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Rumormill: Bob Lutz drops more Buick Regal GS, high performance wagon hints
Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer -- Click above for high-res image gallery
While we were talking about the Escalade EXT launch with Susan Docherty (don't ask) during the Regal reveal at the Hollywood Palladium last week, Car & Driver's Steve Siler was pushing Maximum Bob about sportier versions of the newest Buick. Now, we heard mumblings about a new Buick Regal GS last month, but that was just dealer hearsay. Siler's report is straight from Lutz's mouth, and while he's not exactly the most reliable GM exec we've ever talked with, he does seem to have his finger on the General's performance pulse.
To summarize a bit, a 335-hp, all-wheel-drive manny-tranny version of the Regal might be coming, labeled with the legendary GS badge. There might even be a wagon version of the top of the line Regal – maybe even one with GM's eLSD torque vectoring. In fact, Lutz made it sound like GM might just import the 325-hp turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer, crank up the boost a smidge and slap a Regal GS badge on it – which is more than totally fine with us. In fact, Siler suggests that what GM ought to do is make the tip top Regal wagon-only – sort of like the MazdaSpeed3 or WRX STI. Maybe call it the Buick Regal GSX? But like most such things involving GM these days, we'll believe it when we see it.
[Source: Car & Driver]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
artandcolour 11:12AM (11/15/2009)
here's a chop of your Opel wagon pic, Buick-ified.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/artandcolour2006/Photochops/BuickRegalGSTourer.jpg
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fmwso 1:46PM (11/15/2009)
That looks pretty good. Nice.
len simpson 4:01PM (11/15/2009)
put my 2010 Equinox nose on it & I,ll trade.
Taglane 9:31PM (11/15/2009)
Not trynna be a thread hijacker or anything, but....
I did one too :p
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2630/4106819233_4a7666b660_o.jpg
Vetmstr 11:11AM (11/15/2009)
I would be shocked if they brought it over to the US with a manual trans and those seats!!!
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Matt_Shift 12:38PM (11/15/2009)
no kidding. this is SERIOUSLY left-field for Buick.
Thunderbuck 1:23PM (11/15/2009)
Why not? Pontiac's gone, so some of that "excitement" mojo can move to Buick.
Think about it: Buick's buyers are mostly geezers (though the Enclave has pulled in a slightly younger crowd). They want to bring that demographic down a bit. Now, they have a European design with some performance cred and positive buzz. Why not capitalize on that?
And while I'd like to see the wagon, I don't know if I want it to be an exclusive.
fixitfixitstop 2:15PM (11/15/2009)
shocked and delighted.
Greg Aryous 2:57PM (11/15/2009)
This would be the DUMBEST thing Gov't Motors could do as they try(?) to establish Buick as an alternative luxury brand vs. the very successful Lexus.
GM should "focus" on establishing brand identity and thats "entry luxury" for Buick, NOT performance cars with manual transmissions, it didn't work for Pontiac and they were supposed to be the excitement division, learn any lessons GM... STUPID!!!!
Its a waste of resources and OUR MONEY, focus, focus, focus on entry luxury and get it right before you deviate from the plan, if you have one... this shows just how BAD Bob "I Got A Big Mouth" Lutz is... he's too much of a loose cannon with NO FOCUS!!!
Pokey 3:16PM (11/15/2009)
@Greg,
You do realize that Lexus offers sporty versions of their cars. IS-F?
So, why not Buick?
My opinion is the opposite of yours. If they do in fact want to compete with Lexus, they must do this!
Not THAT Matt 3:21PM (11/15/2009)
Cry much, Greg?
Go listen to Rush Limbaugh and shut the hell up, prick.
Greg Aryous 9:44PM (11/15/2009)
You gays miss the point... What is Buick? Its entry level luxury, period. It is NOT performance cars especially with manual tranny. Yes, Lexus has just done the IS-F after taking 20-years to establish its brand. If the "new" Buick is going to succeed, they need to foucs on one consistent message... entry luxury. Sure they could waste valuable time, resources and our money doing something stupid that Bob lutz wants (few of his ideas have paid off... look at Pontiac - GTO, G8 Soltice, is Caddy profitable - NO!)
If GM wants to build this car, make it a Chevy, thats where performance is "recognized" in the market.
Dave 6:27PM (11/15/2009)
GM put Recaro seats and a manual trans in a 260 hp DI turbocharged Chevy Cobalt.
I don't see why GM wouldn't do something similiar in an AWD Buick.
Hamhock 11:12AM (11/15/2009)
Ironically, this would have been the right formula for a Pontiac Grand Prix :-<
Sounds great but here is the problem - the Pontiac G8 for example - awesome car, offered 5 series performance for much less than 5 series money. Yet (at least where I live) people will still pay double the price just so they can say it's a BMW. I see the same danger here - 535xi comparable at 1/2 the price, yet people will balk because of the badge.
But then again the Genesis sedan is a hit - so who knows?
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Ross 12:03PM (11/15/2009)
@Hamhock, the way to get people to pay twice as much for your badge is to be consistent. When GM demonstrates that it's totally committed to producing great sports sedans, year after year and generation after generation, they'll be able to command the same prices as BMW. The launch of the G8 was a massive step in the right direction. If they'd kept that up for, oh, 10 years or so, they'd be in the right ballpark.
But of course, that's not what they did. Instead, they canned the G8 after, what, a year. I know GM had to trim its lineup, but c'mon -- talk about kicking your customers where it hurts.
Chris G. 12:36PM (11/15/2009)
People will pay twice the price because the quality of the materials is noticeably higher and the driving dynamics are just that bit sharper, not to mention the free maintenance. I sat in a G8 at an auto show and was massively let down by the plasticky interior. You shouldn't get that in a car that costs even $35,000! (The Caddy CTS has about the same quality interior as the 5 series and IS 35K. That's why it works.) So GM spent the money on the engine and chassis, but the interior is plebeian. That's why the car costs 35K and not 60K.
tegdesign 12:57PM (11/15/2009)
How do you make a pretty cool European car instantly and embarrassingly undesirable by anyone under 70? Import it and re-badge it as a Buick. I wouldn't be caught dead in one.
Why not bring decent Euro GM products over and keep them Euro. They killed another good car when they gave Saturn the Astra. I had one in England, but would have never bought it as a Saturn.
jv2k 3:01PM (11/15/2009)
Ugh the plastic complaint.
The pontiac g8 started at under $30k when it came to the US and most cars with base prices in the 20s have plastic interiors. The cheaper BWMs have a good amount of plastic surfaces as well.
You can't expect the car to be big, have a good engine, a good well tuned chassis, be cheap, and have a world leading interior. Something has to give and since pontiac isn't a high price brand it would have had to be interior or performance and GM made the right choice.
Now
Not THAT Matt 3:30PM (11/15/2009)
Let's be honest - you didn't buy a G8 GT for the interior, you bought it for the hack-job LS2/LS3 hybrid and the Corvette tranny.
thehamsterman 11:14AM (11/15/2009)
Unfortunately, instead of having that nice grille as on the Opel, it will have that Buick...thing...which will just make it look like an old persons car.
But something cheaper then the CTS wagon would be nice, especially with a manual.
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