Leaderboard

Well the inevitable finally happened, Buick has confirmed that the Regal will not be returning to the U.S. after the 2020 model year. After that, Buick will be an all-SUV brand. The move comes as light-truck sales take 70% of the U.S. market and 90% of all Buick sales. While the Regal retreats from these shores, it will still continue to be sold in China where demand remains strong. As of the end of Q3 this year, Buick moved only 8,849 units of Regal year to date. That's down 19.6% from the year prior. Regal's demise was hinted at during the Los Angeles Auto Show where no Regals were on display. The Buick Lacrosse sedan and Buick Cascada convertible were canceled earlier this year. Starting next year, the Buick Encore GX will join the lineup, a slightly larger iteration of the Buick Encore, but on a new platform and using a new 3-cylinder engine.

Genesis has been having a hard time keeping the lid on the GV80 leaks lately. A day after someone leaked grainy pictures of the GV80 on Instagram, someone sent 4 pictures of the interior and exterior over to Car and Driver who published them for all the world to see. The GV80 is Genesis' first entry into the hot SUV market and enters the segment currently occupied by the Mercedes Benz GLE, the Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Lincoln Aviator. It rides on the same rear wheel drive platform as the next generation G80 sedan due out next year. The main powerplant will be a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 which in the G80 currently makes 365 horsepower, but could go up in this application. There's also the possibility of a turbo 4-cylinder or a naturally aspirated V6 as a base engine. It's said to have driver assistance systems similar to Telsa autopilot which would be a first for Genesis. For now, most of this is rumor and speculation as we wait for the official reveal next month. The GV80 is expected to go on sale Summer of 2020.