Over 30 years ago, some time after Audi launched its all-wheel-drive Quattro models, company executive Ferdinand Piech made a bold prediction: In the not-too-distant future, all-wheel drive would not cost more than a set of winter tires. It was one of the few instances in which the iconic engineer and all-powerful Porsche heir was proven wrong.
But he wasn't totally off the mark: All-wheel drive systems are increasingly popular on premium cars. Even on American ones—such as the Buick Regal GS, GM's upscale offering this side of the costly and sporty models by Cadillac.
Click here for a gallery of the 2015 Buick Regal GS attacking the winter!
Engineered in Germany and mildly tweaked for export to the U.S. market, the Regal is fitted with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 259 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It's no muscle car, but it a spirited performer, much like the four-cylinder offerings by Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. On the all-wheel drive Regal, the only available transmission is a 6-speed automatic, which works well but has trouble matching the performance of more recent offerings by the competition.
The Regal GS model's clean and aggressive shape mirrors the German market's Opel Insignia OPC, a veritable autobahn stormer, although the Regal lacks the German model's turbocharged V-6. At least the available Haldex all-wheel drive system strongly improves vehicle dynamics. While the front-wheel drive Regal GS will understeer when pressed to the limit, the all-wheel drive model exhibits neutral characteristics. In the snow, as we had ample opportunity to try out, the Regal can be coaxed into a drift and held there with a sensitive but determined right foot.
A few years ago, Buick distributed a press release quoting a 24-year-old college graduate from Florida who had just purchased a Regal Turbo. "It's cool and young and looks way more expensive than it actually is," said Caley Webber, the customer in question. We disagree—at least, as far as our all-wheel-drive GS is concerned. With a base price of over $40,000 and fitted with a generously equipped and well-executed interior, the Regal GS simply looks as expensive as it is, and it can stand its ground among the likes of the Audi A4, the Lexus IS, or the Mercedes-Benz C-class.
That's a remarkable achievement in itself. Its prowess in the snow is a cool bonus.
MSRP: $40,735 (including $925 destination charge)
Power / drive wheels: 2.0-liter, 259-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine / all-wheel drive
Transmission: 6-speed automatic transmission
EPA fuel economy: 19 city / 27 highway mpg
In showrooms: Now
This article is the first of several reviews in which Auto World News tested Buick's lineup in wintry conditions.
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