Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Buick updates the Regal with TourX and Sportback variations

The Regal TourX, featuring intelligent all-wheel drive, is a crossover with the drive dynamics of a car and the versatility of an SUV. Pricing will be announced closer to the sale date in the fourth quarter of 2017. (Photo by Steve Fecht for Buick)

Sportback provides a balance of form and function with a coupe-like design and five-door layout enabling easier access to cargo space. Pricing will be announced closer to the sale date in the fourth quarter of 2017. (Photo by Steve Fecht for Buick)

Dusting off the old password....and bring a bit of freshness to the old blog. (Sorry for the lapse, I had knee surgery that laid me up and kept from getting out or even sitting at a 'puter).  The Regal by Buick so far has been lackluster sales for the brand and these two updates may help set the model on fire.  The mid-size near luxury car has the potential to suddenly pop up on American buyers radar with these two submodels added to the mix.

In particular something missing from the market in general here, but is a big deal in the luxury market in the EU is station wagon variants of mainstream models.  Not hard to understand our penchant for supersized SUV, but there really is a need for fuel efficient cars that happen to haul stuff too.  I think the TourX will do more for Regal and spur sales further than the nice packaged four sedan has done on its own.  (2016 sales were a meager 19,866 units).    

I'm not so sure that the hatchback aka Sportback will garner the buyers attention as much as the TourX.  Its nice enough looking so I hope to be wrong on this version of the Regal.

The last Regal I drove was a GS variant with the 2 liter turbo that pumps out 259 hoursepower and a stunning 295 ft lbs of torgue and funnels it all through an All Wheel Drive set up.  It was quick, ride was firm, steering was stiff with ample feed back.  Interestingly it stickered at close to 42K and was deeply discounted to 35K in an effort to move it off the lot.  Thats been a problem for Buick...Nice enough looking car but just a slow seller.  

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