General Motors Co. will have three Regals as part of its 2018 lineup, including a new sporty GS sedan that Buick says will attract younger buyers to the brand.
The automaker on Wednesday revealed the 2018 Buick GS sports sedan at the company’s Milford Proving Ground, speeding the red car past a group of journalists. The sedan, available this fall starting at $39,990, has a new 3.6-liter V-6 engine generating 310 horsepower and 282 foot-pounds of torque.
The automaker has boosted the output by 51 horsepower — nearly 20 percent from the current generation. The 2018 GS is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which moves the power through all-wheel drive.
Buick opted to give the GS a performance V-6, bucking the trend of many automakers to downsize performance car engines into turbocharged four-cylinders.
“We found it the best balance between sport and fuel economy,” Regal Chief Engineer Martin Hayes said during a spirited drive around the proving grounds. “This car won't have enough volume to affect the Regal overall mpg figures.”
“The other advantage of the V-6 is that great sound,” he said as the GS powered out of a long sweeper.
The Regal GS has aggressive front and back fascias, standard 19-inch wheels, a rear decklid spoiler, standard Brembo brakes and GS badging in the front and back. The interior has seats that heat, cool and massage. The flat-bottom steering wheel is also heated.
“Another major difference from last gen is the GS mode,” Hayes said. A step above Sport mode, the GS mode changes steering feel, suspension damping and transmission mapping for a more aggressive ride.
The company this spring showed off a midsize Regal five-door coupe-like hatchback and a wagon variant, a first for the brand since the mid-1990s. The 2018 Regal Sportback hatchback is due out in the fourth quarter and comes with a price tag starting at $25,915, about $2,000 lower than the 2017 entry-level Regal.
It’s at least the second price drop for a Regal sedan in recent years. In 2015, GM cut the price of the 2016 Regal GS by $3,300 to about $35,000.
The TourX wagon will hit showrooms in February, with a starting price of $29,995. The new Regals are based on the design of the Opel Insignia.
Sedan sales are down across the industry as consumers continue to increasingly buy crossovers, SUVs and trucks. GM axed production of its entry-level compact Buick Verano sedan last fall.
Buick brand sales are up 5.9 percent for the first six months this year, but Regal sales have fallen by nearly 30 percent year-over-year to about 6,500. GM hopes the new entrants will help bolster lackluster sales for the Regal nameplate.
The Regal brings Buick its youngest customer base. The Regal is also the sportiest offering for the near-premium brand.
The Regal was designed in Germany by Opel and will be built there. GM in March announced it plans to sell its European business including Opel to French automaker PSA Group. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year and it includes maintaining existing supply agreements for Holden and certain Buick models.
The Regal TourX wagon, which sits higher than the Sportback, offers standard all-wheel drive. It will compete with the Volvo Cross Country and Audi’s Allroad. The TourX has a 2-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine cranking out 250 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque. It is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Some analysts expect the wagon may represent about 30 percent of Regal’s annual U.S. sales.
The Sportback features more cargo versatility than the outgoing Regal, with the ability to fold rear seats flat. It also is powered by a 2-liter turbo and it’s available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive version is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Source: detroitnews.com
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