Not even on the dealer lot for 24 hours, the first 2011 Buick Regal was sold this past weekend in Elgin, Ill. by the Woody Buick GMC dealership outside Chicago. The owner of the Regal is a 44 year old executive at a manufacturing company in the Chicago area.
“The Regal is a superb car to drive on the road, with more of a European feel than any other car we looked at,” said the new owner. “My 15 year-old daughter has already said she wants to take the car to college with her in a few years.”
The new Regal owner traded in a 2007 Saturn Outlook and stated that the Regal offered all the right features in the right size. He also looked at the Toyota Camry and Audi A4, but decided on the Regal because it had all the amenities of a premium vehicle without the costly price tag.
“We are encouraged to see that the first Regal was sold within 24 hours of hitting the dealership lot,” said Roger McCormack, director of marketing for Buick. “The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s modern transformation and will continue attracting new buyers to the brand.”
Rooted on the award-winning Opel Insignia, the Regal is armed with two 4-cylinder engines, including one with turbocharged horsepower coming late this year, a driver-selectable suspension system and a firm, European-tuned chassis that delivers a driving experience that rivals the best import sport sedans in the segment.
The Regal has attracted praise from automotive critics, including:
- Joe DeMatio of Automobile magazine called the Regal “a very well tuned, near-luxury sport sedan that, in terms of sheer driving pleasure, surpasses anything else in its class made in Detroit these days, not to mention imports like the Acura TSX and the Lexus ES350.”
- Motor Trend’s editor-in-chief, Angus MacKenzie said, “Well-equipped and beautifully styled inside and out, the Regal CSX and Turbo are suave and sophisticated sedans that have what it takes to appeal to buyers who would normally drive right past the Buick showroom on their way to the Acura or Lexus store.”
- Patrick Hong with Road & Track wrote, “The new Buick Regal sports sleek styling and a rich interior that rivals the Japanese and European brands. The driving dynamics on the road are akin to those of a European sports sedan.”
The new Regal is now arriving at dealerships across the country. It is currently assembled in Rüsselsheim, Germany. Starting in the first quarter of 2011 the Regal will be manufactured at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario Canada. Pricing start at $26,995 for the premium CXL model and the turbo model will start at $29,495, including a $750 destination charge.
