1997 BUICK Regal 3.8

Vehicle Overview

The fourth generation of the Buick Regal was launched in 1997 and it was marketed as a sports sedan vehicle. It shared the platform with the Oldsmobile Intrigue, Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevrolet Lumina and Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

In the Buick stable, the Regal was the upmarket version of the Century and the main difference was the engine. The newly developed W-platform was used for more GM vehicles and it featured a front-engine front-wheel-drive system. The Regal was advertised as “The official car of the supercharged family”, referring to the car’s performances. The Regal was the first car to be launched online, on a dedicated website. The introduction was with a car breaking through a brick-like wall. The driver of that car was the Buick General Manager, Ed Mertz.

On the outside, the three-box sedan featured profiled headlights with rounded edges and turn-signals on the outer side, on the fenders. The GS trim level featured a two-tone paint as standard which was extended on both bumpers and a black grille. It was the top model, with a 3.8-liter supercharged engine.

Inside, the 1997 ½ Regal featured exclusive amenities such as heated seats, a premium sound system, a dual-zone climate control, and sunroof. There were two available instrument clusters for the driver and for the top-spec GS there was a tire pressure monitor.

Under the hood, the Regal was offered with a 3.8-liter V6 engine naturally aspirated for the base trim level and supercharged for the GS model. Some further modifications were made over the production time and increased the GS model power from a standard 240 hp up to 270 hp. Regardless of the trim level, the Regal was offered with a 4-speed automatic transmission only.