Regal – Automobiles Review

2014 Buick Regal – US Price $30,615

Buick has announced the pricing of the 2014 Regal. The car was presented earlier this year at the 2013 New York Auto Show. The entry level model is priced from $30,615.

Standard equipment includes next-generation IntelliLink connectivity with an eight-inch color touch display, 18” alloy wheels, rear vision camera, leather-appointed seating surfaces, heated front seats and a new 2.0L I-4 Turbo delivering better power, refinement and fuel economy. The engine delivers 259HP (193 kW) and 400Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a 6-speed automatic gearbox and is able to return 21 mpg US city / 30 mpg on the highway.

Also new for 2014 is an advanced all-wheel-drive system that incorporates electronic limited-slip differential to help make the most of traction in all driving conditions and comes standard with HiPer Strut front suspension. Regal AWD is available starting at $32,790.

A new Regal GS also goes on sale later this year with a suggested retail price of $37,830, including a $925 destination charge. In addition to standard Regal content, GS includes high- intensity discharge head lamps; sport seats with leather seating surfaces; eight-inch full color reconfigurable driver information cluster and display; navigation; Bose premium audio; HiPer Strut front suspension; Computer Damping Control; Interactive Drive Control with Sport and GS modes; Brembo four-piston front brake calipers; and 19-inch aluminum wheels with all-season tires. Also available are 20” polished aluminum wheels with summer rated tires.

Source: Buick

September 9, 2013

First teaser for “BLACK AIR: The Buick Grand National Documentary” released

If you haven’t heard already about the “Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary“, well it is a 60-minute film about Buick’s premier but paradoxical mid 80’s performance car. The film is to be released soon; nevertheless the teaser for it has just been released.

The director of the awaited movie is Andrew Filippone Jr., who had the inspiration to create the documentary about the Buick Regal Grand National. It was a strange and peculiar misfit.

Although it carried the name Buick, the Grand National was too quick and too rough to stay under this name. There was something about it which made it stand out among other cars.

"Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary" — “Black Air: The Buick Grand National Documentary”

Despite the fact that it had roots of the Buick Regal, it was able to have an astonishing straight-line 0-60 mph acceleration. Nothing in the mid 80s could match it. However, the same roots didn’t give the vehicle a chance to be accepted seriously.

Its emblematic boxy design was something very typical for example. Other shortcomings were its mediocre chassis, an undersized engine, an electronically limited top speed, and an unremarkable pedigree.

On the other hand its six cylinders and an intercooled turbo made the vehicle remarkable. Remembered with its fierce black paint, the Grand National became a legend. In fact, in the fineal year of the production of the Buick, outfitted in GNX trim, it was the quickest production car in the U.S. It was able to reach the acceleration sprint from 0 to 60 mph in only 4.7 seconds.

Although no one believed that it could achieve this acceleration, test after test proved it. But there remained the question, how could a Buick achieve this. Where did it come from? Where did it fit?

The documentary answers those questions and even more. The people who built the car, who wrote about the car, and who own the car, speak about and about their experience with the Grand National.

Some of the included voices are Lloyd Reuss, the Buick General Manager who launched the Grand National project; Tony Assenza, the “Car and Driver” Editor who dubbed the GNX an “ax-wielding barbarian”; and Richard Clark, the renowned owner, enthusiast, and collector.

The last example of the Grand National was built on 11th of December 1987, and twenty-five years later, Black Air arrives to commemorate this landmark car.

httpv://vimeo.com/27452222

News and Video Source: Vimeo

July 20, 2012

2012 Buick Regal GS luxury sport sedan at Nevada Open Road Challenge

2012 Buick Regal GS luxury sport sedan just won a second place in the 135-mph class of this month’s Nevada Open Road Challenge. It finished within 0.4 seconds of their 40-minute target time.

The success was achieved by the Buick team – driver Bill Rietow and navigator John Townsend, which have managed it through right balance between low-speed sections of the course with running the Regal at top speed for a period of time.

Of course, the machine has a contribution to this achievement as well. The all-new 2012 Regal GS delivers a 270-horsepower (201 kW) thanks to its Ecotec 2.0L turbo engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

The car also comes equipped with responsive Interactive Drive Control System suspension technology with exclusive GS-mode, Brembo front calipers and other features which in fact make the Buick one of the most balanced performance sedans ever.

After the finish line Rietow said: “The Regal GS is an incredibly capable performance sedan. In addition to the strong acceleration from the engine, the chassis maintained its composure well while running across these closed public roads at high speeds. Likewise, the Brembo brakes were easy to trust coming hot into a corner.”

