2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD / GS AWD
#1
12-18-2013 | 05:19 AM
2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD / GS AWD
INSTRUMENTED TEST
2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD / GS AWD
A refresh moves the improved Regal Turbo closer to the range-topping GS.
Specifications >
WoW, outa my price range 4>Sure.
Cars are getting really expensive
2014 Buick Regal Turbo AWD / GS AWDA refresh moves the improved Regal Turbo closer to the range-topping GS.
- DECEMBER 2013
- BY MIKE SUTTON
- PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL SIMARI
TESTED
Since its return for 2012 on the top-grade Regal, Buick’s legendary GS badge has injected some much-needed cred into GM’s sleepiest brand. (The letters may soon be applied to more models, too.) Serving up a Euro-style balance of sport and luxury, the Regal GS boasted its own tune for the 2.0-liter turbo four that provided 50-hp and 35-lb-ft cushions over the same engine in the mid-grade Regal Turbo. But a Regal refresh for 2014 sees an updated powerplant installed in both models, a move that has fortified the Turbo but weakened the GS. While GS performance doesn’t suffer from the swap, a stronger Turbo brings the chief Regal’s value into question.
More or Less Power, You Decide
The new engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a twin-scroll turbocharger, a forged steel crankshaft, direct injection, and twin balance shafts. With maximum boost of 24 psi, the engine produces 259 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque; the GS thus sees a drop of 11 horses (torque stays the same), while the Turbo gains 39 horsepower and 35 lb-ft. Different engine maps have the GS making maximum torque at 2500 rpm versus 3000 in the Turbo, but horsepower in both versions tapers off after a 5300-rpm peak. A six-speed manual transmission is again offered on the FWD GS, with GM’s six-speed 6T70 automatic the default choice for GS AWD models and the only gearbox for Turbos.
This year also brings a new, optional Haldex all-wheel-drive system that can shuttle up to 90 percent of the power to the rear wheels, as well as an electronic limited-slip differential that apportions torque to either side of the rear axle. As you may have surmised from the headline on this story, we tested versions of the Turbo and the GS with this system. Along with bolstering appeal among Snow Belters and fattening MSRPs (an additional $2175 for the Turbo, $2365 for the GS), the AWD hardware puts both models over the two-ton mark on our scales, nearly 300 pounds more than front-wheel-drive versions we’ve tested.
Despite their extra weight, turbocharged AWD Regals achieve the same 22-mpg combined EPA rating as did 2013 front-drivers, with the 2014 FWD models now garnering 24-mpg estimates. Our AWD Turbo test car managed 20 mpg in the real world and the AWD GS 19, numbers similar to those gathered from previous front-drive test cars.
What Extra Weight?
The AWD Turbo and GS defy their bloat at the test track as well, running quicker to both 60 and the quarter-mile mark than their lighter, front-drive predecessors with automatics. That means 6.6 seconds and 15 flat for the 2014 Turbo (versus 7.5 and 15.7) and 6.2 and 14.7 seconds for the new GS (versus 6.4 and 15.0). The GS doesn’t feel quicker by the seat of your pants, but its slightly lower torque peak, the all-wheel-drive system, and a set of sticky Pirelli P Zero tires on optional 20-inch wheels help it get out of the hole quickly. It’s worth noting that we had to test a second, essentially identical GS after our first test car suffered a catastrophic engine failure due to faulty connecting-rod bearings.
Larger front brakes (wearing Brembo branding) and fat rollers give the GS a decelerative edge over the Turbo, with the stop from 70 mph coming in a fade-free 153 feet. The all-season-shod Turbo turned in a 163-foot number. Both models are stable and quiet up to their drag-limited top speeds. We were unable to measure lateral grip with the new AWD system, but don’t expect much to change from the front-drive versions, which posted 0.85 (Turbo) and 0.90 g (GS on the Pirellis).
Moderated Performance
All-wheel-drive Regals feature a control-arm rear suspension in place of FWD cars’ multilink setups, with the GS continuing to wield front Hi-Per struts in the fight against torque steer. (The Turbo has conventional struts.) As with launches, hasty exits from tight corners are drama-free in both cars, thanks to excellent traction and minimal turbo lag, but the Hi-Per struts do gift the racier Regal a greater sense of confidence on turn-in. It also feels sharper and marginally more attuned to requests from the helm. Continued...
Specifications >
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
$32,790; GS, $40,195) WoW, outa my price range 4>Sure.Cars are getting really expensive
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998 cc
Power: 259 hp @ 5300 rpm
Torque: Turbo 6AT AWD, 295 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm/GS 6AT AWD, 295 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
Power: 259 hp @ 5300 rpm
Torque: Turbo 6AT AWD, 295 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm/GS 6AT AWD, 295 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.8 in
Length: 190.2 in
Width: 73.1 in Height: 58.4 in
Curb weight: Turbo, 4015 lb; GS, 4022 lb
Wheelbase: 107.8 in
Length: 190.2 in
Width: 73.1 in Height: 58.4 in
Curb weight: Turbo, 4015 lb; GS, 4022 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS (TURBO/GS):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.6/6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 17.0/17.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 33.0/35.5 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.2/7.1 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.6/3.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.2/4.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 94 mph/14.7 sec @ 93 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 150/149 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 163/153 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 19/27 mpg
C/D observed: Turbo, 20 mpg; GS, 19 mpg
Zero to 60 mph: 6.6/6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 17.0/17.4 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 33.0/35.5 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.2/7.1 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.6/3.4 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 4.2/4.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 94 mph/14.7 sec @ 93 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 150/149 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 163/153 ft
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway: 19/27 mpg
C/D observed: Turbo, 20 mpg; GS, 19 mpg
Last edited by BeachBumMike; 12-18-2013 at 05:22 AM.
