It’s about freaking time! GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Development Tom Stephens has let the turbocharged AWD 6-speed Buick out of the bag by announcing that yes, we would be seeing the Regal GS in Buick showrooms, driveways and hopefully drag strips shortly thereafter. In case you’re not familiar, the Regal GS is Buick’s way of bringing the pain to the new youth market it’s serving to show new buyers what the brand is all about – quality and refined performance.
The performance aspect of Buick’s new mission is very apparent in the new Regal GS. Under the hood you’re going to find the infamous LNF ECOtec that will pump enough air in GS-spec to extract 255 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft of torque out of the 2.0L turbocharged mill. How this power hits the pavement is the interesting bit though. For the first time, and hopefully not the last, the LNF’s output will hit all 4-wheels at the same time and be managed by a 6-speed manual. Yup, that’s the Regal GS tugging at your heartstrings.
Performance isn’t just found under the hood either. Bringing the new king Buick to rest will be a big set of Brembos that will grip a massive pair of 14-inch cross-drilled and slotted rotors. You have to have a sweet set of wheels surrounding brakes like those so Buick has included a nice looking set of 20-inch wheels in the package.
Inside, nothing much needs to be changed on the Ward’s Interior of the Year finalist Buick Regal (pictures below) but the one possible change reported was the replacement of the very attractive and supportive adjustable Recaro buckets for another seat option. We’ll cross our fingers on this decision and hope that Buick makes the right call come build time to include the very popular seat brand.
All of this information is still subject until we hear an official statement on the matter but not much should change should be expected with the winning formula Buick has already concocted in the current GS. Timing should follow the general convention of one year after launch of the base model so we’re thinking that you should see the GS on the streets sometime around fall of next year. Not soon enough if you ask us.
Would you pick up this new turbocharged 6-speed manual AWD luxury sedan when it hits dealers? Let us know below in the comments.
Source: The Detroit News