2012 Buick Regal GS competing at Nevada Open Road Challenge

Furthermore, the production car comes equipped with Buick’s exclusive Interactive Drive Control System. What it does is that it allows driver to choose from three operating modes – Standard, Sport and GS Mode. They in turn change the suspension settings and steering sensitivity according to driver preferences.

Regal GS also inclues a four-wheel independent suspension with a unique High Performance Strut (HiPer Strut) front suspension design. The latter minimizes torque steer and improves grip and cornering power.

The lower ride height also contributed for the major success. In particular, the Buck runs on 19-inch 5-Twin Spoke alloy wheels combined with the four-piston Brembo front calipers also make the car closer to the ground.

2012 Buick Regal GS at Nevada Open Road Challenge

Source: Buick

May 22, 2012

Buick Regal Lineup with Drivetrain Changes

On the new Buick Regal GS will be new automatic transmission and eAssist as a standard, thus making the evolution of Buicks’ Sport Sedan happening. More importantly, the vehicle with the new automatic transmission is already in dealerships. The famous eAssist fuel efficiency technology is also included and as you already understood, it also comes as a standard. The Regal was recently named by the U.S. News and World Report as the “Best Upscale Midsize Car for Families” and as the “Best Car for the Money”.

But what about the other changes included in the 2013 Regal GS Model. The 270 hp (198 kW) of the car come from the powerful turbocharged 2.0L Ecotec engine, which was by the way one of WardsAuto World’s 2012 “10 Best Engines” for North America. More importantly, it now can be controlled through a second transmission, which is a six-speed automatic with Driver Shift Control. It also comes as a standard choice.

In addition the new Aisin AF40 automatic is calibrated specifically for the model. It includes the car’s Interactive Drive Control System set to “GS” mode. Hence, the transmission delivers firmer shifts and aids performance. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is in only 6.7 seconds. Furthermore the EPA-estimated fuel economy is 19 mpg city and 27 mpg on the highway. This is due to the standard performance components like Buick’s innovative HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo front brake calipers.

What is more, the eAssist will be a standard on all 2013 Regal vehicles. More importantly the eAssist uses a compact lithium-ion battery pack and a small electric motor to aid the performance of a fuel-efficient 2.4-liter gas engine. The system provides an electrical boost to aid the engine at low speeds and on inclines where fuel efficiency can suffer most. Therefore it is possible for the Regal with eAssist to achieve the EPA-estimated 36 highway mpg, which is equal to the performance of some hybrid vehicles. In addition, the eAssist became standard for the larger LaCrosse luxury sedan and at the same price as the V6, thus gathering even more popularity.

Pricing and an on-sale date for the 2013 Regal with eAssist will be announced later this year.

Source: Buick

February 8, 2012

2012 Buick Regal with eAssist

From this fall Buick is expanding its staggering Regal range with the addition of a new, ultra efficient member, the 2012 Buick Regal with eAssist fuel-saving technology. (more…)

February 8, 2011

2012 Buick Regal GS – 255Hp and 400Nm

2012 Buick Regal GS is high-performance midsize sport sedan, which features 2.0 litter turbocharged petrol engine with 255hp and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft). It also boasts Interactive Drive Control System, which alloys the driver to change the suspension settings and steering sensitivity like a video game. The sporty exterior and interior complete the aggressiveness of Regal GS. (more…)

November 5, 2010

Buick Regal GS goes in production

At the 2010 North American International Auto Show, which took place in Detroit in January, Buick has stunned the crowd with its high-performance Buick Regal GS show vehicle. (more…)

May 28, 2010

Buick Regal GS show car breaks cover

At the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Buick is introducing the Buick Regal GS show car, a high-performance version of the brand’s recently debuted sport sedan. (more…)

January 7, 2010

2011 Buick Regal sport sedan

Buick becomes more European than ever. The car gets specially tuned chassis to go round the corners, which is something very unusual for American cars, which are designed to go only in straight line. The car also features a driver-selectable suspension system and a firm and has efficient four-cylinder engines, again very unusual.

“The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you’ve ever experienced from this brand,” said Susan Docherty, general manager of Buick GMC. “The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and will expand the portfolio to include a sport sedan.”

The new Buick Regal will be released in the second quarter of 2010. The direct competitors of Regal will be Acura TSX and Volvo S60. Buick GMC will bet on the longer wheelbase and greater trunk volume than those vehicles. Regal also features six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels and OnStar, which aren’t available as standard either on TSX or S60.

