Topic: First Drive: 2014 Buick Regal GS

[Blueprint]

The Euro Regal keeps turning my head. The trunk is ridiculously small for the class, but gives the car a unique shape.  Might be deals on leftover manuals...

massive deals on leftover 2013s, selling well below cost atm IIRC...

Just checked - 2.99% up to 84 months, 6000$ on the hood (all versions) + 1500$ "loyalty credit" - don't know if '78 LeSabre I drove in the summer of '89 counts 

[ChaosphereIX]

The Euro Regal keeps turning my head. The trunk is ridiculously small for the class, but gives the car a unique shape.  Might be deals on leftover manuals...

massive deals on leftover 2013s, selling well below cost atm IIRC...

Just checked - 2.99% up to 84 months, 6000$ on the hood (all versions) + 1500$ "loyalty credit" - don't know if '78 LeSabre I drove in the summer of '89 counts 

right you are there sir, and more to be had as these have to move, for all the above reasons. Good deals to be had.

[hemusbull]

I appreciate the risk GM takes with this car, offering a product from the questionable German branch. It isn't the first Opel flagman they try to adapt here, hope this time successfully...And offering manual and AWD is a challenge for the traditional Buick public. This car can only compete front wheelers like MKZ, TL, ES and may be Volvo. Quite difficult with this starting price...

[Solstice2006]

I understand the why bother with the Regal, when I can have the Verano Turbo cheaper, well depends on what you use the car for I guess.  Biggest difference is  the rear seat room in the Verano and the Regal.  And when comparing a fully loaded Verano Turbo, to a base model Regal, the Regal still has a few things that the Verano doesn't, integrated turn signal mirrors, driver lumbar, rear seat hvac, little details.  But it still has more power and similar price (within $300).

[Jaeger]

I haven't seen a GS ever, but I think the regular Regal is a very handsome car - one that looks better in the metal than in pics.  Then again, aside from the car that one of the car pool Moms drives, I think I have maybe seen 3 or 4 Regals total in my neck of the woods.  Ever.  Sir O keeps telling me these are selling and I'm sure that's true someplace but there must be some kind of Regal embargo in Oakville.  Seiously - I've seen more Maseratis than Regals.  Seen a bunch of Veranos, though - so they don't ban all Buicks. 

[dkaz]

A local dealer had an auto GS, and there was a manual GS at the 2012 Vancouver International Auto Show.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Just from observation, Regina tends to lean domestic.
There's one charcoal GS in my neighbourhood and there were a couple of others. You see them periodically in traffic, but you do see far more Enclaves and Veranos.

[jamesautos]

I was interested until I saw the price!!!  I would rather have the ATS than this Buick

[dirtyjeffer]

I like the car, not the price. Still kudos to GM for bringing in a euro sedan.
The Verano/Regal probably end up being cross shopped quite often.

yes they do - many regal shoppers that dont need the bigger interior space, AWD, or tech of the Regal go right into a loaded Verano Turbo for about $8k less.

which is exactly what i said would happen when they came out.

that said, my main beef with the previous car was really just the price (value quotient)...the new model seems to improve the car, increase the content, and decrease the price...sounds like a win to me...good job.

regarding a TTV6, doubt that will happen...considering this car is already $42k in top trim, swap it out for a TT3.6 and whatever else needs to be done (to manage the substantial increase in power), you'd be looking at $60k...no one is going to spend $60k on a Buick and GM wants to save those customers for Cadillac.

[dirtyjeffer]

The Euro Regal keeps turning my head. The trunk is ridiculously small for the class, but gives the car a unique shape.  Might be deals on leftover manuals...

massive deals on leftover 2013s, selling well below cost atm IIRC...

Just checked - 2.99% up to 84 months, 6000$ on the hood (all versions) + 1500$ "loyalty credit" - don't know if '78 LeSabre I drove in the summer of '89 counts 

right you are there sir, and more to be had as these have to move, for all the above reasons. Good deals to be had.

that's a win win...good Buick quality and bargain basement Chrysler prices. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

that said, my main beef with the previous car was really just the price (value quotient)...the new model seems to improve the car, increase the content, and decrease the price...sounds like a win to me...good job.

regarding a TTV6, doubt that will happen...considering this car is already $42k in top trim, swap it out for a TT3.6 and whatever else needs to be done (to manage the substantial increase in power), you'd be looking at $60k...no one is going to spend $60k on a Buick and GM wants to save those customers for Cadillac.

