money on the Regal. What Maximum Bob said was:
"We could either price it where the euro-dollar exchange would want it priced -- where it would be almost sales proof," he quipped. "Or we could forego any significant profitability on the vehicle until we can get the plant in Canada producing the Regal."
In other words, they are not making a lot of profit on it. This is hugely different that LOSING money.
That's an assumption on your part.
Lets say that IF the vehicle was made in Canada that they made 1500 per vehicle..which would be "significant" profitability. If they bring it from Europe and LOSE $100 a car they are still forgoing the $1500 profit. If they make only $100 they are still forgoing 1400 in significant profit. If they lose 1000 a car they a "forgoing" that 1500 significant profit.
No where do they say they are NOT losing money.
The only thing we do know is that at present they are not MAKING any significant amount of money on it. Thus the restriction on the supply and also why am very skeptical of any claims from Buick marketing that "Our dealers are asking for 2x as many regals as they can get" actually meaning that sales are blockbuster. If they restricted supply so severely because of lack of profit some dealer maybe only got 1 car when they might have sold 2. It doesn't mean that sales are much more than expected simply because they artificially limited supply BELOW projected sales.
When the Volt comes out in the US first and we need to wait a year for it in Canada I suppose GM Canada will tell everyone "The Volt is such a success that dealers in Toronto have people lining up to order the Volt" when in fact people can't do anything BUT line up because its not available.
GM is bad at many things but marketing spin is not one of those things.