1978 Buick Regal Turbo

Buick Regal 1978 Description

This car is beautiful, one owner, very well maintained, all service/maintenance preformed by a certified dealership, it has never been exposed to the elements. Bought new February 1978, at Robinson- Lesline Buick in Wichita, Ks.

The Turbo 3.8 was offered in two and four barrel versions. Sales-wise, 1978 was the most successful year for the Turbo Regal. Of the 236,652 Regals produced, 30,508 were turbocharged. Horsepower ratings were 150 and 165 (for the 2 and 4 barrel versions respectively), compared to 105 for the normally aspirated 3.8 V6. What made the Turbo V6 work without the water injection units that many Turbo engines used (Oldsmobile F-85, Corvair Spyder, and most aftermarket systems), was the Electronic Spark Control (ESC). Buick's ESC was a first in the automotive industry. It used a "knock" sensor to detect detonation and then retarded the timing. This protected the engine from destroying itself under boost.

The newly redesigned Regal, was not only downsized, but was now it's own model. It was no longer a variation of the Century. But the biggest news came from under the hood. It didn't take long for the Turbocharged V6 to make it from the '76 Pace Car to the production cars. During a time of soaring gas prices, the little engine promised the economy of a V6 and the performance of a V8. The Regal Sport Coupe, along with the LeSabre Sport Coupe, were the only two turbocharged standard production cars built in America.