The Grand National and GNX will use the RWD Alpha platform (Cadillac ATS) and will share some of those engines.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2015-buick-grand-national-and-gnx-25-cars-worth-waiting-for-20142017-future-cars

[Vanstar]

I have never seen one of these on the roads of Vancouver. I had one as a rental and it was a very nice car. It felt like it was built like a tank and when I curb weight it was obvious there was plenty of good old fashioned road hugging weight giving that sense of strength. Very nice interior, sooth powertrain, nice ride. Really, a nice car.

[Frontier1]

All kinds of these Buicks in my neck of the woods, even the Lacrosse, big dealer 10 min away, they are selling well.

[greengs]

I see GS Regals often.  I really like the look of the pre 2014 model.  1 year old ones go for sub $30k which is a great deal.  Apparently while not the fastest cars out there they handle really well. 

[dirtyjeffer]

that said, my main beef with the previous car was really just the price (value quotient)...the new model seems to improve the car, increase the content, and decrease the price...sounds like a win to me...good job.

regarding a TTV6, doubt that will happen...considering this car is already $42k in top trim, swap it out for a TT3.6 and whatever else needs to be done (to manage the substantial increase in power), you'd be looking at $60k...no one is going to spend $60k on a Buick and GM wants to save those customers for Cadillac.

The Grand National and GNX will use the RWD Alpha platform (Cadillac ATS) and will share some of those engines.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2015-buick-grand-national-and-gnx-25-cars-worth-waiting-for-20142017-future-cars

as i said, the current model is already $42k...so factoring in the TTV6, i expect it to push $50k...AWD would certainly up that number at least $2k more (possibly adding other options/upgrades to push the price higher).

personally, i just don't see it...why bother spending all that extra money (GM) to compete against the ATS?...it doesn't make sense.

[ChaosphereIX]

that said, my main beef with the previous car was really just the price (value quotient)...the new model seems to improve the car, increase the content, and decrease the price...sounds like a win to me...good job.

regarding a TTV6, doubt that will happen...considering this car is already $42k in top trim, swap it out for a TT3.6 and whatever else needs to be done (to manage the substantial increase in power), you'd be looking at $60k...no one is going to spend $60k on a Buick and GM wants to save those customers for Cadillac.

The Grand National and GNX will use the RWD Alpha platform (Cadillac ATS) and will share some of those engines.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2015-buick-grand-national-and-gnx-25-cars-worth-waiting-for-20142017-future-cars

as i said, the current model is already $42k...so factoring in the TTV6, i expect it to push $50k...AWD would certainly up that number at least $2k more (possibly adding other options/upgrades to push the price higher).

personally, i just don't see it...why bother spending all that extra money (GM) to compete against the ATS?...it doesn't make sense.

because it is reviving the GN name, that is worth it alone.

and yes people will buy it

[dirtyjeffer]

because it is reviving the GN name, that is worth it alone.

and yes people will buy it

the "challenge" is, when the Grand National was last around, it wasn't overly expensive...GM was selling the GN for just under $17k in 1987, that equates to about $30k in today's dollars (when adjusted for inflation)...$30k is reasonable...$40k isn't even that bad...but $60k?...that's twice what it was last time...doesn't make sense to me.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The 245hp Grand National started at just over $16k in 1987 ($34k in 2013 dollars). The 276hp GNX was running just over $29k in 1987 ($60K in 2013).

But by then they were really dated platforms and the tooling had long since been amortized. The new versions will be up to date in every respect.

[Jaeger]

personally, i just don't see it...why bother spending all that extra money (GM) to compete against the ATS?...it doesn't make sense.

Well that has "made sense" to GM since pretty much forever, hasn't it?  So is this essentially going to be a classic GM badge engineering exercise, or are there to be some meaningful differences between the two models (for clarity, hood ornaments and door handles and such don't count)?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

personally, i just don't see it...why bother spending all that extra money (GM) to compete against the ATS?...it doesn't make sense.

Well that has "made sense" to GM since pretty much forever, hasn't it?  So is this essentially going to be a classic GM badge engineering exercise, or are there to be some meaningful differences between the two models (for clarity, hood ornaments and door handles and such don't count)?

GM hasn't done badge engineering in quite a long time, excepting the pickups. Platform sharing is common industry wide.