For giggles this weekend, I stopped by the dealer and test drove a 2011 or -12 Buick Regal Turbo. Silver, black interior, with navigation and sunroof, 18" wheels. I couldn't put it through any real paces, as I was limited on time, but it was solid and quick, with a little harsher ride than my big Park Avenue -- which I expected; it's shorter and aimed more at the stiff-suspension Euro crowd.
Also I sat in a non-turbo with the "cashmere" colored interior -- light cream seats with a darker tan dash and door trim, and dark wood accents. Much nicer inside, to me, than the all-black.
For some reason, completely irrational, I liked the layout and trim of the interior better than that of the LaCrosse, which is a smoother, more luxury-oriented vehicle; the Regal reminded me more of my Mercedes C-Class. Which is just the buyer segment Buick is aiming at. I'd say they have a good shot at grabbing some of that market away from Stuttgart.
Yeah, I know the GS is coming. And that's a sharp-looking car. But it's out of my sensible price range (as are the 2011s, for now), and a sport suspension would be hard to live with here in the Land of Cracked Roads.
Upshot: I was pleased with the Regal, and it would be fun to drive. But when I climbed back into the Park Avenue, all was right with the world again. I won't be changing cars for a while yet.
Also I sat in a non-turbo with the "cashmere" colored interior -- light cream seats with a darker tan dash and door trim, and dark wood accents. Much nicer inside, to me, than the all-black.
For some reason, completely irrational, I liked the layout and trim of the interior better than that of the LaCrosse, which is a smoother, more luxury-oriented vehicle; the Regal reminded me more of my Mercedes C-Class. Which is just the buyer segment Buick is aiming at. I'd say they have a good shot at grabbing some of that market away from Stuttgart.
Yeah, I know the GS is coming. And that's a sharp-looking car. But it's out of my sensible price range (as are the 2011s, for now), and a sport suspension would be hard to live with here in the Land of Cracked Roads.
Upshot: I was pleased with the Regal, and it would be fun to drive. But when I climbed back into the Park Avenue, all was right with the world again. I won't be changing cars for a while yet.
