Review: 2011 Buick Regal CXL

Filed under: Sedan, Buick, Reviews, Luxury

Badge Engineering Is Alive And Well At The New GM

2011 Buick Regal CXL – Click above for high-res image gallery

Haven’t we seen this play called before? Take a well-regarded European model, tweak it for the U.S. market, slap on a badge from a beleaguered North American brand, and hope for a touchdown. Indeed, the Buick Regal conforms to what has become General Motors‘ version of the spread offense. Never mind that this wasn’t a winning strategy for Saturn, which tried selling various derivatives of Opel models from The General’s European operations before its demise – GM is back at it with the Regal.

Dredging up a name from the past is a curious move for a brand that wants to reinvent itself to appeal to a younger audience. (Even more curious is that the Regal moniker has dubious value, having been hung on all manner of mediocre and mostly badge-engineered cars over the past four decades.) Yet for all the skepticism inherent in the “new” GM going back to its old playbook, the Regal might actually be the car that makes this offense click.

Gallery: 2011 Buick Regal CXL: Review