The Buick Regal is a line of mid-size cars marketed by Buick since 1973. Serving as the premium mid-size/intermediate car of the Buick product range for nearly its entire production, the Regal initially served as the divisional counterpart of the Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme; since the late 2000s, the model line has been derived from the European Opel Insignia. The Regal also serves as the basis of the high-performance Grand National, Gran Sport (GS), and Buick GNX coupes.
Through its production, the Regal has been marketed under a wide variety of body styles, including two-door coupes and four-door sedans (currently in production), along with a 5-door liftback sedan and a 5-door station wagon; the latter (the 2018–2020 Regal TourX) was the first Buick station wagon marketed since the retirement of both the Century and Roadmaster Estates after 1996. The turbocharged LD5 3.8L V6 used in the second generation was used to showcase the motorsports presence of the brand; though offered with other vehicles (including Chevrolets and Pontiacs), the turbocharged engine is most commonly associated with the Regal. During the 1990s, the V6 regained forced induction, with a supercharger replacing the turbocharger.
In 1999, General Motors commenced sales of its vehicles in China, with the Buick Regal serving as its introductory model of the joint venture SAIC-GM. After 2004, Buick retired the model line in North America, as it replaced both the Regal and the Century with the Buick LaCrosse. Following the introduction of the second-generation Regal for China for 2008, the model line returned to North America for the 2011 model year as a rebadged Opel Insignia, slotted slightly below the LaCrosse. Following the introduction of the sixth-generation Regal (sourced entirely from Germany) for 2018, GM sold Opel to PSA (now Stellantis), ending sales in North America after the 2020 model year. Currently, the Insignia B-derived Regal remains in production by SAIC-GM.
Background In the full-size personal luxury car segment, Buick was the first GM division to market a vehicle (the 1963 Buick Riviera, debuting the GM E-body). As the segment expanded towards intermediate-size coupes, GM saw the introduction of a repackaged Pontiac Grand Prix for 1969 and an all-new Chevrolet Monte Carlo for 1970. The same year, Oldsmobile added a notchback roofline to its Cutlass Supreme coupe; repackaging it as an equivalent of the Grand Prix proved successful, as it became the brand's best-selling intermediate.
For 1973, GM introduced the "Colonnade" generation of its A-body intermediates. Developed in anticipation of increased rollover safety standards, GM eliminated hardtop rooflines completely (in favor of visually reinforced roof pillars); the designs were marketed as "pillared hardtops" (retaining frameless door glass on all body styles). Buick dropped the Skylark nameplate from its A-body range, replacing it with Century (last used in 1958 on its flagship B-body). As with other Colonnade intermediates, the Century was offered as a two-door and four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon.
After lagging behind Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac, Buick introduced an intermediate-size personal coupe for 1973, marketing the "Century Regal Colonnade Hardtop coupe". Along with a notchback roofline (with side opera windows), the Regal featured its own grille and taillamp lenses.
First generation (1973)
For 1973, Buick introduced the Century Regal as the flagship model of its A-body intermediate line. As with the lower-priced Century Luxus coupe, the Regal shared its notchback roofline with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and Pontiac Grand Prix. For 1974, the Century Regal adopted a four-door sedan from its parent line, which featured a slightly fastback roofline (the Colonnade station wagon only carried the Century Estate nameplate). For 1976, the Buick Regal became a distinct model line slotted above the Century.1976 Buick sales brochure, xr793.com Retrieved 19 November 2022
Interiors were upgraded over standard Century trims, with Regals featuring woodgrain trim on the dashboard and door panels (equipped with door-pull straps). Bench seats with folding center armrests were standard, upholstered in either cloth, velour, or vinyl upholstery; a 60/40 split-bench seat was optional. The 1976-1977 Regal S/R coupe was offered with reclining bucket seats with corduroy upholstery.
The Colonnade-generation Regal saw relatively few changes through its production. Following revisions related to the 1974 addition of 5-mph bumpers, the front fascia underwent an update for 1976, incorporating rectangular-lens quad headlamps (horizontally-mounted on coupes, vertically stacked on sedans).A. Buick Regal-1976 B. Buick Century-1976, libwww.freelibrary.org Retrieved 19 November 2022
Over 500,000 Regal coupes were sold during this generation, though the model lagged behind the Monte Carlo and Cutlass Supreme; the latter had become among the best-selling car lines in America by 1976. The listed retail price for a 1976 Regal was $4,910 ($ in dollars ).
Powertrain details The Regal was most commonly powered by a Buick V8, which was the standard engine for 1973 and 1974; a Buick V8 was optional. For 1975, Buick intermediates dropped the 455 V8, with the 350 V8 becoming an optional engine for Regal coupes. For 1975, a V6 became the standard engine.
Designed by Buick, the V6 was developed for its initial Special/Skylark compacts in the early 1960s. In 1967, the tooling for the engine was sold to Kaiser Motors for use in Jeep vehicles (purchased by American Motors in 1970). In 1974, GM acquired the tooling and the rights to the V6 engine from AMC and reintroduced the Buick V6 engine for 1975. For 1975 and 1976, the Century and Regal were the only mid-size cars sold in America to offer V6 engines.
