Just when we thought Buick was committed to unswerving conservatism, along comes a car like the 1997 1/2 Buick Regal. (Why is it a 1997 1/2? Go figure. Buick knows, but we don't.)
Yes, the Regal embodies the virtues--roominess, smooth ride quality,
lots of features--that go with Buick's marketing slogan: Premium American
Motorcars. But it also goes beyond, treading perilously close to Pontiac's
Excitement territory.
This is particularly true of the supercharged Regal GS, which can match
Pontiac's nifty Grand Prix GTP stride for stride, sprinting to 60 mph in
about six and half seconds.
That's pretty brisk for a conservative-looking mid-size family sedan.
But we're not complaining. And we don't think you will either.
If you have any lingering doubt that General Motors can build dramatically
different cars using the same basic chassis, compare the new Regal with
the new Buick Century. These two share the same platform (along with the
new Olds Intrigue, Grand Prix, and Chevy Lumina), but aside from dimensions
they're about as much alike as milk and champagne.
We wouldn't call the Regal's new exterior treatment particularly exciting
(though Buick did depart from tradition by substituting a horizontally-barred
grille for the familiar chrome waterfall). But it's clean, nicely proportioned
and free of excessive bright trim. The GS takes this look a bit further
with a body-colored grille.
Thanks to the switch to a new platform, this is a substantially larger
car than its predecessor. The wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer, the front/rear
track is 2.5 and 3.3 inches wider, respectively, with corresponding increases
in body dimensions: 2.3 inches and a surprising 3.3 inches taller. What
this adds up to, of course, is more room inside the car, as well as in
the trunk.
The new model is offered in two models, the basic LS and the sportier
GS, our test subject. Both are sedans; the coupes have been dropped.
Trim and feature differences notwithstanding, the major distinction
between the LS and GS lies beneath the hood. The LS is powered by a normally
aspirated version of GM's uniquitous 3800 Series II V6, rated at 195 horsepower
and 220 pound-feet of torque, the GS by the supercharged edition, with
240 hp and 280 lb.-ft.
Both engines drive the front wheels through four-speed automatic transmission,
though the GS has a heavier-duty version to handle the extra torque of
the supercharged engine. The GS also has 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels
with slightly more aggressive tires and firmer suspension tuning. However,
the 16-inch wheel/tire package can be added to the LS, as can the handling
upgrade, with the Y56 suspension option.
Although the Regal's pricing had not been fixed when we went to press,
we expect the LS to start at about $21,500, the GS at about $23,500 and
a loaded GS to be pretty close to $27,000. Our tester, which had most of
the goodies offered in the Regal lineup, would be right around $26,500.
The Regal is the sportiest of the Buicks, a trait that's reflected inside.
Although the controls and instrument panel design look pretty tame compared
to a Grand Prix, it's pretty daring by Buick standards, with an attractively
curved cowling sweeping over the instrument panel and the dashboard, in
turn, sweeping nicely into the door panels.
The major instruments are readily visible through a large, leather-wrapped
steering wheel, whose upper half is open to afford just such a view. Auxiliary
audio controls are built into the upper wheel spokes, and you can honk
the horn by pressing on the center of the hub, which also houses the driver's
airbag.
The bucket seats--leather-clad in the GS--don't offer quite as much
lateral support as those in the Grand Prix GTP, but they're certainly long-haul
