Buicks carrying the Gran Sport name have been at least a little special since the automaker first put that moniker on one of its performance cars 30 years ago.
Actually, the now-classic, hot 1960s Gran Sport models were very special, with sleek styling, traditional Buick comfort, excellent suspensions and V-8s rated up to 360 horsepower.
But the
1996 Buick Regal Gran Sport, which I recently tested, is not very sporting. It's much more of a smooth, refined cruiser than a performance car.
Oh, the new Gran Sport is plenty fast, with Buick's 205-horsepower 3800 Series II V-6 replacing the less-sophisticated 170 horsepower V-6 in the 1995 model.
Merging into fast traffic and quick vehicle passes on highways are done almost effortlessly--thanks to the potent motor and four-speed automatic transmission, which upshifts seamlessly and downshifts quickly.
But the Gran Sport's power steering is far too light. It feels as if injected with Novocain and should be more precise for a model billed as a performance car.
Moreover, the ``Gran Touring'' suspension and big 60-series tires don't give the Gran Sport the above-average handling one might expect. The front-wheel-drive car's ride is too soft and doesn't inspire confidence if you want to tackle twisty roads quickly.
And don't let the racy appearance of the soft seats fool you. While comfortable on long interstate highway drives, they're too slippery and offer little side support for spirited driving on curvy roads.
Still, the all-independent suspension serves up a comfortable ride, and the Gran Sport's handling and braking are decent.
Most Buicks have noteworthy styling flair. The front-wheel-drive Regal, which comes with two or four doors, is one of the smoothest-looking mid-size cars. It's made from the same design as the Chevrolet Lumina, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix, but is the slickest of the lot.
Many Regal buyers might be better off with the less costly Regal Custom, which has a pretty good 3.1-liter, 160-horsepower V-6 made smoother and more efficient for the 1996 model year with items such as a low-friction valvetrain and better engine management system.
Despite the 45-horsepower difference between them, both Regal V-6s are EPA-rated at 19 m.p.g. in the city and 29 m.p.g. on the open road.
All Regals get a new engine mount system that reduces motor noise and vibration at idle. They also are blessed with a quieter starter motor and added engine compartment insulation to further cut engine noise.
Even the base Regal is fairly well-equipped, with items such as anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and mirrors, power door locks and an AM/FM radio with cassette player.
Introduced in Buick's slick 1995 Riviera, the 205-horsepower V-6 is optional for the Custom and standard on the Regal Limited and Grand Sport.
A supercharged, 240-horsepower version of the Series II 3800 V-6 is offered for the 1996 Riviera, but isn't in the cards for the 1996 Regal Gran Sport.
There's little new inside the new Regal because the 1995 model received major interior updating, with items such as dual air bags, bigger analog gauges and redesigned climate controls placed above the radio. The Regal has one of the most efficient dashboards in any car, and you even get a tachometer.
Wide, high doors in the Regal Gran Sport sedan I drove allow easy entry and exit, and there is plenty of room up front. But, surprisingly, this fairly big, 3,331-pound car offers just average room and comfort for two or three tall adults in the rear.
My test car was pretty quiet with the radio off, although its big tires generated a fair amount of road nose above 60 m.p.h. Paint and assembly quality were good, and the car had a nice tight feel.
Looking at Buicks 1960s Gran Sports--and its 1996 hot-shot supercharged Riviera--there's no question that the automaker can make a genuinely sporty Regal Gran Sport. Too bad it backed off from doing that.