1988 Buick Reatta Base Coupe 2-door 3.8l Rare Factory Striping 130k Miles on 2040-cars

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Next Opel Insignia to adopt sleeker looks

The very first set of spy photos of the next-generation Opel Insignia have dropped, giving us a look at the more svelte, aggressive, and stylish look of the popular sedan. As a reminder, the Insignia is sold here in the United States as the Buick Regal. There's only so much we can discern from these photos, thanks to the very heavy camouflage. But we can get a look at the new Audi A7-like roofline, which our spies citing similarities to the Opel Monza concept car from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Monza link fits with our previous reports, which claimed the gullwinged wagon would serve as a prime source of inspiration for both the Insignia and US-market Regal. Aside from the significantly redesigned sheetmetal, Opel is also increasing the size of its flagship sedan, adding nearly four inches between the axles. According to our spies, the goal is to build a vehicle comparable in size to the Skoda Superb, a roughly Volkswagen Passat-sized sedan based on the VW Group's MQB platform. What's most interesting for US customers, though, is the body style shown here. Like the aforementioned A7, the next Insignia will be offered as a five-door model, rather than a traditional sedan. The five-door hatch would later be joined by a traditional wagon. It's unclear whether the US market Buick will take a similar route, or whether General Motors will demand a four-door variant exclusive to North America. Check out the spy photos above, and keep an eye open for more on the next Insignia/Regal. Don't plan on seeing it at an auto show any time soon, though. It's not slated to debut until the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Junkyard Gem: 1990 Buick Reatta Coupe

During the 1980s, General Motors worked hard to woo back American car shoppers who had defected to European luxury brands. Swanky interiors, futuristic electronics and Europe-influenced styling found their way into quite a few GM models during the second half of the decade. Pontiac had the 6000 STE, Oldsmobile offered the Toronado Trofeo, Cadillac sold the Turin-Hamtramck-built Allante, and Buick produced the sporty Reatta two-seater. Just under 22,000 Reattas were built during the 1988 through 1991 model years, and today's Junkyard Find is the fifth example I've found during my junkyard travels. The Reatta was the most expensive 1990 Buick, priced at $28,335 for the coupe and $34,995 for the convertible (or about $65,895 and $81,380 in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars).  For that kind of money, American car shoppers in 1990 could get a BMW 325i in coupe or convertible form for $24,650 or $33,850. They could get a Saab 900 Turbo convertible for $32,995 or an Audi Coupe Quattro for $29,750. Each of those European competitors had sophisticated overhead-cam engines and grippy suspensions, but the Reatta was built on a shortened version of the chassis that went under the Barcalounger-esque Buick Riviera and its engine was the old-timey pushrod Buick V6. The 3.8-liter Buick V6 had been made quite reliable and acceptably smooth by the time this car was built, and it made 165 horsepower (just three fewer than the BMW 325i), but Buick salesmen didn't have much to brag about when showing this engine compartment to a 35-year-old youngster who had just driven a Saab 900 Turbo. The antiquated engine was problem enough, but the lack of a manual transmission served to chase off additional potential buyers. A four-speed automatic was mandatory in every Reatta. Just in case some traditional (i.e. Greatest Generation members) Buick customers might consider this glamorous two-seater, Buick scared them off with the Reatta's video-game-style digital dash and its way-ahead-of-its-time Graphics Control Center touchscreen interface. You can't win! The Graphics Control Center hardware has been grabbed from this dash (the components also fit optioned-up Rivieras and Trofeos of the same era, so junkyard shoppers pull them for resale). Naturally, a Reatta owner would want a hardwired car phone. If you really wanted to be cool in the early 1990s, you bought a Chrysler product with the amazing VisorPhone.

Buick teases electric concept crossover for China

Buick released a teaser image of a new all- electric concept SUV it's calling the Enspire. It'll bow at Buick Brand Night on April 17 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, and be on display to the public at the Beijing auto show later in the month. Buick says only that the Enspire "leverages GM's global resources and is an exploration of design and new technologies. It is the brand's latest example of innovation and application of future electric smart mobility." The darkened, right rear three-quarter shot shows a rounded rear fascia, a narrow tail lamp that stretches the length of the tailgate and a third brake light on the roof spoiler. While this concept is clearly aimed at China, GM Authority notes that General Motors previously filed to trademark the "Enspire" name in the U.S. in 2015. GM CEO Mary Barra outlined the company's electrification plans for investors in November and included a slide of an unbadged crossover under the title "Leveraging existing BEV platform to expand in near term," which some are speculating could be this Enspire concept. It also suggests that Buick could be developing a vehicle based on the Chevrolet Bolt platform. GM plans to l aunch 20 new EVs by 2023, targeting 1 million electric-vehicle sales by 2026. Buick is GM's best-selling brand in China, comprising about 1.2 million vehicles sold in 2017. Buick last year showed off the Velite 5, an extended-range hybrid based on the Chevrolet Volt, as a production car for China. Related Video: