General Motors announced today that the 2011 Buick Regal will be build at its Oshawa, Ontario, plant starting in the first quarter of 2011. Also starting production there at that time will be the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro convertible; Oshawa already builds the hardtop Camaro.
All 2011 Regals sold in the 2010 calendar year, though, will be built in Germany -- where the Opel Insignia is built. The base Regal, with the 182-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4, goes on sale in the United States in the second quarter of 2010. The better Buick Regal, with the 220-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four, will reach U.S. dealers in the third quarter of 2010.
Mitlov says:
11:30 AM, 11/25/09
Glad to hear they're not going to try to make them in Germany long-term. Too hard to make a non-luxury car profitable when it's being built in Germany and sold in the States. Just look at the Saturn Astra.
jederino says:
02:18 PM, 11/25/09
^^Yeah, I agree that the one thing we have going for ourselves in America is a weak dollar, so build 'em here! Also, the German build quality I imagine is good, but American cars have been steadily climbing above the average, and in some cases way at the top. I hope that can be true for GM!
bodyblue says:
03:54 PM, 11/25/09
German cars dont seem to be especially well built....they usually rate below most Asian brands and Fords. (CR reliability reports) North American built Buicks seem to be put together pretty well however.
greenpony says:
06:49 PM, 11/25/09
I remember when 182 hp would have been the upgrade engine.
Mitlov says:
11:09 PM, 11/25/09
I don't think that the location of a factory has anything to do with the reliability of the cars coming out of that factory. After all, no matter where a car is made, most of the work is done by robots. The newness of a factory matters, sure. The design of the cars affects their reliability, sure. But it's worth mentioning that the single most reliable car in Ford's lineup, the Fusion, is not made in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the United States, or Canada. It's made in Mexico.
hondacura4 says:
09:30 AM, 11/28/09
"German cars dont seem to be especially well built....they usually rate below most Asian brands and Fords. (CR reliability reports) North American built Buicks seem to be put together pretty well however."
@Bodyblue, I think you're confusing build quality and/or craftsmanship with reliability. Even with my limited experience with a few German makes (Audi, BMW and MB) I've found the overall quality of construction to be outstanding, especially in Mercedes products. Out of all the brands I've sampled Mercedes products seem to offer a level of craftsmanship and solidity that's has yet to be equaled by any other mainstream brand or luxury brand. From the C to the S-Class, it's clearly evident. Hell, my uncles shop car (a 1989 Mercedes 300E wagon) is bank vault solid with nearly 400K. No rattles, no squeaks or chassis shudders.
"I don't think that the location of a factory has anything to do with the reliability of the cars coming out of that factory. After all, no matter where a car is made, most of the work is done by robots. The newness of a factory matters, sure. The design of the cars affects their reliability, sure. But it's worth mentioning that the single most reliable car in Ford's lineup, the Fusion, is not made in Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the United States, or Canada. It's made in Mexico."
@Mitlov, excellent point! I've always said the same thing as the location really doesn't matter. What does matter is the quality of the workers, machines, management and the level of quality control standards in place at that particular facility.
mazda609 says:
12:59 PM, 12/30/09
Not bad looking car! I still believe the Opel Insignia is a much better looking car, especially seeing it with your own eyes. Anyways, you still have to take a look at the manufacturer of the parts included in the vehicle. They make an impact on the reliability and quality of the car. Mitlov made an excellent point, Volkswagen is also made in Mexico and they offer outstanding build quality.