While the 1990s were not the most exciting times for Buick, they were nonetheless good years to Buick from a sales and profitability standpoint. Unlike other GM brands, Buick had a clear focus and brand image as the traditional American premium car, but the 1987-1996 Regal is a Buick that has always baffled me as I’ve never been able to figure out who Buick saw as it’s intended buyer.
Was it supposed to be sporty? Comfortable? Luxurious? Affordable? Family-oriented? Personal? Youthful? Mature? In many ways, Buick tried to market it as all of the above, and no Regal model better represented these multiple dichotomies than the Gran Sport sedan.
Unlike past or future Gran Sports, this generation Regal GS received no performance upgrades. Differentiating it from lesser Custom and Limited trims, Gran Sports did receive two-tone paint with a lower gray accent, 16-inch aluminum wheels, bucket seats, and a standard gran touring suspension. It also appears that most GS sedans received the available trunk-mounted luggage rack – the closest thing one could get to a spoiler on a Buick from this era.
Inside, leather bucket seats were optional to give a hint of sportiness, though broad, flat cushions and sew style made this was a very faint hint. As a ’96, this example features the more ergonomic dashboard than the original, one that accompanied the addition of a passenger’s side airbag in 1995. Although a welcomed update, the more modern interior came at the expense of downgraded material quality, looking shockingly cheap just to muddle the car’s image even further.
Photographed in Hanover, MA – September 2014
Note: a rerun of an older post.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1996 Buick Regal Olympic Edition – Go For The Gold In Your W-body
My mother, who was more likely to pick a car because of the upholstery than anything else, had a 1992 Buick Regal which she bought after the 1980 Buick Century wagon she had rusted away to nothing. She was 83 when she bought it, I helped her pick it out. (My dad had passed 3 years earlier.) She totaled it when she was 89. Knew a retired middle level manager about 50, who had a Gran Sport model in the 1990s.
When I was selling at a dealership with Buick, I sold a ton of these things. People seemed to love them. I loved them. Some of the most comfy seats you could find in a car with some “sporty” edges, if you could call it sporty. They got great MPG’s for the time and our body shop always talked about how robust the structure was and how sturdy the front end was.
I sold one to a brother and his wife (Limited 2dr) and a GS 2dr in an awesome (Maui??) blue color. He loved that car and I recall driving with him to Florida with it from NW Illinois.
Decorative spoilers like that may as well be tailfins, and even if they generated downforce (likely ruining EPA figures as well as tires), I cannot imagine any benefit for a FWD car.
Had a 1991 Regal sedan as my first car, it was the same burgundy, Ruby red metallic. Mine was a base “Custom” but it was pretty well equipped, had the 3.8 v6, burgundy velour bench seat. And yes the new interior was a serious downgrade in terms of fit, finish, material quality, etc. I even thought the old funky dash looked better than the boring one like this car.
These were pretty nice cars, at least the pre face-lift ones had about 95% of the plush/nice interior/quietness/smooth ride thing as the way more expensive Park Ave. Same engine as well. Not quite as roomy but still pretty generous, it was our family car before I inherited it.
This was a pretty good car, yet it didn’t result in repeat customers? A million drivers, yet – they went elsewhere? It’s as though GM told Buick to lose business slowly? I remember thousands on the Chicago streets 25 years ago.
So – if this was a good car, well received, then what happened to the folks who enjoyed them?
Not anything to get excited over. Imagine,if they were maintained, they ran a long time.
Styling for this generation of Regal owes a clear debt of inspiration to the NSU Ro80, especially in the greenhouse and tail design.