Buick Regal 2010 - 2011 Maitre του rebadge εδώ και χρόνια η General Motors, θα περίμενε κανείς να έχει μάθει κάτι από τα λάθη και τις περιπέτειες του παρελθόντος...
Ομως όχι. Παραμένει αμετανόητη.
Το Opel Insignia, το οποίο ήδη πωλείται στην Κίνα ως Buick Regal και πουλάει πολύ καλά (64.000 αυτοκίνητα μέχρι τώρα), λανσάρεται τώρα και στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, επίσης ως Buick Regal.
Και βέβαια, ως κυριότερο προσόν του Regal προβάλλεται η ευρωπαϊκή του σχεδίαση, και ο τίτλος του ευρωπαϊκού αυτοκινήτου της χρονιάς γιά το 2009... Σουρεαλισμός.
Από το σουρεαλιστικό δελτίο τύπου της Buick:
“The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you’ve ever experienced from this brand,” said Susan Docherty, general manager of Buick GMC. “The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and will expand the portfolio to include a sport sedan.”
The new Regal arrives in the second quarter of 2010, with its sights aimed squarely on competitors like the Acura TSX and Volvo S60. It has a longer wheelbase and greater trunk volume than those vehicles, along with standard features – including a six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels and OnStar – that aren’t offered standard on either competitor.The Regal’s development is rooted in Germany, where the globally led engineering team created the award-winning Opel Insignia – the 2009 European Car of the Year. The Insignia has garnered more than 31 prestigious awards and is the best-selling midsize sedan in Europe. Regal will bring all of Insignia’s award-winning design, technology and European-inspired performance capabilities to the American market.
The Regal has already been a success on another continent, in China. It went on sale in December 2008 and more than 64,000 Regals have been sold there. Enthusiastic customers cite its sculpted, flowing design and responsive performance as the top reasons for purchase.Design story
The Regal’s sleek design blends the sweeping silhouette and proportions of a coupe in a progressive package that suggests motion from all angles. Great attention to detail complements that aggressive styling, with tailored applications of Buick’s signature design cues, such as the waterfall grille, select use of chrome trim and superior fit and finish of the exterior panels.
“Regal is all about great proportions,” said John Cafaro, design director, passenger car. “For example, with the fenders flared to wrap around the tires. It’s an aggressive stance that people aren’t used to seeing in recent Buicks.”
The car’s performance-oriented spirit is also conveyed in sleek, sculpted body-side detail and aggressive headlamps that further suggest motion. At the rear, an abbreviated deck and tucked-in body panels are the hallmarks of a contemporary sport sedan, with bold taillamps and their intricate lighting elements reinforcing Regal’s attention to detail. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard.
The sweeping design motif carries over to the interior, where the side panels flow uninterrupted into the instrument panel. The instruments have the look of expensive sport timepieces and are lit with ice-blue LED lights. The center stack, housing the climate and “infotainment” controls, was designed to allow for a lower, driver-centric instrument panel profile. Features such as a thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel and firm, highly bolstered and leather-covered seats also support the sport-oriented driving experience.“There is great design harmony between the exterior and interior,” said Cafaro. “The feeling of flow and motion carries through in an engaging manner that makes you want to take the Regal out to your favorite twisting road to see what it can do.”
Buick Regal 2010 - 2011 Photos: Buick
