When GM designed a good car, it adapted it for various markets worldwide through its badge-engineering program. So it was the 2010 Buick Regal born as a European Vauxhall/Opel Insignia.
In 2008, Vauxhall was the first brand to introduce the Insignia at the London Motor Show, and soon, Opel unveiled the same vehicle in the same year, but with the steering on the left. In late 2009, GM uncovered the 2010 Buick Regal at the LA Auto Show.
At the time of its launch, Vauxhall/Opel offered the Insignia in two body versions: a hatchback and a classic, three-box sedan, but only the latter crossed the Atlantic and gained the Buick badge on the grille. Its sculptured side panels and doors visually increased the car's length, while the headlights were aggressive and featured daytime running lights. All the efforts of the designers toward the aerodynamics paid off with a spectacular Cd of 0.27.
Inside, there was a new design concept carried over from its European siblings with high-quality materials. But unfortunately, the car featured a shorter wheelbase than the Buick LaCrosse, which was its predecessor, which affected the knee-room in the back. On the plus side, the exterior length was smaller and thus easier to drive in traffic. A new infotainment generation included a seven-inch color monitor, a 3-D map view, a digital travel guide, and improved scroll and zoom functions.
Under the hood, GM took only the best engines from the European cousin. It offered the Regal with a choice of two, four-cylinder engines. The base version featured a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated unit, while the other two versions featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot.
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