Buick. The name has been uninspiring for decades now, with stale generic cars that reek of Avon and generally belong to those over sixty. Not that there’s anything wrong with a comfy car that caters to those looking for something comfy, reliable, and well, boring. What’s wrong is the fact that Buick wasn’t always such an uninspiring conglomerate of the GM.
Now, rising from the ashes of an embarrassing government bailout, GM is trying to give Buick a new lease on life by appealing to a broader crowd. Buick was once very good at this when they provided both luxury cars and cars for those looking for some real performance. American icons like the Buick GSX and Grand National come to mind when bringing up great Buick’s of the past.
Enter the 2012 Buick Regal GS. The entire Buick lineup has been given a massive facelift and to be quite honest, GM has done a great job. The star of the group however, and flagship for the youth driven market is the Regal GS. Based of the Opel Insignia, the Regal is a handsome car. Base models of the Regal still draw a yawn at first glance but the radical GS screams performance and is clearly a cut above its base model brothers.
Powered by a 2.0L Ecotec Turbo, the Regal GS pumps out a solid 270 horsepower and 295 ib-ft of torque. That’s quick enough for a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds and it’ll continue on through a quarter mile time of 14.9 seconds. Those are respectable numbers compared to its competition but it isn’t a stand out by any means.
The aggressive grill, with its vampire like vents and the optional 20-inch honeycomb style wheels definitely give the Regal GS a bark that is worse than its bite. The car is gorgeous and is definitely a step in the right direction for Buick and its hunt for the younger market, but if Buick wants to have more than just its foot in the door, they’ll need to continue to push the performance envelope. Brembo brakes, 20-inch wheels, a 6-speed manual, and an athletic chassis/suspension set up are a great start, the Regal GS just needs a bit more grunt to be a true luxury sports sedan.
[Source: Motor Trend]
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