October 10, 2011 / By: Amy Skogstrom, Ben Timmins, David Zenlea, Evan McCausland, Jennifer Misaros, Joe DeMatio, Kelly Ryan Murphy / Photos by Matt Tierney
General Motors now has a truly global product development organization, but it still seems somewhat flustered when it comes to marketing "foreign" cars in the United States. The Buick Regal GS is the latest vehicle -- the Saturn Astra, the Pontiac GTO and G8, and the Cadillac Catera also come to mind -- to land haphazardly on our shores without a well-defined mission.
To recap briefly, the Opel Insignia, which debuted in Europe to rave reviews in 2008, was supposed to come to the United States as part of a broad alliance between Opel and Saturn. Alas, Saturn went belly up and GM ran away from the idea of an "Opel USA," though the company's latest products, including the Chevrolet Cruze and the upcoming Malibu, ride on platforms developed largely in Europe. Cast about in this shuffle, the Insignia, by now a three-year-old car, arrived to fight in a bitterly competitive segment wearing an old muscle-car nameplate for a brand looking to steal Lexus buyers. As if that weren't enough to swallow, the official launch party for the GS, which I attended, was at a Buick-sponsored Plain White Tees concert in Miami Beach. Can you say, "Huh?" Compare this confusion with the focused campaign that accompanied the Ford Fiesta's U.S. launch, and you'll see the issue.
I bring all this up because I worry the marketing will sabotage a very good product. The GS treatment polishes over our complaints about the Regal 2.0T. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder seems to breathe more freely in this high-output configuration and suffers less from turbo lag, though the moment's hesitation off the line and a faint whistling keep it from quite matching the Audi A4's excellent four-cylinder. The GS has some of the sharpest steering I've experienced in a front-wheel-drive car, and despite the extra power, doesn't suffer from much torque steer. It dives into corners with almost unsettling quickness and exhibits very little body roll, especially when the dampers are in "GS" mode. The firm ride, progressive brake pedal, and slick manual shifter all further the impression that the Regal is a well thought out European sedan. And unlike the imported Holdens and Opels of yore, the Regal doesn't have a bland exterior or a confounding interior. The latter does suffer from having too many center-console buttons but this, again, reflects the car's age more than its origin. Some will continue to question the decision to forgo the Insignia OPC's turbo V-6 and all-wheel drive. I actually drove that car and find this setup much lighter and more responsive feeling.
David Zenlea, Assistant Editor
Most of my life I've associated Buick with my grandmother. It's all she has ever owned. Then my brother bought one, but it did not change my mind; he always buys old-lady cars. Then Buick showed up at the magazine's offices with the Regal GS, and I went outside with the staff for the walkaround of the car with the chief engineer and the PR guy. My first impression was, wow, this is a Buick? It looked so nice, with its carbon metallic paint glistening in the sun. When I drove it, it seemed like a menagerie of features from competitors. Some of the interior controls reminded me of Audi. The information toggle mouse is like the ones Mercedes uses, and the powertrain, right down to the whistle in the turbo, is pure Saab. Interior styling reflects Hyundai. All in all, the car is far better to drive than any other Buick I've ever been in. I'd probably buy it before its Asian competitors, but it's a hard sell against the European lineup.
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