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Drivetrain Changes Announced for Buick Regal Lineup

New automatic transmission for Regal GS and eAssist to be standard on 2013 Regal

DETROIT – Coming off strong sales year in which it outsold the Audi A4, Lexus IS250, and Acura TSX, Buick’s midsize luxury sport sedan continues to evolve. The performance-oriented Regal GS has a new automatic transmission available in dealerships now. Additionally, with the introduction of the 2013 model later this year, eAssist fuel efficiency technology becomes standard.

U.S. News and World Report has named the Regal the “Best Upscale Midsize Car for Families.” Last month, it was named “Best Car for the Money” in the same category. The “Upscale Midsize Car” category includes 19 different vehicles.

Self-shifting Regal GS

The 270 horses of the Regal GS’ turbocharged 2.0L Ecotec – one of WardsAuto World’s 2012 “10 Best Engines” for North America – can now be controlled through a second transmission. A six-speed automatic with Driver Shift Control is now offered as a no-cost option instead of the existing six-speed manual.

“With the Regal GS, we made a conscious decision to go against the current trend and give enthusiasts the manual transmission they desire as standard equipment” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing. “Adding an automatic simply makes the performance of the GS even more accessible.”

The new Aisin AF40 automatic is calibrated specifically for Buick’s most athletic sedan. With the car’s Interactive Drive Control System set to “GS” mode, the transmission delivers firmer shifts, aiding performance. Acceleration matches the manual with an estimated 0-60 mph time of 6.7 seconds.

EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 27 on the highway, standard performance components like Buick’s innovative HiPer Strut front suspension and Brembo front brake calipers, and optional features are identical regardless of the transmission.

Hagerty insurance recently named the Buick Regal GS to its “2012 Hot List” of vehicles its valuation experts expect to be future collectibles.

Standard 36 Highway MPG with Regal eAssist

Starting with the arrival of 2013 models, eAssist will be standard on the Regal with the discontinuation of the 2.4L base model. Both the Regal Turbo and Regal GS models will remain available.

The eAssist uses a compact lithium-ion battery pack and a small electric motor to aid the performance of a fuel-efficient 2.4-liter gas engine. The system provides an electrical boost to aid the engine at low speeds and on inclines where fuel efficiency can suffer most. The Regal with eAssist achieves an EPA-estimated 36 highway mpg, equal to a Mini Cooper and higher than some full hybrids like the Infiniti M35h, which is rated at 32 mpg.

“Buick is committed to increasing innovation across the lineup,” said DiSalle “By making the advanced eAssist powertrain standard on a second vehicle, we are putting the spotlight on smart technology.”

For the 2012 model year, eAssist became standard for the larger LaCrosse luxury sedan. Offered at the same price as the V6, eAssist is already outselling its hybrid competitors and is projected to grow in popularity this year.

According to Hybridcars.com, the Buick LaCrosse with eAssist outsold the Lincoln MKZ by a 3-to-1 margin and the Lexus HS250h by a 5-to-1 margin in January 2012.

Pricing and an on-sale date for the 2013 Regal with eAssist will be announced later this year.

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Click here to discuss the new Buick Regal in our discussion forum.

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Regal GS Design Takes Inspiration from Natural World

Design director discusses style and substance of Buick’s sportiest sedan

DETROIT – The all-new 2012 Buick Regal GS, now arriving in dealerships, is the sportiest expression of Buick’s hot-selling midsize luxury sport sedan to date. Its high-output Ecotec 2.0L turbo engine cranks 270 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, giving it the highest specific output of any production engine GM has offered.

GS performance persona is further supported by Brembo four-piston front-caliper brakes, a HiPer Strut front suspension system, six-speed manual transmission, driver-adjustable suspension and steering settings and 19-inch standard and 20-inch optional wheels.

Dave Lyon, executive director for Design, recently explained the substance behind Regal GS styling.

Q:  How did the Regal GS’ styling evolve?

A:  Naturally, we started with the Regal, which is already the most-athletic design we’ve ever had for Buick. The car has a great stance. The wheels are at the corners of the vehicle, sitting outside the body, which gives it a well-planted look on the road. The Regal also has beautifully sculpted sheet metal and a very sleek centerline. For GS, we weren’t looking for a personality change so much as an enhancement. Most of all, we wanted a pure expression of Buick performance.

Q:  What are the design details that give Regal GS its unique look?

A:  Regal GS’ styling is as purposeful as it is beautiful. The GS requires a lot more cooling for its brakes and powertrain than other Regal models. So, we have opened up the fascia for more air intake. Aesthetically speaking, the two vertical air intakes at the corners give the car a very dramatic signature front end, almost catlike. The Regal already had a feline grace, but we’ve enhanced it for GS, making it even more assertive. We also lowered the front and rear fascias and added rocker extensions along the sides, which gives the car a well-planted look. This also reduces the amount of air that can go underneath the car, which enhances aerodynamics.

