Buick Regal

The Buick Regal was a mid-sized automobile produced by Buick in the United States between the 1973 and 2004 model years. During this period, Buick also used the Century name on mid-size models and the two frequently shared bodies and powertrains.

Personal luxury roots

Buick had been the first GM division to bring a personal luxury car to market with its full-size 1963 Riviera. Nevertheless, it was slow to react to the developing mid-size personal luxury market, which Pontiac had created with its 1969 Grand Prix. Until 1973, it had no entry there. The Regal, which was technically an upmarket Century, was created to be that entry.

Related Topics:
Personal luxury car - Riviera - Pontiac - Grand Prix

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A highly-trimmed, notchback coupe, the first Century Regal shared its front and rear styling with the Century series but its greenhouse (window area) with the Grand Prix, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The Regal, like its corporate cousins, featured the newly fashionable opera windows, small fixed rear side windows surrounded by sheet metal, instead of the traditional roll-down windows. This first Regal lasted five years, with a substantial facelift in 1976, which incorporated the recently legalized square headlights. It was commonly powered by GM's corporate 350 in³ (5.7L) V8, although a few V-6's were produced. The Century designation was quietly dropped around 1975.

Related Topics:
Chevrolet Monte Carlo - Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

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