1998 Buick REGAL XLS

The Regal sedan won few converts from established domestic and import nameplates. Tight times delayed replacement of Buicks lame duck, and by 1996, the Regals main selling point was a strong 3800 Series II V6 engine. Sales were limited to die-hard Buick buyers and rental fleets. Now, Buick has released a new Regal sedan. The slow-selling coupe has been excised from the lineup, leaving LS and GS versions of the four-door. The new Regal is larger in nearly every dimension, and is manufactured to reduce squeaks and rattles by tightening the structure of the car with one-piece side panel stamping and cross bracing behind the instrument panel. A full load of standard equipment and reasonable prices make the new Regal very competitive, and should entice buyers who might normally limit themselves to Toyota or Nissan showrooms to at least visit a Buick store.