Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, China, Buick
2010 Buick Regal caught testing in China
Click above for high-res gallery of 2010 Buick Regal spy shots from China
We don't feel slighted anymore over the Chinese getting what appears to be a pretty nice looking Buick Regal, not after those spy shots from earlier today showing the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that we'll get in the U.S. After all, the Chinese Buick Regal appears to be not much more than an Opel Insignia with a new front end based on these spy shots, while the U.S.-spec Buick Lacrosse gets an entirely unique interior and exterior design. All three cars - the Opel Insignia, Chinese market Buick Regal and U.S. market Buick LaCrosse - are based General Motors' Epsilon II platform. Of course, the Buick brand is much bigger in China than here in the U.S., and the redesigned Regal, one of the cars that helped the brand gain popularity early on in China, looks ready to continue that trend. Thanks for the tip everyone!
Gallery: 2010 Buick Regal - spy shots
[Source: China Car Times]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
stealthebeatles 3:05PM (9/19/2008)
I've really never understood why Buick is so popular in China. There's just nothing that makes it stand out. They're just FWD highway cruisers, as far as I can see.
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Kevin 3:13PM (9/19/2008)
No one expects you to understand. It is a totally different culture over there. Maybe they like comfortable highway cruisers. Not everyone is into DRIVING as most of us are. We like to take a car through the corners and see what it can do. My guess is most people over there like the straight and pillow like. It is nothing more than a comfortable living room to them. I think the Insignia based sedan may do something to better that image however.
MachinaDC5 3:17PM (9/19/2008)
Plus they're "imports" in China. And they aren't just foreign cars there but also cars that represent America, which most countries don't like but some do.
Borger 3:30PM (9/19/2008)
Actually, the reason why Buick is big is because it was big 59 years ago before the Communist took control of Mainland China. GM did a study before it re-entered the People's Republic of China and asked the ordinary people and government officials, what GM brand the Chinese would like to see back in China. The answer was almost universal, the brand they wanted to see back in China, was the same brand they remembered that was popular before the communist took power. That brand was/is Buick.
Victor 4:32PM (9/19/2008)
A Holden caprice-based Buick park avenue
A 2010 Lacrosse with a chinese-designed interior
A New regal based on the Insignia
I'm mighty impressed. The new cars makes my parents' 2008 China-Lacrosse look old.
skipper 5:02PM (9/19/2008)
Looks Cheap. Looks like a korean cracker box.
why not the LS2LS7? 5:39PM (9/19/2008)
Where the cars are selling in China, the roads are pretty clogged anyway. RWD isn't any better in traffic at 35mph than FWD is.
RealityCheck 9:15PM (9/19/2008)
Buicks were bigger then VW and offerd a car that did'not break down like the number one selling brand in the late 1990's. They also offerd a range that had never before been offerd there. They were being imported by people because they could get a car that was a huge bang for the buck and still is. They never even questioned the old 3.5 185 hp push rod since it was faster then the cars being offerd and was a six banger over a four banger. GM got very lucky and has not let them down with upgraded cars that the people enjoy.
brn 3:11PM (9/19/2008)
Am I the only one that, at first glance, thought it looked like a Lincoln?
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Kevin 3:15PM (9/19/2008)
Nope. I will say however that it seems that GM can build a better Lincolnt than Lincoln it self can these days. Just look at the future LaCrosse.
dkw 3:28PM (9/19/2008)
@brn I thought it looked like a Lincoln too, and a bit of Mercury Milan with those front fog lights
Frank 3:38PM (9/19/2008)
I have the same sentiment.
stealthebeatles 3:41PM (9/19/2008)
Actually, it looks a lot like the MKS now that I think of it...
policyvote 4:04PM (9/19/2008)
Nope, my first thought too. MKS in Buick Taupe/Sand/Neutral/Whatever.
Peace
policy
Torrent 7:42PM (9/19/2008)
probably because the waterfall grille looks almost the same as the MKS, but except there's no split in the middle, but where the badge is covered up, it makes it look like Lincoln's split grille.
Looks better, IMO.
the vegas style guy 3:13AM (9/20/2008)
Thats what I thought it was at first. I saw one of those new lincoln Mkx or whatever it is today.
Boring!
I'm no Lincoln hater, I learned how to drive in my friends '69 Continental and there's a '96 Town car in the garage.
Except for their crossover thing, they have a really boring lineup.
Beat-it-nerd 3:13PM (9/19/2008)
Buick is going to kill with both these new designs!
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RealityCheck 9:43PM (9/19/2008)
Buick might just rub shoulders with Lexus when these come out. They need to prove that they will stay togther but GM has never been a car company that was just plain bad (yes they had some bad cars but not as a whole). I think it is exciting that they will have three cars that are possible world class at the same time. I am not saying that they will blow away Lexus but they have a style that is exciting and enjoyable to the eyes. At the very least they can be shown at the same time with Acura, and the new TL is a great car but just bad on the eyes. It is a shame that they don't have the Chinese rear wheel drive car here in America to beat Acura.
ASEVENSEE4 3:14PM (9/19/2008)
It looks like a Mercury.
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MachinaDC5 3:17PM (9/19/2008)
Didn't really bother to cover it up much in China.
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