With 2011 Buick Regal GS, a Return to Manual

As we lament the disappearance of manual transmissions, Buick is actually coming out with its first manual in 22 years with the upcoming 2011 Buick Regal GS.

The Regal GS, based on the Opel Insignia in Europe, will be available with a 6-speed manual transmission by the end of the year. Price is expected to be in the high $30,000 range.

The last manual transmission offered by Buick was in 1989. It was the Skyhawk, according to Lawrence Gustin, co-author of “The Buick: A Complete History.”

“In recent decades, manual transmissions were usually associated with either entry models or sports cars, neither of which fit the Buick image of those times,” Mr. Gustin said in an interview. The Skyhawk had a 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine with a 5-speed manual.

“Some Buicks were never offered with manual transmissions because they used platforms or architecture that were targeted for upscale marques, such as those used for the Buick Park Avenue and LeSabre,” he said.

John Cafaro, Buick’s design director, said earlier this year when the car was previewed that appealing to “performance enthusiasts” is the obvious aim of the new Regal. The manual transmission in the Regal GS will be paired with a turbocharged 2-liter Ecotec engine with direct injection, which makes 255 horsepower.

“I expect that one big advantage of bringing back the stick shift is that it will improve Buick’s image among those who like a sportier car,” said Pete Phillips, editor of the Buick Bugle, house magazine of the Buick Club of America.

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