The development of Regal is rooted in Germany, where the globally led engineering team created the award-winning Opel Insignia – the 2009 European Car of the Year. Insignia has more than 31 awards and it is best-selling midsize sedan in Europe. All design, technology and features of Insignia will be brought to the American market through new Buick Regal.

In China, Buick Regal went on sale in December 2008 and since then more than 64,000 have been sold. Buick GMC hope that the car will have the same or even greater success in USA.

The 2011 Buick Regal will be available in CXL trim only. The other two levels of equipment will be added for the 2012 model year. CXL package includes:

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 a six-speed automatic transmission standard with driver-shifting control
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
All-new Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) available with the 2.0L turbo, offering driver-selectable suspension settings and automatic driver suspension setting adaptability
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; rear-seat thorax air bags available
Available navigation system, Harmon Kardon sound system, internal flash drive (1GB), hard drive with 10GB for music and USB port
Standard 18-inch wheels (19-inch wheels standard with IDCS)
Standard 12-way power, leather and heated driver seat; leather and heated passenger front seat; Bluetooth capability; XM Satellite Radio and OnStar.

2011 BUICK REGAL VS. ACURA TSX AND VOLVO S60*

	2011 BUICK REGAL CXL	ACURA TSX	VOLVO S60
Standard engine horsepower (hp / kW):	182 / 136 (2.4L I4)	201 / 150 (2.4L I4)	208 / 155 (2.5L I5)
Standard six-speed automatic:	Yes	No	No
Fuel economy with standard engine (city / hwy, estimated):	20 / 30 (2.4L I4)	21 / 30 (2.4L)	19 / 28 (2.5L I5)
Wheelbase (in / mm):	107.8 / 2738	106.5 / 2705	106.9 / 2715
Headroom – front (in / mm):	38.8 / 985	37.6 / 955	38.7 / 983
Headroom – rear (in / mm):	36.8 / 935	37.0 / 940	37.9 / 962
Legroom – front ( in / mm):	42.1 / 1069	42.4 / 1077	42.6 / 1082
Legroom – rear (in / mm):	37.3 / 947	34.3 / 871	33.3 / 846
Trunk volume (cu ft / L):	14.25 / 403	12.6 / 357	13.9 / 393
Rear seat thorax air bags:	Available	Not available	Not available
Heated front leather seats:	Standard	Standard	Available
Satellite radio	Standard	Standard	Available
Bluetooth capability	Standard	Standard	Available
Navigation system	Available	Available	Available
OnStar	Standard	Not available	Not available
Standard alloy wheel:	18-inch	17-inch	17-inch

*2009 models of the TSX and S60 cited.

Bold denotes category advantage.

2011 Buick Regal Preliminary Specifications

Overview

Models:	2011 Buick Regal Premium Sport Sedan
Body style / driveline:	four-door, 5-passenger front engine transaxle. Front-wheel-drive midsize vehicle
Construction:	steel body frame integral (unibody) with front and rear crumple zones; galvanized steel front fenders, hood, roof, door panels, one-piece bodyside outer panel, thermal plastic olefin (TPO) bumper fascias
EPA vehicle class:	Midsize
Manufacturing location:	Russelsheim, Germany
Key competitors:	Acura TSX, Volvo S60, Mazda 6 and Volkswagen Passat

Engines

	2.4L DOHC I-4	2.0L DOHC I-4 Turbo
Displacement (cu in / cc):	145.4 / 2384	122 / 1998
Bore and stroke (in / mm):	3.46 x 3.85 / 88 x 98	3.39 x 3.39 / 86 x 86
Block material:	precision sand cast aluminum	cast aluminum
Cylinder head material:	SPM cast aluminum	cast aluminum
Valvetrain:	overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder, continuous variable valve timing intake and exhaust	overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder, continuous variable valve timing for intake and exhaust
Ignition System:	individual coil-on-plug	individual coil-on-plug
Fuel delivery:	high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control	direct injection with variable high-pressure rail and electronic throttle control
Compression ratio:	11.2:1	9.2:1
Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm):	182 / 136 @ 6700 rpm (est)	220 / 164 @ 5300 (est)
Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm)	172 / 233 @ 4900 rpm (est)	258 / 349 @ 2000 (est)
Recommended fuel:	regular unleaded	premium recommended but not required
Max engine speed:	7000 rpm	6350 rpm
Emissions controls:	close-coupled, catalytic converter; variable valve timing; positive crankcase ventilation evaporative system	close-coupled catalytic converter; variable valve timing; 58x ignition system; returnless fuel rail; wide-range O₂ sensor
Estimated fuel economy (city / hwy)	20 / 30	18 / 29