Production Figures +Buick Regal (Centuries were counted for total production in sources, excluded here.):1973 https://www.conceptcarz.com/s28736/buick-century.aspx1973-1977 https://www.g3gm.com/Buick-Info-h11.htmRegal CoupeRegal Sedan197391,557197457,5129,333197556,64610,7261976124,49817,1181977174,56017,946Total 504,77355,123
Second generation (1978)
A downsized Regal appeared for the 1978 model year with Buick's new V6 engine as standard equipment and a revised version of the venerable V6 as an option (which became standard for 1980). Initially, a three-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed available, but the automatic option filled their places from 1980 onward. At the time of introduction, Regals were available exclusively as coupés with the Century nameplate applied to standard equipment sedans and station wagons. In January 1982 the Century was replaced by an all-new car on the front-wheel drive A platform, which meant that the Regal gained a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon - essentially facelifted and rebadged versions of the previous year's rear-wheel drive Century. It was the first time the name appeared on a full model lineup. The wagon was discontinued after 1983, and the sedan dropped from the lineup the next year.Gunnell, pp. 218, 224 This generation Regal lasted ten years. The base model was equipped with softer-riding luxury suspension.
The 1978 Regal could be equipped with a Turbocharged V6 engine with automatic transmission; it was known in this configuration as a Regal Sport Coupe. The Buick LeSabre was also available with the turbocharged engine, the only other turbocharged cars available in the U.S. market in 1978 being imports from Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Saab. The Regal Sport Coupe also included a firm handling suspension with larger tires and sport wheels. Bucket seats and a center console with a T-shifter were available.
For 1980, the Regal was offered in a special Somerset Limited Edition trim which featured unique tan and dark blue designer exterior paint, wire wheel covers, sport mirrors, and chrome Somerset badging. The interior had tan and blue plush velour upholstery, brushed chrome trim, and additional Somerset badging. A Somerset Limited Edition model was also offered on the restyled 1981 Regal. It had unique dark sandstone and camel exterior paint, sport mirrors, and turbine wheels. The interior's plush velour upholstery was camel with dark brown piping.
A major facelift for 1981 gave the Regal a much more aerodynamic profile, helping make it possible for the car to compete on the NASCAR racing circuit. The sloping hood and nose of the car made it the favorite of several NASCAR teams, and reduced the drag coefficient by eighteen percent. Richard Petty drove one to victory in the 1981 Daytona 500, and the car won a majority of the 1981 and 1982 seasons races and won the NASCAR manufacturers title in 1981 and 1982. Buick would remain the last marque other than Chevrolet or Ford to win the Cup Series manufacturers championship until Toyota scored its first in 2016. It also propelled Buick to #3 in sales after 26 years, remaining in that place through 1983.
V8s for street use were still available, but had shrunk to (1980 and 1981 only, Pontiac built), and the V6 was rapidly gaining popularity. From 1986 to 1987, the V8 was available as an option. The 2-bbl V6 was standard. The 200-4R overdrive transmission was an option with either engine.
Production Figures: +Buick Regal Production Figures:CoupeSedanWagonYearly Total1978236,652 236,6521979273,365273,3651980214,735214,7351981123,848123,8481982136,25974,42814,732225,4191983151,66761,28515,287228,2391984166,03958,715 224,7541985124,546 124,546198691,22991,229198765,28565,285Total1,583,625194,42830,0191,808,072
Grand National, Turbo-T and T-Type
In 1978, the first turbocharged Regal was introduced as the Regal Sport Coupe. Turbo versions were originally offered with either a two- or a four-barrel carburetor and , but the two-barrel option was removed for 1979. Meanwhile, the four-barrel's maximum output increased to . Power remained unchanged until 1982, when it increased to and then in 1983, when the Regal T-Type replaced the Sport Coupe.
In February 1982, the Grand National debuted, which was named for the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Series (the "Grand National" term was part of the Cup series nomenclature until 1986). Buick had won the Manufacturers Cup in 1981 and 1982, and wanted to capitalize on its success: "What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday", and hoping to revive their performance image from the 1960s with the Buick Skylark Gran Sport. These 1982 cars were not painted black. All examples started out as charcoal gray Regals that were shipped off to a subcontractor for finishing.
Originally intended for a run of 100 units, Cars and Concepts of Brighton, Michigan, retrofitted 215 Regals with the GN package. Most obvious was the light silver-gray Firemist paint added to each side. Red pinstripes and billboard shadow lettering proclaiming "Buick" were applied. The wheel opening moldings and rocker panel moldings were blacked out using black vinyl tape. Finally, a front air dam and rear spoiler were installed. On the inside, special Lear Siegler seats were installed. These seats are fully adjustable and were covered with silver brandon cloth with black vinyl inserts. The front seat had Buick's "6" emblem embroidered onto it. Also, a special clock delete plate was added to the instrument panel, which contained the yellow and orange "6" logo and the words "Grand National Buick Motor Division".)
The 1982 GN came with a naturally aspirated V6 engine with at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2000 rpm. Of the 215 Grand Nationals produced in 1982, at least 35 were based on the Buick Regal Sport Coupe package with the turbocharged V6 engine with at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2600 rpm. Only 2022 Sport coupes were produced in 1982, and the number of cars with both the GN and Sport coupe packages is estimated to be fewer than 50.