If the 2018 Buick Regal GS ends up sharing similar hardware to its Vauxhall-Opel Insignia VXR/OPC cousins, enthusiasts could be in for a real treat.
AutoCar reports the next-generation Vauxhall Insignia VXR is set to use the same torque vectoring and all-wheel-drive system found in the Ford Focus RS. So, yes, the 2018 Regal GS could have a “drift mode”.
Supplier GKN has been working on adapting the system to the next Insignia VXR/OPC and currently has the system in place on a prototype 2016 Insignia VXR. The technology has been dubbed “Twinster”, and it allows for full torque vectoring at the rear. Drive to the front wheels utilizes a more commonplace electronic limited slip differential.
If we piece together rumors, intel, and connect a few dots, the 2018 Regal GS could be a twin-turbo V6, all-wheel-drive monster truly fit to wear the GS badge.
Comments
Consumer Reports loved the GS rating it above the German, Japanese and Cadillac luxury brands. Hopefully the next gen Regal will aid in building Aveair.
Malibu is a satisfactory car but deserved something like this.
CR is really a bogus reporting outlet for cars. They mostly only report things from owners much like the bogus reviews you see on the web at Amazon. Many reporting often have little understanding of car and even their own car.
If you want to review a product do you go to a magazine that test toasters to learn about cars or do you take a consensuses of several groups that do focus only on the automobile to get a in depth look at a car?
Now with that said the Regal is a very good car but is a very old car as it was an Opel for many years before we ever saw it as a Buick. It was mostly to buy time till the new platform should arrive.
As for the Malibu it is a fine car and a value leader family car. There is no need to duplicate the efforts here to make Buick and Chevy compete in the same segment for the same buyers.
While Ford takes the same car and tries to serve two different customers GM has an advantage by default of the need of Buick in China to have a mid segment car they can better design and tune for these owners wanting more than the daily family car.
It is like golf you can play a round with one club if you like but if you take your golf bag with specific clubs you can much better address the ball for a better score.
Now I want to make this clear to all here that are all over just build it. I hope they do but be forewarned that if they do a car with a more advanced AWD and TTV6 that the price will be around $50K-55K.
The present model now is $45K and adjusting the new model for the more updated platform and the more advanced systems and added content it is not hard to see them add $5K to the price of a fully loaded GS model with a Avenir.
I hope this car is all I hope for but I expect some to complain about the price and that the Malibu is not competing with this segment.
We must look at Chevy and Buick like Honda and Acura as they may be similar but they are competing for a different customer.
I see in the end here a very global car that can compete with about any mid luxury mark out there. With the added Opel tuning and the added content the price will rise a bit but in return you will get a much better car.
Right now the real issue with the Regal is size. It is a very small car and I think it hurts the car. You can car little in it and it is not a cheap car for what you get. We looked and liked but it just would not handle the needs of the wifes job.
I see this new car as taking on Acura, Audi, High end VW, and other cars that are a step up over Honda, Toyota and Chevy.
It is not a car everyone will want or afford but globally it will sell enough to make it very profitable.
In the end the liability of having to keep Buick alive for China sales I think will benefit GM in a much bigger way than most of us have ever considered. The added help of Opel and sales now in Australia will all contribute to making These models no matter the label on the fender some of the most profitable models for GM.
I was going to buy a GS and I went on the forums.
I literally got talked out of it. The owners on the forum were like, “Don’t buy a GS buy something else”.
Never seen anything like it in my life.
Exactly what the GS needs. I’m paying attention now.
Which makes not offering the new Verano sedan and hatch out to be an even dumber move. With the Regal GS possibly getting a TTV6, the Verano could be moving into the powertrain space occupied by the current GS with a more powerful turbo 4, or a NA V6 (if maybe the 3.6 could fit).
Under that setup, and the right interior trim, Buick could challenge FWD/AWD entry-lux cars like the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz CLA, and BMW’s upcoming 1 Series sedan, so Cadillac won’t have to.
I expect to see a much better car than the Verano coming to Buick at some point. The Verano was nice but not as good as it really needed to be and I expect even better will soon arrive.
That is the same AWD hardware available in the 2016 Regal GS
Not exactly, though it’s the same concept. The 2016 Regal uses a Haldex system that I believe uses the brakes to create the Torque-Vectoring, while the GKN unit in the Focus RS does not use the brakes to create the torque-vectoring….Plus if the speculation is correct we’ll be getting a twin turbo v6 instead of the 4.
GS means Grand Sport
* Gran Sport
GM Please do the V6TT in this car. I have been waiting for this for 4-5 years to happen when I bought my 2012 GS. I will be really interested if this happens. The cars gorgeous and it deserves the power. ?
Most likely it will be the LGX 3.6 L V6. With the weight of about 3400 pounds performance should be CLOSE to Camaro LT And or ATS V6. With better visibility then the Camaro. And better pricing than the ATS.
I’m excited about a potential hot regal GS, but it won’t be on the alpha platform so it’ll probably not quite handle like the Camaro and ATS can. Still, it could be a fantastic car regardless.
I was very perplexed by the GS. It doesn’t get much better fuel economy than the 3.6L DIs, especially when considering the price premium for premium fuel, but puts out weaker torque and HP figures. I think putting the LGX in there would do it wonders.
Greg is correct. Regal uses haldeX system. I was mistaking that with 2017 LaCrosse and Envision which use GKN.
But would you go to a magazine that tests cars to learn about toasters?
opel awd is best this test. focus rs system can use only insignia opc not country tourer
GS = Grand Sport
??