Transmissions

	Hydra-Matic 6T45	Aisin AF40
Type:	six-speed transverse, electronically controlled, automatic overdrive	six-speed transverse, electronically controlled, automatic overdrive
Application:	2.4L	2.0L turbo
Gear ratios (:1):
First	4.58	4.14
Second	2.96	2.37
Third	1.91	1.55
Fourth	1.44	1.15
Fifth	1.00	0.86
Sixth	0.74	0.68
Reverse	2.94	3.39
Final Drive	3.23	3.33

Chassis/Suspension

Front:	independent, MacPherson strut-type with dual-path mountings, specifically tuned coil springs, direct-acting stabilizer bar (hollow); hydraulic ride bushings; continuous damping control (Interactive Drive Control System) available on models equipped with 2.0L turbo
Rear:	four-link independent rear; hollow stabilizer bar; continuous damping control (IDCS available on models equipped with 2.0L turbo
Traction control:	all-speed using engine torque reduction and brake intervention
Steering type:	hydraulic, specifically calibrated rack-and-pinion power steering; variable-effort with 2.0L turbo
Steering wheel turns lock-to-lock:	2.68 (18- and 19-inch wheels)
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (feet / meters):	37.4 / 11.4 (18- and 19-inch wheels)
Steering ratio:	15.2:1

Brakes

Type:	four-wheel disc w/ABS (w/ESC)
Brake rotor diameter – front (in / mm):	2.4L: 11.7 / 296 vented; single-piston, cast iron caliper2.0L: 12.6 / 321 vented; single-piston, cast iron caliper
Brake rotor diameter – rear (in / mm):	2.4L: 11.5 / 292 solid; single-piston, aluminum caliper2.0L: 12.4 / 315 vented; single-piston, aluminum caliper

Wheels / Tires

Wheel size and type:	18-inch aluminum (std on all models)19-inch aluminum (opt with 2.0L turbo
Tires:	Michelin Pilot MXM4 P235/50R18Goodyear Eagle RSA P245/40R19

Dimensions

Exterior

Wheelbase (in / mm) :	107.8 / 2738
Overall length (in / mm):	190.2 / 4831
Overall width (in / mm):	73.1 / 1811
Overall height (in / mm):	58.4 / 1483
Front track (in / mm):	62.4 / 1585
Rear track (in / mm):	62.5 / 1587

Interior

Seating capacity (front / rear):	2 / 3
Headroom (in / mm):	38.8 / 985 (front)36.8 / 935 (rear)
Legroom (in / mm):	42.1 / 1069 (front)37.3 / 947 (rear)
Shoulder room (in / mm):	56.7 / 1440 (front)54.4 / 1382 (rear)
Hip room (in / mm):	55.4 / 1407 (front)52.3 / 1328 (rear)
EPA Passenger Volume (cu ft / L) :	96.81 / 2741
EPA Interior Volume (cu ft / L):	111.1 / 3146
Cargo Volume (cu ft / L):	14.25 / 403

Capacities

Fuel tank (gal / L):	18.5 / 70
Engine oil (qt / L):	2.4L: 5.0 / 4.72.0L: 6.3 / 6.0
Curb weight (lbs / kg):	3600 /1633 (2.4L)

November 16, 2009

Buick plans new Regal

General Motors Company announced that the new name of Buick’s next mid-size sport sedan will be Buick Regal. The first Regal came on the market in 1991. The company made a facelift version of it in 1997 and the Regal came of stage in 2004. However, Buick GMC is planning to bring Buick Regal in production. (more…)

October 15, 2009

Buick New Regal 2.0 Turbo Premieres at Auto Shanghai 2009

The Buick New Regal 2.0 Turbo, GM’s first product built in China that will be available with a turbocharged engine, is making its world premiere at Auto Shanghai 2009. The new powertrain gives New Regal buyers a choice of three engines. (more…)

April 22, 2009

Tag: Regal

2011 BUICK REGAL VS. ACURA TSX AND VOLVO S60*

2011 Buick Regal Preliminary Specifications

Overview

Engines

Transmissions

Chassis/Suspension

Brakes

Wheels / Tires

Dimensions

Exterior

Interior

Capacities