Wagons aren’t terribly popular in the United States these days. That could be, in part, because when Americans think of wagons, they often imagine soft-riding, bloated family haulers like the old Buick Roadmaster. But that’s the very brand that could be preparing to bring a new wagon back to the US market.
According to Automotive News, at a recent conference Buick dealers were shown plans in the works for three new versions of the Regal. One is a refreshed take on the sedan we already know. Another will be a performance-oriented GS model. And the third will be a wagon.
The Regal is closely based on the Insignia, developed by parent company GM’s German division Opel and sold under its name in Europe and around the world. It’s also sold as a Vauxhall in the UK and as a Holden in Australia and New Zealand. The wagon version, however, has not until now made the transition to Buick showrooms back in America. But that looks poised to change.
Sources expect the Regal wagon to launch late in 2018, roughly a year after the redesigned sedan.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Buick would go after a market segment left vacant by other premium brands. The Encore launched to great success before other upscale automakers got into the premium compact crossover market. The Cascada convertible fills a niche left largely vacant by the departure of models like the Volkswagen Eos, Chrysler Sebring and Volvo C70. The compact Verano sedan went after a similar “white space” i the market, albeit with less success.
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