Q:  What are some other differences between Regal GS and other Regal models?

A:  Going around the vehicle you’ll see that Regal’s bright chrome decorations are somewhat toned down for the GS, taking on a satin finish. The standard 19-inch wheels and optional 20-inch wheels, which look fantastic, also have a satin finish, look very three dimensional and sculptural. They don’t look like anything else on the road. Also, the satin-finished dual exhausts are integrated into the lowered rear fascia in a very dramatic way, and help give the car an attractive luxurious look from every angle.

Q:  Were there any specific design inspirations for GS?

A:  We looked at a lot of shapes from the natural world, including lightweight, agile predators that convey speed, power and beauty.

Q:  How important was aerodynamic refinement to GS styling?

A:  The GS team spent a lot of time on the Autobahn and Nurburgring tuning the high-speed signature of the vehicle. Aerodynamic styling enhancements like the lowered fascia and rocker extensions help stabilize the car at high speeds and the twin air intakes help keep the Brembo performance brakes cool.

Q:  How does the GS’ styling strike a balance between Buick heritage and Buick reinvention?

A:  Instead of following a specific formula for Buick design, we want each car to have its own individual personality. The Regal has a more avant-garde style than the rest of the Buick lineup, which is reaching a younger buyer and customers who might not have previously considered buying a Buick. The use of more diverse powertrains influences how we express Buick design characteristics like the waterfall grille, portholes, headlight shapes, air intakes, and other styling cues. As we transition from being a V-8 and V-6 powertrain division to one that uses very smart power like Regal GS’ high-output 2.0L turbo engine, not to mention Regal and LaCrosse’s use of eAssist, the familiar Buick cues will evolve as well. In the future, we expect to develop new ways to express even more high-tech and efficient powertrains.

Q:  How close to a four-door coupe does the GS come?

A:  I can see why someone would be tempted to use that term to describe the GS, but we prefer to think of it as a very expressive four-door sedan, and there’s no shame in that. Unlike a coupe, the GS has a very useable back seat with excellent ingress and egress, and it’s as pretty as most midsize coupes on the market. When you’re sitting the GS’ driver seat and engage with its aluminum pedals, short-throw shifter and flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel you forget that you’re driving a sedan. As soon as you grab that flat-bottomed wheel you know you’re in a different kind of Buick. Who needs a coupe when you have a GS?

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Regal on Track to Deliver Best Retail Sales Month

Hot-selling sport sedan spurs Buick’s 23rd straight month of retail sales gains

DETROIT – Phillip Barr of Gilbert, Ariz., describes himself as a “car junkie.” The 26-year-old executive assistant has owned at least 10 cars, including two BMWs, two Mercedes-Benzes and a Porsche. He recently sold his Toyota Prius to buy a 2012 Buick Regal Turbo at Henry Brown Buick GMC outside of Phoenix.

“Regal Turbo had all of the options I wanted with a luxurious interior and smooth ride comparable to a Mercedes,” Barr said. “Honestly, I’d be the last person you’d think would buy an American car, but GM has really stepped up its game with the Regal Turbo to compete with the imports. It’s just as nice to drive as the BMWs and Mercedes I’ve owned for a fraction of the cost with a lot more options.”

Regal sales in August are on track to be the best since car launched in spring 2010. Approximately 45 percent of Regal buyers are coming from non-GM brands. In July alone, Regal outsold other similarly sized sport sedans, including Volkswagen CC, Lexus IS 250/350, Audi A4 and Volvo S60. Regal’s steady month-over-month gains have helped Buick glide through recent turbulence in the luxury vehicle segment.

Regal Turbo has accounted for a third of the sport sedan’s retail sales since its launch this past spring. The turbo’s 2.0-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine delivers better horsepower and torque than the Acura TSX and Volkswagen CC, and with its manual six-speed transmission, it also delivers better fuel economy, with an EPA-rated 32 mpg highway.

Buick will double its Regal lineup this fall with the introduction of the performance-oriented 2012 Regal GSand the fuel-efficient 2012 Regal with eAssist™.

U.S. News & World Report recently named Regal the Best Upscale Midsize Car for Families for 2011, ranking it No. 1 out of 21, based on analysis of 27 published reviews; test drives of Regal, and analysis of reliability and safety data. The magazine said that “Among midsize cars, the Regal shines with performance that balances fuel economy and power, handling and ride comfort.”

Rachel Hayes of Phoenix said she “fell in love” with the Regal when she saw it on the showroom floor at Liberty Buick in Peoria, Ariz.  The 29-year-old social worker said she’s received nothing but compliments for it.

“The new Regal is way more stylish and sexy than the old Regal, and it has a great sound system,” said Hayes who previously owned a 2008 LaCrosse. “Buick is the new Lexus. Everyone I’ve shown my Regal to is completely surprised by it.”