Buick Regal to fit below Buick LaCrosse in USA lineup

July 20, 2:16 PMSF Autos ExaminerMichael Sheena

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Chinese edition of the Buick Regal

The next generation Saturn Aura was well on its way to becoming a reality when GM decided to step out of the ring (yes, that lame pun was intentional).  So what do you do with a fully Americanized sedan that has lost its parent division?  Give it to another brand and hope for the best.  What was not good enough for the Pontiac G8 is apparently perfectly good enough for the Saturn Aura as it will now be known henceforth as the Buick Regal. 

View the slideshow below for some beautiful photography of the Chinese Buick Regal and one shot of the very stylish 2010 Buick LaCrosse so that you can compare the two sedans.  It is important to note that U.S. edition Buick Regals will not be assembled in China.

How will the General differentiate the Regal from its platform mate the 2010 Buick LaCrosse?  Well there is definitely a difference in styling and the Regal is 4 inches shorter than the LaCrosse but outside of that the Regal will offer fewer premium features such as no acoustic laminated glass, no premium absorption material under the car and no perimeter seal for the hood according to an Automotive News interview with Roger Knoebel, manager of vehicle performance integration.

In this writer’s humble opinion, the several thousand dollars you would save by purchasing a Regal isn’t worth the loss in styling and feature content, but you can reach your own conclusion.  The only way the Regal could truly offer something unique is if GM brought over the hatch or wagon body style, then the Regal could truly be considered a stand alone model.

Of course, there is always the case of the woman in this YouTube clip who causes some showroom drama when her husband is hesitant to buy her a new Buick Regal.  Somehow, I don't think that U.S. customers will be so emotional about the car.  Now, if GM decided to bring over the Chinese Park Avenue, this author would be much more excited.