New Buick Regal GS

John Wilde

I'm getting too old for this $#!%
Staff member
Joined
May 27, 2001
NAIAS: Buick Regal GS Show Car - GM Inside News Forum

Originally Posted by Press Release
DETROIT – With an estimated 255 turbocharged horsepower (190 kW), a six-speed manual transmission and an advanced, adaptive all-wheel-drive system, the Buick Regal GS show car is a high-tech, high-performance version of the brand’s newest sport sedan. It was introduced at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

The mechanical elements were developed with the aim of delivering a driving experience that is sporting, confidence-inspiring and refined. It has a performance-oriented drivetrain, a lowered body and lower center of gravity. Exterior and interior cues include two additional vertical front air intakes; large, forged aluminum 20-inch wheels and performance tires; a racing-inspired sport steering wheel and metal pedals. Recaro high-performance front seats feature four-way lumbar support and cushion extensions.

“We designed the Regal GS to explore the appeal of a high-performance variant of the Regal,” said Craig Bierley, product marketing director for Buick. “Like the Regal, the Regal GS is based on the award-winning Opel Insignia, and we believe it will reinvigorate Buick’s storied Gran Sport legacy.”

The Regal GS exterior is distinguished by vertical air inlets in the front fascia, as well as unique rocker panels, an integrated rear spoiler, dual exhaust outlets, Olympic White paint and satin metallic accents.

“The idea behind the Regal GS was taking the production model in a more aggressive direction to appeal to performance enthusiasts,” said John Cafaro, Buick design director. “But along with its aggressive stance, there’s sophisticated style in the design that complements the driving experience.”

Inside, the Regal GS varies from the standard Regal by featuring a completely jet black interior, including the pillars and headliner, sport shifter for the six-speed manual transmission and a suede-covered, flat-bottom steering wheel reminiscent of those used in international racing series. The instrument panel glows ice blue when the driver engages the sport mode of the Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS).

Turbocharged AWD performance

Power for the Regal GS comes from a high-output 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged engine with direct-injection technology. It is based on the engine that will be offered on Regal CXL models later this summer, but the engine and turbocharger are tuned to deliver greater boost pressure in the GS. The output is estimated at 255 horsepower (190 kW) and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (400 Nm).

The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission that directs torque to an adaptive all-wheel-drive system calibrated for performance driving. An electronic, limited-slip rear differential helps ensure the engine’s power is distributed effectively during cornering.

The high-performance drivetrain is expected to enable the Regal GS to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. That performance is complemented by a four-wheel-independent suspension, with a unique High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) design in front. The HiPerStrut system helps reduce torque steer and maintain negative camber during cornering. This improves ultimate grip levels in dry and wet conditions, as well as improves the direct feel of the road, while isolating undesirable feedback. Behind the wheel the driver experiences reduced torque steer, improved grip and increased cornering power, along with crisper handling, steering precision and feedback.

The Regal GS features a high-performance Brembo brake system with 14 x 1.2-inch (355 x 32 mm) cross-drilled rotors; four-piston, high-strength aluminum calipers, and high-performance pads.

The Regal GS is also equipped with Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) chassis technology (also offered on Regal CXL models with the 2.0L turbo engine). It delivers enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, while also adapting the driving characteristics of the car to the driver’s preferences. The driver selects among three operating modes – normal, sport and GS – that change the suspension settings, throttle response, shift pattern and steering sensitivity through the variable-effort steering system.
 
Figures. :mad:

They decide not to include the 325hp turbo'd v6. Woulda been a nice competitor for the Ford Ecoboost twin turbo Taurus SHO.
Instead they stick in an anemic little 2L turbo 4.

Again, GM just doesn't quite get it. :mad:
 
Too bad that the numb nutted morons at government motors find it necessary to phuck up something that should be a no brainer. Create a REAL muscle machine for the new century.

Lose the additional 2 doors, and put a twin turbo 6, AWD in it. Then I'd give a sh!t.
Overpaid decision makers with no interest in "the coolness" factor are at the wheel of most all of GM these days.
 
No bfd. Probably decent performance potential but looks like a small Nissan imo. I wont be dropping any coin on one.
 
The turbo 2.0L Ecotec 4banger is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, they will eventually decide to put the turbo V6 in a Buick to really compete with the Ford Ecoboost SHO.
 
I agree that it's a step in the right direction. They just have to keep the price reasonable to be competitive....like 31-33ish. I'm really surprised with the 6 speed manual choice. It could be a fun little driver. This new Regal is probably close in size to the Ford Fusion, maybe a tad smaller.
 
Since the 3.8 went away I believe the Ecotec is the oldest in production GM engine. Remember it used to be the Iron duke before it got it's newer greener name.

The biggest complaint is I'd love to see Buick get another RWD platform.
 
If you had any concept of how easy it is to get 325whp out of the 2.0 Turbo engine you might stop talking about any existing GM V6, not to mention the weight you save with the 4.

Let me correct you on a number of inaccuracies in this thread. The ecotec has ZERO relation to any piece of **** Iron Duke. The engine was developed by Opel/Saab and first in saturns in 2001. It bares no relation to the 2.0/2.2OHV engines, or the tech 4/quad 4/twin cam. Theres been several revisions since. I've personally been working with them since 2002 and the sky is the limit when it comes to how much power you can make with them.

Gm currently makes this already as a upgrade to the Soltice/Sky/Cobalt SS/HHR SS
Cobalt, Solstice, HHR Stage Kit 19212670 - Crate Engine Depot

This is a list just from the Cobalt forum of what people have done so far on the stock turbo with no fuel mods (its direct injection no aftermarket injectors out yet), no internals (theres not any made yet), stock cams, stock head and valvetrain.

1. Terminator2 345whp, 375wtq Verified Dynocom T, I, DP, CD, CP, IC
2. 09BlueBaltSS 344whp, 384wtq Verified Dynocom T/I/DP/CD Graph
3. BYT*SS*TURBO 321whp, 390wtq Verified DynoJet CD, DP, AM, CP, PM, T
4. ecotecturbo 319whp, 366wtq Verifed DynoJet, IC, CD, CP, I, E, T
5. GTPprix 317whp, 339wtq Verified Dynojet I, DP, CD, E, CP, IC, T
6. Projekt 331whp,393wtq Verified Dynojet I/CD/DP/T Graphy
7. crazysteve (HHR) 314whp, 370wtq Verified WynDyn T, CP, E, DP
8. revhigh18 310whp, 338wtq Verified DynoJet I, T, CD, IC, CP
9. L.P. 307whp 361wtq T, CD
10. cobalt_ss187 306whp, 306wtq Verified Mustang T
11. wantedSS/TC 297whp, 364wtq Verified DynoJet DP, CP, AM
12. Black08SSTC 289whp 314wtq Verified Mustand Dyno T, I, CP Graph
13. drewbroo 281whp, 307wtq Verified DynoJet I, MD, T
15. mezzanno 281whp 274wtq
14. agent007kimball 256whp, 250wtq Verified MustangDyno STOCK
15. Red_SS/TC 250whp 276wtq Verified MustangDyno STOCK
16. IsItFast? 242whp, 256wtq Verified STOCK
17. RBC 242whp 242wtq Verified DynoJet STOCK
18. MARIN007 239whp, 253wtq Verified Dynojet STOCK
19. 09SS 239whp, 237wtq Verified Dynojet MD, F Graph

Before you make the next excuse of saying it has no low end torque put this in your pipe and smoke it
scan.jpg

It has an amazingly flat torque curve, thats what happens with a dual scroll and VVT. Its a technical marvel.

Gm racing program has run over 1450hp through the ecotecs in NHRA and 6 second cars. All this with an amazing amount of OEM parts still in the engine. I dare say thats a good bit more than 90% on here have done.

They have created a new muscle machine for the 21st century its just most of you are too old to get it, or accept the fact that a 4 cylinder will spank the **** out of many of your much larger engines, STOCK.

PS. Don't GNXs dyno 220whp stock or less, yea better stop talking now.
 
GMTunerSource.com - Jason Whitfield

Oh yea and that car is street legal as well.

I currently have my 2nd ecotec car, a 07 cobalt ss supercharged with the older LSJ 2.0 engine. It has a supercharger swap, intake, exhaust, bigger injectors and a tune, valve cover has never even been off. Makes 298whp and I get 35+mpg. Don't get me wrong I love the turbo buick engine, its cheap to make ALOT of power but from 40-120 my cobalt put bus lengths on the TTA, wasn't even close. My cobalt by no means is even near as fast as alot of other people in the ecotec community. My friend Phil had a T3/T4 car on a built bottom end with 17psi felt like your internal organs were being pushed into the seat. You can make these cars haul ass, for sure
 
If you had any concept of how easy it is to get 325whp out of the 2.0 Turbo engine you might stop talking about any existing GM V6, not to mention the weight you save with the 4.

Let me correct you on a number of inaccuracies in this thread. The ecotec has ZERO relation to any piece of **** Iron Duke. The engine was developed by Opel/Saab and first in saturns in 2001. It bares no relation to the 2.0/2.2OHV engines, or the tech 4/quad 4/twin cam. Theres been several revisions since. I've personally been working with them since 2002 and the sky is the limit when it comes to how much power you can make with them.

Gm currently makes this already as a upgrade to the Soltice/Sky/Cobalt SS/HHR SS
Cobalt, Solstice, HHR Stage Kit 19212670 - Crate Engine Depot

This is a list just from the Cobalt forum of what people have done so far on the stock turbo with no fuel mods (its direct injection no aftermarket injectors out yet), no internals (theres not any made yet), stock cams, stock head and valvetrain.

