2012 Buick Regal GS - On paper, Buick seems to have applied the rice-rocket treatment to its popular Regal to generate this new GS model. It is taken a small, two. 0-liter four-cylinder and turbocharged and inter cooled the beefeaters out of it to produce 270 horsepower and an even hairier 295 lb-ft of twist; bolted on paving-stone-sized front brake rotors (14.0 inches in diameter, one.2. Inches thick) clamped by impressive-looking Brembo four-piston calipers; It starched up the suspension with stiffer springs, anti-roll bars, and (adjustable) Sachs shocks; and dolled up the outside with more aggressive fascias, rocker panel extensions, and a spoiler. That looks like a recipe for a raucous, rambunctious, torque-steering screaming members Having sampled this car's European counterpart-Opel's extreme-performing, harsh-riding Insignia OPC-I girded my kidneys and established a death grip on the wheel as I dumped the clutch to roll onto the "Lutzring" road work at GM's Milford proving ground.
What might go wrong? Buick may struggle to get import buyers into its showrooms. Abandoned Pontiac loyalists may not feel inclined to switch their devotion to another GM brand.
Competition : Acura TSX, Audi A4, BMW 328i, Infiniti G37, Lincoln MKZ.
Estimated arrival & cost : Sporty GS launches in 2011. They predict a base cost near $36,000. otomodification
