truth about domestics

If you take a look at the evidence, it seems pretty clear that Buick is planning on bringing a Buick Regal wagon to the United States sometime in the near-to-short term future.  Let me lay it out for you.  First Buick shows off the Regal sedan and then says it will come to the US (basically a rebadged version of the Opel Insignia.)  Then Bob Lutz says GM is looking at a high performance Regal GS and a wagon.  Then the Regal GS concept shows up at the Detroit Auto Show in January.  Well now a fleet of Insignia wagons has shown up in the U.S. and was seen sitting with a bunch of Buick Regal sedans.  For more details, head on over to Jalopnik.

(Image source: Opel)

The 2011 Buick Regal (based off the stunning Opel Insignia sedan) will be priced starting at $26,995 including destination charges.  This price gets you only the mid-level CXL trim and the 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder.  This is actually the only trim level offered at launch, as the car will currently be made in Europe, and that plant is busy making Insignias for European consumption.  Later down the road GM will offer a more base CX model and hopefully a more expensive GS model based on the GS Show Car seen at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.  Stay tuned for more, or hit up Autoblog for the full press release.

(Image source: GM)

I know, it’s hard to believe, but Jalopnik actually liked the 2011 Buick Regal!  Can you blame them though, I mean, the car is based on the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia which has won tons of awards and is a top-seller.  They have pretty much only one complaint about the car and that is…well, why don’t you just head on over to Jalopnik to find out what it is!

(Image source: Jalopnik)

The new 2011 Buick Regal is one heck of a good looking car.  While it’s basically a re-badge of the Open Insignia, that is not a bad thing in the slightest because the Insignia has been a hit across the pond.  What many people are asking is if its possible for the United States to get a more powerful version of the Regal, maybe based on the Insignia OPC that features 325 horsepower, AWD and a six-speed manual transmission.  Only time will tell, but a quote captured by Car and Driver from Bob Lutz himself had the letters “GS” (for Grand Sport) and “335 horsepower” in the same sentence.

(Image source: GM)

The above video offers a quick look at the upcoming Buick Regal.  Based off the Opel Insignia (which was slated to become the next generation Saturn Aura) it is a fairly sharp looking car.  Here’s to hoping they bring over the OPC version for a Regal Sport model.

The new Opel Insignia is one sharp looking car.  So sharp, in fact, that it was used as the basis for a Chinese market Buick Regal.  Word has surfaced from GM that the Regal will be making a return to the U.S. market sometime soon.  I would expect very minor changes, as the vehicle is already impressive, so hopefully we will see it in dealers sometime in the near future.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Buick China)

So, word has come from people inside GM that the G8 will not live on as another car in a different brand.  Makes me a sad panda.  Anyway, word has now come that Buick will offer two new sedans here in the U.S., one being a compact like the Opel Astra, and the other most likely based on the Regal sold in China (aka the Opel Insignia.)  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Buick China)

Other sites seem to be making a big deal out of this…like it wasn’t totally expected.  GM has been planning on moving certain Opel models over to Saturn, like the new Insignia, for some time now.  Well now that Saturn has been shed from GM, those models are being used to create new Buick’s in China…so since most of the development work was already done, why not sell them here as Buick’s too?

With the PHEV Saturn VUE, a large portion of the development was already done, so it makes sense to put all of that time and substantial cost to work as a Buick here in the States (and China too.)  For the full story, as well as the official press release from General Motors, click on over to Autobloggreen.

Opel-lac Insignia (Photo-chop courtesy of Autoblog)

Earlier we posted an article which stated that future Buick models would share parts and platforms with Opel from Europe.  Apparently, according to the Detroit Free Press, General Motors is now considering offering the Opel Insignia in the U.S. as a Cadillac.  The Insignia is a very bold, attractive looking car with tons of high tech features, including a camera that can read speed limit signs and display the speed in the instrument panel.  It was originally believed that the Insignia would be the next Saturn Aura here in the States, but with the planned demise of Saturn, GM is probably looking at other options, including this one.  For more, head on over to the Detroit Free Press.