Spied: 2018 Buick Regal TourX Soft-roader Wagon, Minus the Badge
Automakers, having long since abandoned the once-hot American wagon market, are returning to see if a lingering spark can be rekindled.
Consider Buick as one of the brands brave enough to cast its line into the pool in the hopes of a bite. The next-generation Regal, which already graces European car mags as the Opel Insignia, won’t come to the U.S. simply as a sedan. Opel’s Insignia Sports Tourer creates a fine opportunity for Buick to deliver a new wagon to these SUV-crazed shores..
However, we’re a go-anywhere, do-anything bunch over here, and any wagon coming to America had better have some cladding and about an inch and a half of lift!
Judging by these spy photos of Opel’s Insignia Country Tourer, mildly rugged wagon aficionados will soon get their wish.
The model’s wheel arches and side sills are gilded in black matte plastic, ready to protect the body from the scrapes and scratches that inevitably result from fording creeks and crawling over rocks in the deep forest. (Or navigating those tight New England garages.) A slight suspension lift helps position the vehicle as an alternative for the crossover-buying crowd.
Expect a corporate Buick grille and some subtle exterior changes when the Country Tourer morphs into the TourX. We’re expecting the 2018 Regal, likely joined by its wagon sister, to debut at the New York Auto Show in April.
As for powerplants, a version of General Motor’s trusty turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a given, though a source told us last year that buyers can expect an optional V6 engine. Standard all-wheel drive means the Regal TourX can go head-to-head with its faux off-road German competition, as well as the Volvo V90.
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Needs more 3800.
Because when did anything ever go wrong when any of the D3 imported one of their captive brand vehicles to North America?