DETROIT --- Two General Motors cars due in showrooms next year must be hits to help the automaker regain sales and pay back its big debt to U.S. taxpayers: the Buick Regal midsize sedan and Chevrolet Cruze compact.
GM rolled out the Regal on Thursday in Los Angeles and is counting on the sleek sedan to claw out a new market for the official brand of bingo night at the senior center.
Buick has been absent from the tough midsize market since 2004, while the Cruze was recently put on hold because GM wasn't happy with how it drove.
Executives hope the Regal can help bring younger buyers to Buick, crucial to the brand's growth. The median age of a Buick buyer is around 68, but GM is targeting models for those in their 40s and 50s, said Craig Bierley, Buick's product marketing director.
The Regal, due in showrooms next spring, is aimed at those who want a car that's fun to drive yet practical. The Regal has three ride settings (normal, sport and touring) and is smart enough to tailor the car to the way people drive, Mr. Bierley said.
Pricing wasn't announced, but it will be between the mainstream Chevrolet Malibu at $21,325 and the larger Buick LaCrosse at $27,835. It is equipped only with four-cylinder engines to boost fuel economy.
Even more is riding on the smaller Cruze, which must sell in larger numbers than the Regal because of its lower profit margins.
The Cruze will be targeted at younger entry-level buyers and those seeking fuel economy. It's supposed to get about 40 mpg on the highway.
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