2012 Buick Regal GS - Not Just a Concept

Now that the Buick Regal is a reality, GM officials confirm that the high performance GS has the green light. GM will build the car but not much else is known.

Buick has been without a performance model for some time. There was a 2000 Buick Regal GSX SEMA car that was lowered, and supposedly made 300 hp from a supercharged, intercooled V6. A milder dealer installed GSX option from SLP was available and it added GSX badges, a smaller blower pulley and a reprogramed computer plus dual exhaust - output was bumped up to 270 but good luck finding one.

We expect a turbocharged four cylinder engine making about 250 - 260 hp in the 2012 Regal GS. No V6 will be offered but if those numbers are accurate, Buick won't need one.

The last production Buick Regal GS made 240 hp using a supercharged V6 - pictured is a GS from 2000. The turbo I4 will certainly get better fuel economy, and deliver more power. Plus, the new Regal seems like a slightly smaller, lighter car than the previous version and this new Regal GS will route that power through all four wheels (or not - several web sites are saying the Buick will not get all-wheel drive b/c engineers don't think the weight/cost is worth it.) No doubt the Opel Insignia which shares the Buick's platform will get the AWD system.

The latest high performance Buick Regal is just the latest in long line of hot rod Buicks starting with the 1965 Buick Skylark GS. This one is part of a private collection you can check out at steevee.com

Later the GSX, Regal T-Type, Regal Grand National and Regal based GNX carried the performance torch for Buick.

No prices have been announced for the latest generation Buick GS but low to mid $30,000 range is a good guess.