2011 Buick Regal – Pricing and Information

2011 Buick Regal

Coming up with a brand new name for a vehicle is hard. The name has to truly define the car in every aspect. Mistakes are easy; not knowing what the word means in another language has resulted in more than one (hilarious) mishap. Some manufacturers make up for that by using letter/number designations (A4, 335i, MDX, XJR, F430, LP640-4, 911 GT3.) The problem is that those suck away the soul of a car, leaving it nameless, much like a barcode. Other car makers are spreading out risk by bringing back an old name of a popular vehicle. The Chevy Camaro, Pontiac GTO, and Ford Taurus are a few examples of this.

Buick is following the lead by bringing back the Regal for 2011. The Regal’s life began in 1973 and ran all the way into 2004, when GM replaced it with the Buick LaCrosse. Well they’re bringing it back for 2011, and it’s quite serious about making a name for itself…again.

2011 Buick Regal rear

The 2011 Buick Regal was announced at the 2009 LA Auto Show. Coming in just under the LaCrosse in class, the new Regal is aiming directly at the Acura TSX, although a few other upscale sport sedans get hit by some shrapnel.

Starting at $26,995, the 2011 Regal will start life with the CXL trim level, offering a 2.4-liter engine producing 182 hp and getting 30 mpg on the highway. A CXL Turbo ($29,495, 29 mpg hwy) coming in late summer 2010 will feature a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 220 hp. Both trims come standard with a six-speed automatic transmission. An entry-level CX trim will be available in mid-2012, although we don’t know any details on that yet. Rumors of a high-performance Regal GS model are not being ignored, so expect that in the future assuming the market continues to grow.

2011 Buick Regal interior

Thankfully, the 2011 Buick Regal is also benefiting from GM’s recent effort to improve their interiors, as you can see above. Along with better looks, the interior treatment involves standard 12-way power, leather, and heated seats, bluetooth, auxiliary jack, USB port, and satellite radio. The CXL Turbo trim gets an Interactive Drive Control System allowing the driver to select three modes which adjust suspension, steering, throttle, transmission, and stability control.

Also standard on the 2011 Regal is four-wheel ABS, stability and traction control, 18-inch aluminum wheels (with optional 19-inchers,) a bunch of fancy safety equipment, and MacPherson strut front and four-link independent rear suspension. Optional is navigation (duh,) a high-end Harman Kardon sound system, and a 1GB internal flash drive.

  1. Yup, it's actually true that it's hard to think of a name for a car because it really has to prove it's name. That's why other car companies just prefer a letters with number in order to avoid funny criticism. I just hope that the Regal would be a success in the market in order to survive the industry.

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