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Spy photos of the upcoming Buick Regal wagon, via the Opel Insignia

We're pretty sure Buick is working on a Regal wagon. And because the Regal is the Opel Insignia on the other side of the pond, these spy photos show us what's in store when it eventually turns into a Buick. The rakish wagon was lightly camouflaged, giving us our best look at the upcoming vehicle. The wagon shares a lot of the same design cues as the Insignia sedan that we spotted earlier. The bottom of the front end is covered in heavy camouflage, masking the wagon's grille. It's unsure to tell whether the black nostril-like pieces sitting above the grille are vents or just tape. The prototype still shares the same upright nose as the model we spotted earlier, giving the wagon a wider stance than its predecessor. The side profile of the wagon is sleeker, thanks to the extra four inches between the axles, than the current model is, with the design mimicking that of a shooting brake instead of a traditional wagon. The rear end of the wagon is also more upright with the taillights and bottom part of the fender jutting out beyond the glass. The boxy design sitting atop of the rear end doesn't match the rest of the vehicle and appears to be a part of the car's camouflage. With the tunnel-like design at the top gone, the rear end would have a more streamlined design. With the next Regal expected to continue on as a rebadged Insignia, the likelihood of a Regal Wagon in the US look good, but aren't set in stone. Late last year, Buick filed two trademarks for "Tourx" and "Regal Tourx," pointing towards a high-riding wagon with all-wheel drive. Imagine these spy shots with a taller suspension and some crossover-inspired trim pieces and you have a wagon that could take on the likes of the Subaru Outback and Audi Allroad. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Opel Insignia Grand Sport Tourer Spy Shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Design/Style Spy Photos Buick GM Opel Wagon Luxury opel insignia

GM recalls nearly 24,000 Buick Regals for brake issue

Buick is recalling 2018-2020 model year Regals to address a software defect in the braking system that would result in a loss of power assist under certain circumstances, making the brakes difficult to operate and potentially leading to a crash. In total, 23,734 models are covered by the campaign. "In the event of a partial or full loss of vacuum-brake assist, the vehicle’s hydraulic-brake boost is designed to supply supplemental pressure to the vehicleÂ’s brake system. A software error in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may fail to activate the hydraulic-brake boost under these conditions," GM said in its defect report to NHTSA. "If the vehicleÂ’s vacuum-power brake assist partially or fully fails, braking events may require additional stopping distance, depending on the brake pedal force applied by the driver. Increased stopping distances could increase the risk of a crash." GM says that a warning indicator will illuminate in the dash if the system completely fails, and drivers may notice an increase in brake pedal resistance. Failure will not render the brakes inoperable, but they will require more force to operate. GM has begun notifying dealers of the defect; owners should be notified starting in August.   Related video: Recalls Buick GM Safety Hatchback Wagon Sedan

The Chevrolet Bolt is headed to China as a Buick SUV

When spy photos of what appeared to be Chevrolet Bolt EV with some minor front- and rear-end updates circulated last week, Autoblog surmised that GM was working on some sort of Bolt-based vehicle — potentially a crossover — to be sold in China as a Buick. We may just have corroboration for that theory. On Thursday, Motor1.com spotted a story published earlier this week on the Chinese site Auto Home which claims that GM has applied to sell an all-electric SUV under the Velite 7 nameplate in China.  There's little differentiating the Velite 7's exterior from the Bolt EV's, apart from bumpers, badges, and a little extra ground clearance. Up front, the bowtie is replaced by a round Buick badge, and the bumper picks up an almost Prius-like appearance thanks to contrasting vertical elements and a thin grille bleeding into the head lights to give it a full-width appearance. Chevy Bolt-based prototype View 16 Photos If the Chinese report is accurate, there is one significant difference under the skin. Per the application, the Buick crossover variant is to be powered by a 174-horsepower electric powertrain. That's down 26 horsepower from the Bolt EV's powertrain, and we can't help but think that a lifted Buick variant might just need every pony it can get.  The needs of the Chinese market are unique, and we're certain GM knows what it's doing if these figures are accurate. We have no reason to believe Buick plans to sell the Velite 7 EV here in the States, though we expect an updated Chevy Bolt eventually, and we wouldn't be surprised if Buick brings something along shortly to fill the void left by the departure of the Regal sedan and its variants.  Related Video: