Buick will now share products with Opel, Insignia will become rebadged Regal

Posted: Mar 09, 2009
Filed under: Buick, GM, Industry News, Opel, Saturn

Even though General Motors’ Opel stake is on the line, the automaker will source future Buick sedans from the German brand. Of course if you’re familiar with GM and its product lineup you’ve noticed that for the past two years GM has shared its Saturn lineup with Opel vehicles. However, sources say that future products will now go to Buick since Saturn is being sold or spun off.

For some time now, we’ve been told that the 2010 Saturn Aura will come to the U.S. as a rebadged version of the Opel Insignia. According to Automotive News, sources familiar with GM’s product plans say that the 2010 Opel Insignia will now come to the U.S. as the 2010 Buick Regal Sedan.

Of course many of you are wondering what would happen when GM sells Opel. Sources say that GM feels it would be in any future partner’s best interest to continue honoring the global architecture-sharing programs currently in place.

GM is expected to cut Pontiac product offerings and make Buick’s lineup focus more on sedans and crossovers. It said in its viability plan that if it could not sell Saturn by 2012, it will shut down the brand.

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  • Ivan Gutierrez
    Hmm? If this car does make it stateside, the Lacrosse will have some stiff competition, I think.
  • Neil
    Zermatt - with you on that one GM should be Chevy,Cadillac, Opel and Holden - dump eveything else
    Dump the Volt and Cruze and re-badge the insginia as a hybrid only Chevy.

    The only reason to keep Buick is it is popular in China - Export Dollars!!!

  • zermatt
    I remember a couple of years ago that Bob Lutz was saying that Pontiac would be like the sporty car line (similar to BMW) and that Buick in a couple of years would evolve into a Lexus competitor.

    The addition of the Opels to the Buick line is not a move closer to the Lexus model.

    If Buick is going to be known for sedans and crossovers, why does GM need the Buick line? Won't Chevrolet and Cadillac have those, too?

    I still say that GM should go with the Chevrolet and Cadillac lines and drop all of the others. Buick, Pontiac and GMC are all redundant.
  • Pat
    i would much rather have them rebadge this as a Pontiac
  • Mad
    as long as they don't ask me to pay for their health care plan ... (again)
  • Mad
    Yeah ... keep re-badging products like you have been doing for years, suck the life out of your company, get in trouble, and ask the American people to bail you out ....AGAIN.
  • titan
    There's nothing wrong with this "rebadge." After all, the compliment to the Regal will be an Opel sold in Europe. GM got in trouble for re-badging identical cars and putting them on the same showroom floor. That was stupid. This car will be unique in the U.S.
  • Mad
    the concept of re-badging in itself is unhealthy, as it curbs research and development; in other words, the only thing that Buick will develop will be a new name, and a new set of sticker-labels. The practice of NOT developing a new product on their own is what made them become "dinosaurs", and virtually brought them to the extinction (they are currently on a respirator courtesy of the American people - you and I included).
  • Bobmarley
    This is actually one of the only models I would want GM to rebadge! Except I think GM needs to shut down Buick.
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