Reprint from The Detroit News. This car is going to be a very hot seller!
Buick Regal driving back into U.S. showrooms
Scott Burgess / The Detroit News
The Buick Regal will return to the U.S. next year, General Motors Co. confirmed today.
The mid-size sport sedan, based on the Opel Insignia, will arrive next year as a 2011 model. It should be available in the second quarter of 2010, Buick spokeswoman Dayna Hart said.
The sedan will be introduced later this year, Hart said, and will include a “sleek design and personal technologies at an unexpected low price.”
If shown this year, it’s likely that GM will debut the U.S. Buick Regal at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the only remaining major car show this year.
Susan Docherty, Buick GMC general manager and recently named vice president of U.S. sales, told dealers this week, “The transformation of Buick began with our luxury crossover, the Buick Enclave, and continued this year with the launch of the 2010 LaCrosse premium sedan,” according to a news release.. “We’re thrilled to announce that the Regal will be the next member of the Buick family.”
Buick has struggled in recent years, often considered a brand for old people. However, the crossover Enclave cut a new trail for the brand, attracting much younger customers to showrooms. The 2010 LaCrosse, Buick hopes, will blaze a similar trail. The smaller-sized Regal could have an even broader appeal.
The Regal nameplate was discontinued in the United States six years ago, but was revived for China, where the Buick brand remains popular.
If based on the Insignia, the Regal should include a taut suspension for sporty driving and four- and six-cylinder offerings. However, GM will not confirm specific details about the car. The five-passenger sedan will be an alternative mid-size vehicle that will compete against the likes of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion.