All New Buick Regal GS

Last year, the Buick Regal name is back in the North American market and it was essentially an Americanized version of the Opel Insignia sedan. This Buick has sleek European design, handcrafted European interior, agile Euro-tuned suspension, and a choice of a 2.4L ECOTEC engine and a 2.0L ECOTEC Turbo engine. This is Buick's European Premium at it's finest and for now, the high-performance version, the all new Buick Regal GS, provides more exceptional force than the regular Buick Regal.

Europe's Opel Insignia OPC or United Kingdom's Vauxhall Insignia VXR is North America's Buick Regal GS but they are different in looks and performance figures.

2012 Buick Regal GS

On the exterior design, we can see Buick's signature grille and the front bumpers has some cues that made it look like some kind of a vampire ready to attack bystanders. With such aggressive look, the Buick Regal GS is made to be more hostile and gruesome to assassinate its foes on the highway. We are sure that this aggressive front view is the sum of all fears and how will customers brave against its face will be treated as the respect.

2012 Buick Regal GS interior

It maybe more scary to look at its exterior but it is not somewhat scary because once you're inside the Regal GS, you are in control of this gruesome monster. The interior of the Regal GS retains most of its interior amenities from the regular Regal but this time, a special steering wheel and a special sports seats have been added for some racing driver sensation. To add convenience, the Regal GS has USB connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, and an optional navigation system for some user-friendly sensation.

Ecotec 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged
four-cylinder engine

Unlike the Opel Insignia OPC/Vauxhall Insignia VXR, which have the 2.8T V6 engine and 4WD drive-train, the Buick Regal GS is an FF sports sedan, which is powered with the Ecotec 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which maybe less powerful than the Insignia OPC/VXR but more torque than the Acura TSX V-6, Audi A4 Sport, Lexus IS 250 and Volvo S60 T5. That's 270HP of power, 295 lb.-ft of torque, an accumulates 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds. The only standard transmission available as of now is a 6-speed manual transmission, creating a fuel economy of 32 MPG highway. An exclusive "GS Mode" is placed on the Interactive Drive Control System to provide the best cornering experience you have never felt before and it comes with a StabiliTrak for stability management, making it more safer to drive. To provide the full potential of braking, an exclusive Brembo antilock brakes was equipped on the Buick Regal GS. You'll be sure to know that the Buick Regal GS is not your kind of executive sports sedan.

It comes with three exterior colors; Quicksilver Metallic, Carbon Black Metallic, and White Diamond Tricoat.

My comment:
Because the Buick Regal GS is nothing more of an downgraded version of the Opel Insignia OPC/Vauxhall Insignia VXR, it is less powerful than its European counterpart but it has a willpower to overcome against the likes of the Acura TSX V-6, Audi A4 Sport, Lexus IS 250 and Volvo S60 T5.

I maybe not surprised about the Regal GS' outcome but how will customers feel about the all new Regal GS? To me it's somewhat decent to drive but with the manual transmission equipped and if I had the urge to turn off the TCS and StabiliTrak, it's one hell of a racing sensation, even though it was an FF sports sedan. Move over Acura TSX V6, because this will surely eat you...

Photo: General Motors