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2018 Buick Regal GS: The Tri-Shield Give Performance Another Shot With A 310 Horsepower V6 And All-Wheel-Drive


2018 Buick Regal GS: The Tri-Shield Give Performance Another Shot With A 310 Horsepower V6 And All-Wheel-Drive

(Photos: General Motors) Buick has a strange relationship with performance. For the most part, the brand hasn’t cared too much about it, instead focusing on being an upper-market kind of car that is still relatively affordable by most. But every now and then, a hot Buick comes out that seems perfectly suited to it’s time and place and is a line-drive out of the park. The 1970 GSX was flashy enough to run with the wild looks, sedate enough to appeal an executive that had a wild streak, and packed enough torque in it’s 455 to make anyone think real hard about testing it out. The Grand National, T-type and GNX line of Regals in the 1980s grabbed the entire scene by the ear and led it down a path that prior to, hadn’t been tested. Turbochargers, intercoolers, and less than eight cylinders kicking ass wherever it went? That wasn’t just mechanical wizardry…to many, that was witchcraft, with Buddy Ingersoll’s Pro Stock Buick stirring the pot in racing just to rub salt in the wounds of many. And while many would dismiss the supercharged 3.8L V6 Regal GSs of the late 1990s and early 2000s, truth be told that they are are a neat bit of packaging that surprised many on test drives, combining good aerodynamics and more boosted V6 power in an accessible package.

Now there is a new Regal GS. Based upon the E2XX platform shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Impala, the new Regal is truly a world car for the tri-shield brand, with China getting a Regal, the UK getting the Vauxhall Insignia, and Australia seeing the car appear as the next Holden Commodore. So what is coming out of the GS badge for this generation? Let’s start with what counts: the rumors about a V6 proved true, as a 3.6L unit with 310 horsepower and 282 ft/lbs of torque is called upon for power. It’s a direct-injection unit with cylinder deactivation, so when you aren’t caning the car it should be great on fuel, but it does come standard with start/stop tech…hopefully that can be deactivated in the car’s menus. Backing the V6 is a nine-speed automatic, and behind that a twin-clutch “intelligent AWD” system connected to a second-generation Continuous Driving Control suspension with different driving modes, and to make sure that stopping isn’t a concern, Brembo brakes are standard.  GS-specific interior bits include special performance seats that are heated, cooled, massaging (!) and AGR-certified as back-friendly. A flat-bottom steering wheel and GS-specific trim is also added to the Regal.

Before you dismiss the Regal GS solely on horsepower alone, look at what the machine is capable of: the all-wheel-drive, suspension and brakes suggest road course work to us. The car weighs in under 4,000 pounds, a miracle in today’s marketplace, and can weigh in as little as 3,600. How much of that is frivolous options that can go away or not be optioned? It’s not going to set the world on fire like Dodge keeps doing every time they cough up a new model, but the Regal might be the sweet sleeper it should really be.


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7 thoughts on “2018 Buick Regal GS: The Tri-Shield Give Performance Another Shot With A 310 Horsepower V6 And All-Wheel-Drive

  1. Marauder

    Weak tea. The non-GT EcoBoosts are pushing 400 h.p. Typical GM … Too little,too late.

  2. Matt Cramer

    The outgoing Regal had a rare manual transmission option. It would be great if this version offered it too. I’ve got a ’90s Regal GS and occasionally I find myself wishing it had a Getrag 5 speed instead of that glass slushbox. Yeah, I’m aware that it’s not good business sense to take the buying tastes of someone who would press a nearly 20 year old car into service as a daily driver.

  3. somedude

    Bring back some 2 door model cars and leave 4 doors for the rolling shopping cart CUV’s that women and sissies drive. I’m sure it’s a nice car but c’mon buick… stop teasing us with 2 door models at shows and giving us this. Unless of course, this is a means to bankrolling something much more sinister…..

  4. Mike lee

    I agree completely. That car would be way more appealing to me as a Coupe. But really glad to see Buick bring back some muscle in a Innovative way . My very first car as a kid was a 70 GS. Loved Buick ever since. But don’t make the Oldsmobile mistake by making good dependable boarding cars

  5. Anthony

    It looks like a Kia from the rear 1/4 view. I like the 310 hp though. I wish I could buy my 99 GS new again.

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