page_title: Buick Regal
section_title: Fourth generation (1997)
hierarchical_section_title: Buick Regal / Fourth generation (1997)
caption_attribution_description: English: A 1999 Buick Regal LS photographed in Greenwich Concours d'Elégance Hagerty parking lot, Connecticut, USA
context_page_description: The Buick Regal is an upscale mid-sized automobile that was first introduced by Buick for the 1973 model year. The model was originally positioned as a personal luxury car, and typically offered in both coupe and sedan forms until 1997, when the Regal became sedan-only due to the decline of the personal luxury coupe market. For certain model years between 1973 and 2004, the Regal shared bodies and powertrains with the similar Buick Century, although the Regal was positioned as a more upmarket vehicle.
  The Regal was discontinued in the North American market in 2004, being succeeded by the Buick LaCrosse. In 2008, a new version of the Regal was introduced for the Chinese market, which is a badge engineered version of the Opel Insignia. The new Regal was introduced to the North American market in 2011, positioned as a mid-size vehicle. A new model was introduced for 2018, which is offered in a liftback sedan and a "TourX" station wagon version. GM plans to discontinue the Regal in the North American market after the 2020 model year, making Buick exclusively a CUV marque there.
context_section_description: For the 1997 model year, the Century and Regal once again rode upon the same platform; the revised W platform that was shared with the Oldsmobile Intrigue, the Pontiac Grand Prix, the Chevrolet Lumina and Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The Regal coupe was discontinued.
  Differences between the Regal and Century were mostly cosmetic. As the upmarket version, the Regal offered larger engines and fancier trim, and once again boasted a newer version of the 3.8 L V6. While the Century was mainly a reliable, economy-minded car based upon the W-body, the Regal was fitted with many amenities, including heated leather seats (optional on the Century), a Monsoon 8-speaker surround sound system, dual climate control, and expansive interior space. Few changes occurred during this version's seven-year run. It offered 5-passenger seating on all trim levels like the Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Intrigue (formerly Cutlass Supreme), unlike their predecessors that had optional 6-passenger seating and the Buick Century (formerly built on the A platform) which had standard 6-passenger seating.
  This period held the fastest Buick since the days of the 1991–1996 Roadmaster, the Buick Regal GS. This car was now supercharged instead of turbocharged, and produced 240 hp (179 kW) and 280 lb⋅ft (380 N⋅m) of torque. When introduced in January 1997, Buick advertised the Regal GS as "The official car of the supercharged family". Buick also released two other model types, the LSE and the GSE. The LSE stayed with the 200 hp (149 kW) engine with upgrades and the GSE stayed with the 240 hp (179 kW) supercharged engine with upgrades. Also, in 2000 Buick came out with a concept GSX that had an intercooled 3.8 L, but was supercharged rather than turbocharged. It had 295.24 hp (220.16 kW)
  The North American Regal was replaced in 2005 by the Buick LaCrosse, also built on the W platform. The final 2004 Buick Regal rolled off the assembly line on June 1, 2004.
caption: 1999 Regal LS, Rear View
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