2012 Buick Regal GS Gets Pre-Launch Horsepower Bump

Common wisdom decrees that Buicks have an interior that’s silent as a tomb, with handling most often associated with ocean-going vessels.

Common wisdom, then, wouldn’t apply to the new Buick Regal, which is the first Buick in recent history to add a dose of sport to its ample amounts of comfort. We’d stop short of calling the Opel-Insignia-based Regal or Regal Turbo “sport sedans,” but they definitely fall into the “sporty” category. If only the Regal Turbo had a bit more horsepower, that could possibly push the car over the edge, into sport sedan territory.

Thanks to a just-announced bump in horsepower, the 2012 Buick Regal GS looks to be a solid contender for sport sedan status. Like the current Buick Regal Turbo, the Regal GS gets its power from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, inline-four-cylinder engine. Unlike the Regal Turbo, which puts out just 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, the Regal GS will now make 270 horsepower and 295 pound feet of torque from its 2.0-liter engine. GM tells us that the Regal GS will go from zero to sixty in 6.7 seconds, which would make the GS nearly two seconds quicker to sixty than the Regal Turbo.

At 135 horsepower per liter, the Ecotec 2.0-liter in the Regal GS gets the distinction of being the most power-dense engine ever certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers. “The most horsepower per liter of displacement” is not typically a phrase we associate with Buick, so we can’t wait to sample a production version of the Regal GS.

Buick’s addressed the handling of the Regal GS as well, using GM’s High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) design to minimize torque steer and maintain negative camber during cornering (which maximizes contact between tire and road). Like its Regal Turbo sibling, the Regal GS will utilize GM’s Interactive Drive Control System, which optimizes ride and handling based on the mode selected by the driver. In the Regal Turbo, drivers can select between “Standard” or “Sport” modes, but in the Regal GS, drivers get an additional “GS” mode to further refine handling. Ensuring that the GS looks the part as well, the car gets a drop in ride height and comes standard with 19-inch, five spoke wheels.

Looking for pricing and package details to be announced closer to the car’s launch this fall.

[General Motors, via Motor Authority]

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UPDATE: Porsche reveals 550 horsepower, range-topping Panamera Turbo S!

Wednesday, Mar 30th, 2011 @ 4:05 a.m.

Less than 24 hours after rumors began to circulate that a possible new king for the Panamera model range was coming, the German automaker has decided to fully let the cat out of the bag and reveal its new Gran Turismo range-topper.

If you were to walk into a Porsche dealer today and demand the best of the Panamera lineup, you would be offered a 500 horsepower Turbo model, but if you can wait until deliveries start in June, a 550 horsepower Panamera Turbo S will also be an option.

The addition of the Turbo S isn’t exactly surprising, given the sister 911-range already had a Turbo S model. In the Panamera Turbo S, power was boosted to a very healthy 550 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque from a bi-turbo 4.8-liter V8. The 10 percent power bump from the standard Turbo will surely help offset the added bulk of the four doors.

If that isn’t enough, opt for Sport Chrono Package and utilize either the “Sport” or “Sport Plus” modes for 35 extra torque, for a total of 590 lb-ft of torque. Zero-to-62 miles per hour is surpassed in a scant 3.8 seconds, with top speed limited to 191 mph.

How did they do it?
Porsche says the power bumps are largely attributable to improved turbochargers with titanium-aluminum turbine wheels, as well as modified engine mapping in the computer. Porsche explains that the titanium-aluminum alloy reduces the weight of the compressor wheel in the turbo, and in turn reduces the energy required to spin the turbos, resulting in more airflow.

Of course Porsche didn’t just boost the power and call it a day, other features include 20-inch Turbo II wheels with increased rear axle track width, side skirts from the Porsche Exclusive range and the adaptive extending four-way rear spoiler, painted to match the body.

Inside, Porsche applied a contrasting bi-color leather finish, standard. Porsche says that the new combination of black/cream is offered exclusively for the new Panamera Turbo S with agate grey/cream also being added as an exclusive combination.

Deliveries of the Panamera Turbo S begin this June, with European pricing beginning at 167,076 euros in Germany, including value added tax (VAT). In the U.S., the new model will start with a base price of $174,175.

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1,099 horsepower Koenigsegg Agera R specs revealed

Monday, Mar 21st, 2011 @ 5:51 p.m.

Swedish exotic supercar makers Koenigsegg revealed a range-topping marvel of engineering achievement in the Agera R, a supercar boasting as much as 1,099 horsepower depending on your fuel of choice.

The rest of the spec sheet is equally ludicrous, with maximum torque listed at 885 lb-ft at 4,100 rpm, and “over 737 lb-ft” from 2,700 to 6,170 rpm when drinking the same E85 ethanol needed to produce the max horsepower rating of 1,099 at 6,900 rpm. Switching to 98 octane unleaded will drop the Agera R’s output to just 940 horsepower.

Although the power figures are impressive enough, two two figures that will likely grab the attention of most hardcore automotive enthusiasts in the days of the 1,200 horsepower Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, would be the Agera R’s scant weight of 2,932 lbs, and its lateral g-force capability of 1.6! To put the car in perspective, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport tips the scales at 4,053 lbs, which likely explains why it tops out at 1.4g’s of lateral acceleration.

The Agera R will scoot from a stop to 60 in just 2.9 seconds, then on to 124 mph in 7.5 seconds, and a top speed of 245 mph – which falls short of the Super Sport’s top speed by about 22 mph. All of this power and speed comes from an aluminum 5.0-liter V8 which features four valves per cylinder, twin turbochargers and a seven-speed dual clutch.

Standard features include: dual airbags, detachable storable hardtop with glass roof, power windows, adaptive rear wing, adjustable pedals and steering column, Agera stitching, adjustable seats in rake and length, carbon ceramic brakes with Sport ABS, hydraulic lifting system, power steering, power brakes, extra four-point seatbelts for track use, Satellite-navigation, Intelligent LifePo4 battery, MP3 player, USB connection, climate control, digital warning and info system, G sensor, alarm, tire monitoring system, silver key, leather carpets, roof storage bag and a car cover.

Options include: fitted luggage, special leather and colors, fully visible carbon fiber body panels, Inconel exhaust, front winglets, rear-view camera, heated seats, a ski box for the roof and a winter wheel package.

The insanity that is the Agera R can be had for the low, low price of just $1.4 million U.S.

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