#2
12-18-2013 | 05:31 AM
2015 Buick Grand National and GNX
2015 Buick Grand National and GNX: Two Storied Nameplates Return
25 Cars Worth Waiting For: 2014–2017
Buick wasn't always synonymous with retirement and long naps. During the dark days of the mid-1980s, Buick was GM's sunny spot for quick cars, racing prowess, and advanced technology such as in-car cell phones and touch screens. To turn fundamentally bad V-6s into viable V-8 alternatives, Buick engineers developed sequential electronic fuel injection, distributor-less ignition, and ceramic-impeller-wheel turbos.
Feeling its oats in 1984, Buick created "We Brake for Corvettes" bumper stickers celebrating an epic intramural victory: Buick's Regal Grand National could outgun Chevy's two-seater in the quarter-mile. In 1985, Indy cars powered by turbocharged Buick V-6s qualified 1-2 at the Brickyard. To seal the deal, Buick built a run of 1987-model turbocharged and intercooled GNXs; in our May 1987 issue, one proved capable of a 4.7-second 0-to-60-mph sprint and ran the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. (C/D's test results for a 1988 Corvette: zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 95 mph.)
To put an end to the long, dull interlude that followed that era, Buick is resuscitating its two revered nameplates. The 2015 Grand National and GNX sedans will ride on GM's new rear-drive Alpha platform, which was introduced with the Cadillac ATS and is earmarked for the sixth-generation Camaro and the third-generation Cadillac CTS.
Like the ATS, Buick's GN will offer the choice of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four (currently rated at 272 horsepower) or a 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 321 horses in the ATS. The wicked GNX, available only in the official shade of evil (black), will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 that should be good for 400 horsepower. The transmission roster will include manuals for the turbo engines and automatics across the board. The eight-speed Hydra-Matic due in 2014 should serve nicely here.
Even without the V-8 engines that are reserved for Camaros and Cadillacs, these Buick sports sedans should be capable of serious performance. By that we mean tire smoke on demand, near-neutral throttle-down handling, and acceleration figures that raise eyebrows in Bavaria. In the likely event Buick throws all-wheel drive into the mix, its new warriors will take the fight to Audi.
Family dynasties in the GM org chart reveal why Buick's hot rods easily won approval: Lloyd Reuss was Buick's general manager in the early 1980s when the Grand National and GNX seeds were planted. His son, Mark Reuss, a teenager back when Buicks ruled, is now the current president of GM North America. That infusion of fresh Reuss blood is bound to revive the brand's performance arm.
25 Cars Worth Waiting For: 2014–2017
- BY DON SHERMAN
- ILLUSTRATION BY RADOVAN VARICAK
Buick wasn't always synonymous with retirement and long naps. During the dark days of the mid-1980s, Buick was GM's sunny spot for quick cars, racing prowess, and advanced technology such as in-car cell phones and touch screens. To turn fundamentally bad V-6s into viable V-8 alternatives, Buick engineers developed sequential electronic fuel injection, distributor-less ignition, and ceramic-impeller-wheel turbos.
Feeling its oats in 1984, Buick created "We Brake for Corvettes" bumper stickers celebrating an epic intramural victory: Buick's Regal Grand National could outgun Chevy's two-seater in the quarter-mile. In 1985, Indy cars powered by turbocharged Buick V-6s qualified 1-2 at the Brickyard. To seal the deal, Buick built a run of 1987-model turbocharged and intercooled GNXs; in our May 1987 issue, one proved capable of a 4.7-second 0-to-60-mph sprint and ran the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. (C/D's test results for a 1988 Corvette: zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 95 mph.)
To put an end to the long, dull interlude that followed that era, Buick is resuscitating its two revered nameplates. The 2015 Grand National and GNX sedans will ride on GM's new rear-drive Alpha platform, which was introduced with the Cadillac ATS and is earmarked for the sixth-generation Camaro and the third-generation Cadillac CTS.
Like the ATS, Buick's GN will offer the choice of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four (currently rated at 272 horsepower) or a 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 321 horses in the ATS. The wicked GNX, available only in the official shade of evil (black), will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 that should be good for 400 horsepower. The transmission roster will include manuals for the turbo engines and automatics across the board. The eight-speed Hydra-Matic due in 2014 should serve nicely here.
Even without the V-8 engines that are reserved for Camaros and Cadillacs, these Buick sports sedans should be capable of serious performance. By that we mean tire smoke on demand, near-neutral throttle-down handling, and acceleration figures that raise eyebrows in Bavaria. In the likely event Buick throws all-wheel drive into the mix, its new warriors will take the fight to Audi.
Family dynasties in the GM org chart reveal why Buick's hot rods easily won approval: Lloyd Reuss was Buick's general manager in the early 1980s when the Grand National and GNX seeds were planted. His son, Mark Reuss, a teenager back when Buicks ruled, is now the current president of GM North America. That infusion of fresh Reuss blood is bound to revive the brand's performance arm.
#3
12-18-2013 | 05:33 AM
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