1. Terminator2 345whp, 375wtq Verified Dynocom T, I, DP, CD, CP, IC
2. 09BlueBaltSS 344whp, 384wtq Verified Dynocom T/I/DP/CD Graph
3. BYT*SS*TURBO 321whp, 390wtq Verified DynoJet CD, DP, AM, CP, PM, T
4. ecotecturbo 319whp, 366wtq Verifed DynoJet, IC, CD, CP, I, E, T
5. GTPprix 317whp, 339wtq Verified Dynojet I, DP, CD, E, CP, IC, T
6. Projekt 331whp,393wtq Verified Dynojet I/CD/DP/T Graphy
7. crazysteve (HHR) 314whp, 370wtq Verified WynDyn T, CP, E, DP
8. revhigh18 310whp, 338wtq Verified DynoJet I, T, CD, IC, CP
9. L.P. 307whp 361wtq T, CD
10. cobalt_ss187 306whp, 306wtq Verified Mustang T
11. wantedSS/TC 297whp, 364wtq Verified DynoJet DP, CP, AM
12. Black08SSTC 289whp 314wtq Verified Mustand Dyno T, I, CP Graph
13. drewbroo 281whp, 307wtq Verified DynoJet I, MD, T
15. mezzanno 281whp 274wtq
14. agent007kimball 256whp, 250wtq Verified MustangDyno STOCK
15. Red_SS/TC 250whp 276wtq Verified MustangDyno STOCK
16. IsItFast? 242whp, 256wtq Verified STOCK
17. RBC 242whp 242wtq Verified DynoJet STOCK
18. MARIN007 239whp, 253wtq Verified Dynojet STOCK
19. 09SS 239whp, 237wtq Verified Dynojet MD, F Graph

Before you make the next excuse of saying it has no low end torque put this in your pipe and smoke it
scan.jpg

It has an amazingly flat torque curve, thats what happens with a dual scroll and VVT. Its a technical marvel.

Gm racing program has run over 1450hp through the ecotecs in NHRA and 6 second cars. All this with an amazing amount of OEM parts still in the engine. I dare say thats a good bit more than 90% on here have done.

They have created a new muscle machine for the 21st century its just most of you are too old to get it, or accept the fact that a 4 cylinder will spank the **** out of many of your much larger engines, STOCK.

PS. Don't GNXs dyno 220whp stock or less, yea better stop talking now.

I agree with you on the ecotech potential. It will boil down to the $ thrown at it and having a smart tuner. 500hp should be a walk in the park with a cat delete and some good gas. The NHRA cars you are referring too are a far cry from anything that will be released for sale to the general public. High cylinder pressure and rpm makes big hp. Low end torque is not the name of the game in any NHRA class. Its about hp and getting it down. Fwiw gnx's all dynoed at around 320hp. The highest one dynoed around 370hp. All were dynoed by Mclaren before they left the line. Thats why you rarely see/saw them with under 8 miles on them. Another thing to keep in mind is that GNX's ran very low 13's with inexperienced drivers back in 1987. Yeah, 23 years ago. A few guys ran 12's bone stock back in 87. Buick paved the way for all the port fuel injected turbocharged engines you see out there today. Whp doesnt mean chit owhen racing either. Whoever gets to the end first wins. Its still a big feather in a street racers cap if they can beat a TR. Even if their car is 3 years old racing against 20+year old flying brick. No doubt these boosted direct injected engines will be beating up on a lot of unsuspecting old tech dopes laying down some crazy numbers though.
 
GMTunerSource.com - Jason Whitfield

Oh yea and that car is street legal as well.

I currently have my 2nd ecotec car, a 07 cobalt ss supercharged with the older LSJ 2.0 engine. It has a supercharger swap, intake, exhaust, bigger injectors and a tune, valve cover has never even been off. Makes 298whp and I get 35+mpg. Don't get me wrong I love the turbo buick engine, its cheap to make ALOT of power but from 40-120 my cobalt put bus lengths on the TTA, wasn't even close. My cobalt by no means is even near as fast as alot of other people in the ecotec community. My friend Phil had a T3/T4 car on a built bottom end with 17psi felt like your internal organs were being pushed into the seat. You can make these cars haul ass, for sure

Bring me $7k and your TTA and it will put lengths on just about anything you see on the street.
 
Thanks Rod, I would have preferred the 3.6 di motor which has made over 1700hp with a production block and crank and we might get it at some point.
To be honest with GM making the Leno Camaro with this I would expect a ecoboost competitor sooner rather than later.
However this motor is not a bad deal and some of the arguments sound like the GS owners that were upset when the GNs came out with a v6...
 
GM nor any other manf is concerned with how many hundred horsepower more an engine can make over stock, they have to sell cars and sell cars that get a certain mile per gallon.

It just so happens that this engine offers both MPG and the ability to run extremely high HP, and much better than anything else they have which would include the 3.6. Having a 4 isn't such a bad thing, this is going to be a great car.

And your right, we been here before, all the V8 guys knocked the grand national because it was a 6 and got thier butts kicked, this is the next generation.
 
It looks like any other rental car with generic ho hum styling. Here's a simple idea that Buick could do in no time with little added expense. Why not take the Pontiac G8, put portholes on it and call it a Buick GS8 or GN8.
 
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