The Acura was uglified, while the Mazda 6 was blobified and softened. So yeah, there isn't much else out there to match the Regal's blend of FWD, sportyish pretensions, midsize space, and handsome looks. I tip my hat to GM, this is a legitimately good car, and I hope they make a performance version.
@Braff: From all knowledge of other audi products, not specifically the new s4...
No. Not the same system. Audi generally uses TorSen AWD system, which apparently has been vectoring all along. The exceptions to the audi=torsen rule are the A3 and TT.
Haldex (which is the system in this opel, and also in my new audi A3) is used mainly on vehicles with transversely mounted engines, platforms originally intended for FWD.
Sidenote: most people say that TorSen is superior. I can't say yet as I have only had my car for 1 month, and no snow yet :) Also, Bugatti Veyron supposedly uses a Haldex system.
@Braff/Jafoca: Sort of/not really. This is a transverse-mounted, FWD car with a power-takeoff unit sending power through a clutchpack between the front and rear axles combined with a clutchpack-operated lockable rear diff, as opposed to the Audi which has a true torsen center differential with a rear-biased torque split on dry pavement, coupled with two clutchpacks on the rear half-shafts for torque vectoring.
The "vectoring" of the haldex rear diff is a bit misleading (just like all the other marketing BS from haldex). It's a good system, but it's basically just a rear diff that can lock up. It has a single clutchpack on the rear diff that can lock the two halfshafts together, as opposed to something like the (heavier, more expensive, more complicated) tw0-clutchpack system used on the Audi and some (not all) of Acura's SH-AWD systems.
The Audi uses a system with a clutchpack on each of the rear half-shafts, which lets you disengage one of the halfshafts progressively. Because of the way differentials work, this effectively "vectors" torque to the other wheel.
The Haldex system progressively locks the rear axle, which prevents the inside wheel from spinning, but it doesn't technically vector torque to the outside wheel. Any situation where one rear wheel has a different torque split than the other would require one to have more traction than the other, and indeed, Haldex's examples show one wheel on ice, which is intentionally misleading, IMO.
That said, this system is better than having an open rear diff, and is cheaper and more compact than a system with a true center diff and two rear-axle clutchpacks.
Change the wheels, black out the brake intakes and exhaust surrounds, de-chrome the grille and trunk, and do something with the tails (tint?). It's a nice foundation, but I'm just not loving most of the finishing visual touches.
And 4,000# for a sedan this size with manual transmission? That's just incredible.
This is about as deserving of the GNX mantle as I am of valedictorian. I'm not bothered by the AWD 4-door bit, but it won't embarrass Corvettes. I'd accept the Grand National badge though. Or, really, however I can get it - throw Daewoo badges on, and I'd still drive the crap out of it.
But still, clocking in at a small dog shy of 2 tons is disturbing.
You know, now that there's a manual option, this thing's kinda tempting, if i was in the market for a TSX, Passat or Volvo. But I'm not. Nor will I ever be.
They should have called it Insignia, though. This is a nice car, and the Regal name is only going to remind people of a car that was decidedly not nice.
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
Edited by If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face at 11/21/09 1:36 PM
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
@spuy767: When it came out? Yeah, it was a nice, clean design. And the supercharged 3800 was and still is a great powerplant. Unfortunately, the interior was wretched and Buick let the car hang around unchanged way too long. Basically, GM did everything they possibly could to kill the Regal name from 1988 until now and all of a sudden it's a world-beating entry-level luxury/sport sedan. I've come to expect this sort of thing, but it's still hard to swallow.
This car should be the Insignia and the LaCrosse (a name that is 10x worse than Regal) should be the Invicta or Electra. Oh, and both models need a Gran Sport version.
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
It's relatively attractive, but gorgeous? No. I really don't see anything remarkable with this car, except that it does a nice job of filling in the gap where GM used to want Saab to be.
@brandegee: The situation did not allow me to capture the car properly. The only one that didn't have camouflage on it was the one above, which was not allowed out on the drive. Leave it to GM to put a great new car in the shadows, next to a pillar, under sodium lights.
