The picture is certainly worth six words: This is not your father’s Buick. In resurrecting its Regal nameplate and putting it on a car that is not the least bit stodgy, GM is making a strong statement. J.D. Power and Associate analyst Jeff Schuster predicts that the Regal will, as intended, lure in younger buyers. “Is that really a Buick?” was the reaction of reviewers, who said the crisp handling could challenge luxury sport sedans like the Audi A4, even while selling at a lower price. Regal follows the already-successful Buick LaCrosse, whose strong sales contributed to GM’s bang-up third-quarter results. On its website, however, GM still feels the need to explain that the new Regal has “modern, aerodynamic lines.” The next step for the once-great company: Reaching the point where it doesn’t have to tell people that.

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