Buick's Regal sedan is the last four-door model of General Motors' midsize GM-10 platform to go into production.
Its simple, uncluttered design has the Euro look, more restrained and handsome than its siblings from Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chevrolet.The first time I saw one was from the back, and the simple taillight and bumper treatment was elegant. Around front, more good news. The grille is the best design of the GM-10 bunch.
The test car's Midnight Metallic Blue paint made it even more attractive.
The Regal squares off against such domestic competition as Ford's Taurus as well as its teammates from GM, the Pontiac Grand Prix, the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and the Chevrolet Lumina.
It seats five persons and has a nice big trunk. Its specifications are the archetype of a 1990s sedan: front-wheel drive, V-6 power, a 107.5-inch wheel-base.
Two engines are offered, one displacing 3.1 liters and the other 3.8 liters. The optional 3.8-liter unit, one of GM's nicest powerplants, has always been smooth. With 170 horsepower it moves this four-door's 3,300 pounds not so much with speed as with quiet power.
New for '91 is a new fuel-injection intake system that increases middle-RPM pulling power, making it stronger and more relaxed than the standard 3.1-liter V-6. The new system, called tuned-port induction, yields considerably stronger acceleration without having to rev the engine as much. I noticed that it zipped down the interstate easier and with less fuss.
The Regal sedan comes in Custom, Limited and Gran Sport models. I drove a Limited with the Gran Touring package. It has a firmer suspension, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel and handsome 16-inch alloy wheels equipped with new Goodyear Eagle GA tires, which were responsible for much of the car's handling prowess.
Also available is a complete Gran Sport package that includes bucket seats, a console and analog-style gauges.
The subtle, European-inspired body lets Buick refer to the Regal as a sports sedan, but the interior in the test car was much different from one. The dashboard's full-width center pod sits under a cantilevered upper lip. Between the top lip and center pod is a blank space occupied by the digital speedometer readout, one gauge and two sets of warning lights. There was not even a trip odometer that I could find.
At night the dashboard looked empty, save for the speedometer readout. The odometer could just barely be read in the dark. The lack of a trip odometer doesn't make sense to me.
The more sporty Gran Sport sedan has analog-style gauges and a dashboard console.
Sitting under the Regal is one of GM's best chassis, and the test car was equipped with the optional suspension package that gave it a firm yet comfortable combination of ride and handling. It was stable in turns, with minimal body roll. At high speeds there was little wallowing or bouncing over dips and humps.
The test car, a Regal Limited, had plain velour seats that had little
contouring but were reasonably comfortable. The center armrest contained a cupholder and compartment for odds and ends.
The base price of the Regal Limited was $16,120. The luxury power package for $2,265 includes power windows, power locks, cruise control, a rear-window defogger, a six-way power driver's seat and a power antenna. Add to that the Gran Touring suspension and 3.8-liter engine, and the sticker price reached $19,255.