In the USA, there's so much backlash against the old man image of Buick, but in China, it's a pretty luxurious midrange brand and somewhat energetic with their lineup.
That said, China didn't get a chance with the land barges of yesteryears.
@YankBoffin: I actually saw one of these in the wild a few months back. Without the badging, I would have been hard pressed to ID it. In hindsight, it was almost as heinous as the Cimarron. Almost.
@YankBoffin: I was almost tempted to pick up on a 2000 Catera a few years back as a daily driver. The massive depreciation made the purchase price cheap, it doesn't look that bad, it's sort of sporty, and there's lots of goodies. A little digging around for info convinced me that would have been a dumb move.
How does it compare with the Malibu in ride and handling? I was very impressed with a rental Malibu a couple years back and have since hoped the General would apply the same level of engineering to a smaller sedan. Perhaps this is why they hadn't.
11/23/09
Grand National, though...I'm good with this.
Personally, I want this package in an automatic, and I'm not anti-Jalop, or anti-manual, just can't do it, long-term, any more.
Caution, the really fun hobbies can kill you...if you're doin' them right.
11/23/09
11/23/09
11/23/09
11/23/09
No. Not the same system. Audi generally uses TorSen AWD system, which apparently has been vectoring all along. The exceptions to the audi=torsen rule are the A3 and TT.
Haldex (which is the system in this opel, and also in my new audi A3) is used mainly on vehicles with transversely mounted engines, platforms originally intended for FWD.
Sidenote: most people say that TorSen is superior. I can't say yet as I have only had my car for 1 month, and no snow yet :) Also, Bugatti Veyron supposedly uses a Haldex system.
11/23/09
The "vectoring" of the haldex rear diff is a bit misleading (just like all the other marketing BS from haldex). It's a good system, but it's basically just a rear diff that can lock up. It has a single clutchpack on the rear diff that can lock the two halfshafts together, as opposed to something like the (heavier, more expensive, more complicated) tw0-clutchpack system used on the Audi and some (not all) of Acura's SH-AWD systems.
The Audi uses a system with a clutchpack on each of the rear half-shafts, which lets you disengage one of the halfshafts progressively. Because of the way differentials work, this effectively "vectors" torque to the other wheel.
The Haldex system progressively locks the rear axle, which prevents the inside wheel from spinning, but it doesn't technically vector torque to the outside wheel. Any situation where one rear wheel has a different torque split than the other would require one to have more traction than the other, and indeed, Haldex's examples show one wheel on ice, which is intentionally misleading, IMO.
That said, this system is better than having an open rear diff, and is cheaper and more compact than a system with a true center diff and two rear-axle clutchpacks.
11/23/09
#tips
11/23/09
Yeah, you know me.
11/23/09
And 4,000# for a sedan this size with manual transmission? That's just incredible.
I'm still down with OPC, just saying.
11/23/09
11/23/09
11/23/09
But still, clocking in at a small dog shy of 2 tons is disturbing.
11/23/09
11/20/09
They should have called it Insignia, though. This is a nice car, and the Regal name is only going to remind people of a car that was decidedly not nice.
11/21/09
@If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face: Yeah. That car is shit.
11/21/09
11/21/09
@If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face:
11/21/09
#tips
11/21/09
This car should be the Insignia and the LaCrosse (a name that is 10x worse than Regal) should be the Invicta or Electra. Oh, and both models need a Gran Sport version.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
On the road, it's a damn nice lookin' ride.
11/20/09
In the USA, there's so much backlash against the old man image of Buick, but in China, it's a pretty luxurious midrange brand and somewhat energetic with their lineup.
That said, China didn't get a chance with the land barges of yesteryears.
11/20/09
Then again, the GTO worked so well....
Sigh.
/the concept of flying-under-the-radar is lost on most people
11/20/09
I wish we did have more sleepers.
On the other hand, the reason that we don't have them anymore is that people didn't buy them because they looked like, well, sleepers.
11/20/09
This is why I like the 300C SRT, and cars like it. Haul-ass sedans just have appeal to me.
11/20/09
Let us hope this sells better than the last rebadged Opel.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
Ack!!!!
11/20/09
[www.pbase.com]
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09