Weeks back, we had the opportunity to tour the Corsa Performance engineering and manufacturing facility, where Brent Noward, Corsa marketing manager, shed details on the company’s plans to support the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro in the future.
While our conversation focused heavily on the 2016 Camaro, we did ask about a few other niches the company currently doesn’t cover, one of those being Buick.
Simply put, Noward said Buick wasn’t the company’s scene. And the proof has been in sales of Corsa’s exhaust system for the 2016 Cadillac CTS equipped with the LTG 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. According to Noward, reception of the exhaust system for the four-banger has been lukewarm at best.
That doesn’t build much of a case to develop state-of-the-art, hand-welded exhaust systems for the likes of 2016 Buick Regal GS, or even the 2016 Verano Turbo.
However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of supporting the the LTG 2.0-liter turbo in the 2016 Camaro, as it’s a very vehicle and, subsequently, a very different consumer base. A pull-marketing strategy seems to reign supreme over Corsa Performance, and that’s not a bad thing.
As they say, the consumer is always right.
Comments
One of the main reasons that Corsa is not finding customer demand is that the Regal GS was poorly marketed by GM. The Regal GS is a beautiful vehicle equipped with a good but not a great engine. Buick should have originally inserted Opel’s 2.8 TTC 320 HP V6 to provide superior performance. But GM’s legendary bureaucrats nixed that idea from the onstart. GM’s Board of Directors should have asked themselves the question, “Would BMW, Audi or Mercedes Benz equip a sharp looking sedan like the Regal GS with an underperforming 259HP I-4 and charge close to $40K?” The answer would have been no! The TTC I-4 for the base Regal is a good deal but the GS model has been treated like the bastard cousin at the family reunion. It’s time that Cadillac takes it’s foot off Buick’s neck and let it churn out some true performance vehicles.
I agree !!!
First, Regal GS already has a 3″ exhaust from the factory. There is no reason performance gain with the Corsa for this car. The multi-piece Corsa weighed more than the stock single-piece on my 2005 CTS-V. There would probably be no weight advantage for the Corsa Regal GS system .
Secondly, regarding the engines: the 2.0T is vastly superior to the 2.8l. The VVT and DI system on the turbo-4 is light years ahead of the port injection on the 2.8l. With a ecu, intake, and downpipe on both cars the 2.0T holds more torque at higher rpms than does the 2.8l.
Nick you have left out some things to consider here.
The V6 was killed because if you have not noticed the Opel OPC V6 is not a cheap car in Europe and would not have been any cheaper here.
Note too that the engine I do not believe is EPA approved here and would have had to go through a battery of test to get it certified and even then it may have lost power.
I did note you did notice the Turbo 4 here was over $40K in fact loaded they were stickered at $42K. The Turbo V6 would have pushed this car even higher. In Europe the Insignia OPC is priced at $59,990 base price and can be optioned over $60,000 there.
Now I like this car but keep in mind how much do you really think someone would pay for a Regal here based on a older Opel? Most now thought $42K was pushing the limits now.
It is not Cadillac that is the problem. Buick has just now started to bring new product to the market and not just rehashed other products from Opel. They were the last to see new models post chapter 11 here and they will start to rebuild their place in the line up.
The GS was just in a tight spot here. If they kept it to the OPC spec it would have been a cool car but priced well beyond what any American would pay for a small Buick here with the other options they have in this market. They had to price it down to at least where it would sell what it did.
Corsa is not going to address a limited market with a model that is just a year or so from replacement. The next model that they are doing with Opel will advance more and may get the Corsa treatment since it will be at the start of the cycle.
I know how you feel as I wanted the OPC here too but then I found out about the pricing and fully understood why it did not come. To be honest we are lucky we just got the AWD option here as it was not cheap either.
there is a 50 hp upgrade available to those who have a 2012 buick regal, includes a flash an intake and an upgraded intake. some bastard needs to make this available on my 2015.