Buick will reveal the 2011 Regal sport sedan to Los Angeles journalists on Thursday evening with a private performance by singer Colbie Caillat. Touting its turbocharged horsepower, driver-selectable suspension system, and a firm, European-tuned chassis, General Motors promises it will deliver a driving experience intended to rival the best import sport sedans in the segment.
"The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you've ever experienced from this brand," says 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."
It will be powered by the 182-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec direct injected four-cylinder engine found in its sibling LaCrosse, with a 220-horse/2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged version available late-summer 2010. Both engine choices will be mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission to provide an estimated 30 mpg on the highway with the 2.4-liter, or 29 mpg on the highway with the 2.0L turbo powerplant.
The driver will enjoy thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel, standard heated leather seats, Bluetooth capability, XM Satellite Radio, available navigation system, and a Harmon Kardon sound system, USB port, 1-gig internal flash drive, and a 10-gig hard drive with for storing music. And, of course, OnStar. Inside, lovely ice-blue LED lighting will highlight the piano black and new, Kibo-wood interior.
Regal's Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) chassis technology (available on 2.0-liter turbocharged models) promises enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, with three different operating modes - Normal, Tour, or Sport - which change the suspension settings, throttle response, shift pattern, and steering sensitivity. It's designed to change the personality of the car based on driver input, so that when a driver begins to drive more aggressively it will tighten the suspension and increase steering effort and change to a more aggressive throttle response. When the vehicle senses that the driver is doing relaxed cruising, it will adjust settings for rolling smoothness and comfort.
The new Regal arrives in the second quarter of 2010, with its sights aimed squarely on such competitors as the Acura TSX and Volvo S60.
By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor