Opel Insignia to be sold in the US as Buick Regal

GM announced that the Regal nameplate will return to the Buick lineup after an absence of six years, and the car will most likely be based on the European Opel Insignia, similar to the Buick Regal sold in the Chinese market.

"The transformation of Buick began with our luxury crossover, the Buick Enclave and continued this year with the launch of the 2010 LaCrosse premium sedan," said Susan Docherty, Buick GMC General Manager. "We're thrilled to announce that the Regal will be the next member of the Buick family."

The Insignia was originally planned by GM to replace the Saturn Aura model in the States, but after negotiations with Penske Automotive broke down over the takeover of the Saturn brand, GM decided to kill off Saturn, and assign the Insignia to Buick.

The American Buick Regal is expected to use a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 217bhp, with two other engines also available, a 2.8 litre V6 with 256bhp, and a top of the range 2.8 litre turbocharged V6 with 325bhp taken from the European Vauxhall Insignia VXR/Opel Insignia OPC. The new Insignia-based Buick Regal is expected to go on sale in the US in 2010, slotting below the Buick LaCrosse model.