Hybrid Car Review

The 2011 Buick Regal was debuted today in Los Angeles.  It will launch here in the US in the spring of 2010.  In Europe, the Regal is sold as the Opel Insignia, where it was named 2009 European Car of the Year.  It is also being sold in China, where GM has already made over 64,000 sales.

The 2.4-liter four cylinder engine is estimated at 20/30 city/highway mpg.  The follow-up model, due a few months after the first, is a 2.0-liter turbocharged model.  The turbocharged Regal is estimated at 18/28 mpg.

The Regal is likely to receive a mild hybrid motor using the BAS mild hybrid engine you see in the Saturn Vue, Saturn Aura, and Chevy Malibu.  Other possible models include a V-6 turbo, but that's only if it catches on.

The Associated Press: GM needs new Buick Regal, Chevy Cruze to be hits

Executives have high hopes that the Regal, much of it designed by GM's Opel engineers in Ruesselsheim, Germany, can help bring younger buyers to Buick, crucial to the brand's long-term growth. Currently the median age of a Buick customer is around 68, but GM is targeting new models for those in their 40s and 50s, said Craig Bierley, Buick's product marketing director.

"Clearly having a midsize entry is absolutely critical for us," Bierley said.

Turbocharged versions will also have suspension settings that the driver can select, so that ride quality and handling can be tuned for either sportier driving or more comfort. The suspension system will also automatically adapt to driving style.

The turbocharged Regal will have three settings for the suspension; normal, sport and touring. The suspension system will also automatically adapt to driving style.

The 2011 model is expected to compete agains the Acura TSX and Volvo S60. Speculation on the price puts it between $21-28 thousand.

The Buick Regal will be built in Russelsheim, Germany in an Opel factory.