These are some of the new print ads that General Motors will use to hype its all-new 2011 Buick Regal [a.k.a. the N.A. version of the European Opel Insignia] to U.S. buyers. The Detroit automaker agency has readied several messages, including one that says "Listen Closely and You May Detect a German Accent" and another one stating "We Didn't Start With a Clay Model. We Started With the European Car of the Year" - both hinting at the Regal's German roots.
"We want consumers to discover the 2011 Buick Regal as a compelling performance sedan," said Craig Bierley, Buick advertising director. "We are presenting the Regal in a variety of ways that are unexpected and providing relevant personal stories to allow consumers to draw their own conclusions about our newest Buick."
The full advertising campaign with TV spots and print ads in newspapers as well as weekly and monthly magazines, kicks off in July.
Erich Bitter, founder of Bitter Cars, is at it again transforming GM vehicles for a select few. His latest model is based on the new Opel Insignia [Buick Regal in the States] and these are the first photos of the car, courtesy of the folks over at Motor Talk.
Bitter has yet to make an official announcement on the modified Insignia but it said that it is based on the 260HP 2.8 V6 Turbo 4x4 model with pricing to be around the €65,000 [US$80,500] mark. If true, that's €25,000 more than the model upon it is based and close to €19,000 more than the 325HP Insignia OPC.
Bitter's version of the Insignia gets a unique nose job with the company's traditional grille, a new rear apron housing quad tail pipes, beefy alloy wheels and an aero kit. The sedan's interior has been upgraded with new decorative trim and higher quality leather surfaces on the seats, the lower part of the dashboard and the door panels.
We'll have more on the Bitter's Insignia as soon as the company comes out with an official release.
GM's UK division Vauxhall is expanding the Insignia's range (yes, that's the new Buick Regal in the States) with its first-ever passenger car to combine all-wheel-drive and diesel, the new CDTi 4x4 model that will hit British showrooms in September in four-door saloon, five-door fastback and Sports Tourer versions.
Up until now, the Insignia's Adaptive 4x4 system was only available with the 2.0- and 2.8-litre petrol engines. According to Vauxhall, sales analysis shows that 21 per cent of all 2.0-litre Insignias sold to date in the UK have been 4x4 models.
The Insignia's 2.0-liter CDTi diesel engine produces 160-horsepower at 4,000rpm, with maximum torque at 350Nm / 258 lb-ft (up to 380Nm with overboost) at 1,750rpm.
When combined with a manual gearbox, the top-of-the-line diesel accelerates the Insignia Sports Tourer 4x4 to 60mph (96km/h) in 9.8 seconds and allows a top speed of 130mph (209km/h) with a combined fuel consumption of 47.1mpg UK (equal to 39.2mpg US or 6.0lt/100km).
The 2.0L diesel engine is available with either a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Detailed specs and pricing will be announced closer to the Insignia CDTi 4x4's market launch in September.
A little while back GM was crashing and burning, littering the automotive market with debris from its badge-engineered brands. Who could have seen turbochargers, all-wheel-drive, Recaros, and a clutch showing up in the Buick lineup? The last time any one of those were even possible, I was in diapers.
More recently, Buick was the brand that was selling the Lucerne, LaCrosse, and Rendezvous, autoofcars2011.blogspot of which could get anyone excited. Now, however, Buick intends to keep surprising people with its new direction and image. The latest decision from the golden oldie? They're going to build the Regal GS (can I get a collective high five?).
Originally debuting as a concept in Detroit this year, the GS is styled similarly to Opel's Insignia OPC yet uses a different power train (would it be too much to get the Euro's turbo-six?). Instead, we'll be getting something like the concept's turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 that makes 255 horsepower and is connected to a 6-speed manual transmission.
Sadly, the Detroit News reports that the GS may not be getting those Recaros. If that's some idea to save costs, here's a bit of advice: have them be part of an available sport package. That way, the car won't seem diluted; just having the option available shows that Buick is serious about having a little adrenaline in its lineup now that Pontiac's dead.
As for the 2.0 liter power train, it could be just the beginning. Considering the LaCrosse is soon to be Buick's big-dog, the next generation LaCrosse would likely get GM's version of EcoBoost making significantly more horsepower to better compete with Lincoln's MKS (that's right, I said it).
This means we may be able to expect more from the Regal GS in the future, but don't get too worked up just yet. It's exciting enough to see that the GS will be making it out onto dealer lots.
Since GM has decided to kill trim-level badges in order to make Buick more upscale, the Regal GS will likely be the only model with a specific designation.
Good, because this is one case where you want people to know what it is. It's a Buick GS, and it's back.
