Buick spices up 2018 Regal with power
All-new hot hatch gets some meaningful upgrades in the name of sportiness
Buick has unveiled what’s technically its first hot hatch in North America: the 2018 Regal GS.
The GS is billed as a sportier version of the Regal, itself thoroughly reimagined for 2018 as a five-door hatchback, hoping to finally shed whatever stereotypes the tri-shield badges suggest.
Where the rest of the Regal lineup makes do with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the GS is powered by GM’s ubiquitous 3.6-L V6 engine. Rated at a respectable 310 horsepower and 282 poundfeet of torque, a nine-speed automatic transmission sends the engine’s kick to all four wheels. Similar to the new LaCrosse (and, of all cars, the Ford Focus RS), the so-called twin-clutch AWD system can distribute variable amounts of torque between each individual rear wheel.
Brembo brakes, Buick’s Continuous Damping Control suspension gizmo, and a sport exhaust system round out the performance changes. Buick hasn’t completely forgotten about fuel economy; the Regal GS also features cylinder deactivation and an automatic stop-start system.
Naturally, the Regal GS is styled more aggressively inside and out. Unique front and rear fascias, side skirts, a lip spoiler on the trunk and 19-inch wheels set the GS apart from the standard Regal.
Inside, the GS gains a pair of snazzy-looking sport seats that are heated, cooled and massaging, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel and metal pedals. The rest of the cabin is familiar, including the eightinch digital instrument cluster, and the eight-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
This being 2017, the Regal GS offers an optional head-up display, plus a package which adds a laundry list of active safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision alert and lane-departure warning.
Canadian pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet, but the Regal GS is set to hit U.S. dealers later this year with a price tag just under US$40,000.