Buick Regal Engines by Year

Buick sold the Regal as a mid-size rear-drive car from 1973 to 1987, as a front-drive car from 1988 to 2004, and as a European-developed sedan and wagon from 2011 to 2020. Its best-known engine is the turbocharged 3.8 V6 of the Grand National and GNX.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

1973–1977: 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977

1978–1987: 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987

1988–2004: 1988 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 · 2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004

2011–2020: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020

1973–1977

The first Regal used Buick's 350 and 455 V8s and, from 1975, the 231 V6.

1973 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
350 V8	150 hp net	Regal coupe (standard)
350 V8	175 hp net	Regal coupe
455 V8	250 hp net	Regal coupe

1974 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
350 V8	150 hp net	Regal coupe/sedan (standard)
350 V8	175 hp net	Regal
455 V8	—	Regal

1975 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
231 V6	110 hp net	Regal coupe (standard)
350 V8	145 hp net	Regal sedan (standard), Regal coupe (optional)
350 V8	165 hp net	Regal

1976 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6	105 hp net	Regal coupe (standard)
5.7L / 350 V8	140 hp net	Regal sedan (standard), Regal coupe (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8	155 hp net	Regal

1977 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6	105 hp net	Regal coupe (standard)
5.7L / 350 V8	140 hp net	Regal sedan (standard), Regal coupe (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8	155 hp net	Regal
5.7L / 350 V8	170 hp net	Regal

1978–1987

The downsized Regal introduced Buick's turbocharged 3.8 V6 in 1978. It gained sequential fuel injection in 1984 and an intercooler in 1986, reaching 245 hp in the 1987 Grand National and 276 hp in the GNX, which ASC/McLaren finished for Buick.

1978 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.2L / 196 V6 (LC9)	90 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	105 hp net	Regal (optional; required in California/high altitude)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	150 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	165 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (optional)
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	145 hp net	Regal
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG4)	160 hp net	Regal

1979 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.2L / 196 V6 (LC9)	105 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	115 hp net	Regal (optional; standard in California)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	170 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (standard)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L27)	140 hp net	Regal
4.9L / 301 V8 (L37)	150 hp net	Regal
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG4)	155 hp net	Regal (California/high altitude)

1980 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	170 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (standard)
4.3L / 265 V8	120 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited
4.9L / 301 V8 (L27)	140 hp net	Regal
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG4)	155 hp net	Regal (California)

1981 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	170 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (standard)
4.3L / 265 V8	119 hp net	Regal

1982 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	115 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited, Regal Estate Wagon (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	175 hp net	Regal Sport Coupe (standard), Some Grand Nationals
4.1L / 252 V6 (LC4)	125 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited, Grand National (most)
4.3L / 262 V6 diesel (LT6)	85 hp net	Regal coupe/sedan (after Jan 1982)

1983 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	112 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited, Regal Estate Wagon (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC8)	180 hp net	Regal T Type (standard)
4.1L / 252 V6 (LC4)	125 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited, Regal Estate Wagon
4.3L / 262 V6 diesel (LT6)	85 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited

1984 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LM9)	200 hp net	Regal T Type (standard), Grand National
4.1L / 252 V6 (LC4)	125 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited
4.3L / 262 V6 diesel (LT6)	85 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited

1985 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LM9)	200 hp net	Regal T Type (standard), Grand National
4.3L / 262 V6 diesel (LT6)	85 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited

1986 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC2)	235 hp net	Regal T Type (standard), Grand National
5.0L / 307 V8 (LV2)	140 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited

1987 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	110 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC2)	245 hp net	Grand National, Turbo T, T Type, Limited Turbo, Regal Turbo package
3.8L / 231 V6 turbo (LC2) Finished by ASC/McLaren for Buick.	276 hp net	GNX
5.0L / 307 V8 (LV2)	140 hp net	Regal, Regal Limited, Regal T (option)

1988–2004

The front-drive Regal used the 2.8 and 3.1 V6s and the 3800, supercharged in the GS from 1997.

1988 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.8L / 173 V6 (LB6)	125 hp net	Custom, Limited

1989 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.8L / 173 V6 (LB6)	125 hp net	Custom, Limited, Gran Sport

1990 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (LH0)	135 hp net	Custom, Limited, Gran Sport (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Regal (midyear option)

1991 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (LH0)	140 hp net	Custom, Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Gran Sport (standard), Custom/Limited (optional)

1992 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (LH0)	140 hp net	Custom, Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Gran Sport (standard), Custom/Limited (optional)

1993 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (LH0)	140 hp net	Custom, Limited (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Gran Sport (standard), Custom/Limited (optional)

1994 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (L82)	160 hp net	Custom (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Gran Sport, Limited (standard), Custom (optional)

1995 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (L82)	160 hp net	Custom (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L27)	170 hp net	Gran Sport, Limited (standard), Custom (optional)

1996 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.1L / 191 V6 (L82)	160 hp net	Custom (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	205 hp net	Gran Sport, Limited (standard), Custom (optional)

1997 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	195 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

1998 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	195 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

1999 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36) Published ratings for this engine vary.	195–200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2000 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2001 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2002 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2003 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2004 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (L36)	200 hp net	LS (standard)
3.8L / 231 V6 supercharged (L67)	240 hp net	GS (standard)

2011–2020

The last Regals used 2.4 and turbocharged 2.0 fours and, in the 2018–2020 GS, a 3.6 V6.

2011 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LHU)	220 hp net	CXL Turbo
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LAF)	182 hp net	CXL (standard)

2012 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LHU)	220 hp net	Regal Turbo
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LHU)	270 hp net	GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LAF)	182 hp net	Regal (base)
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LUK)	182 hp net	Regal eAssist

2013 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LHU)	220 hp net	Regal Turbo
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LHU)	270 hp net	GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LUK)	182 hp net	Regal (standard)

2014 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	259 hp net	Turbo, GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LUK)	182 hp net	Regal (base)

2015 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	259 hp net	Turbo, GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LUK)	182 hp net	Regal (base)

2016 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	259 hp net	Turbo, GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LUK)	182 hp net	Fleet only
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LEA)	182 hp net	1SV (standard; fleet-oriented)

2017 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	259 hp net	Turbo, GS
2.4L / 146 inline-four (LEA)	182 hp net	1SV (standard; fleet-oriented)

2018 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	250 hp net	Sportback, TourX (AWD), Avenir (2019-20)
3.6L / 217 V6 (LGX)	310 hp net	GS (AWD)

2019 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	250 hp net	Sportback, TourX (AWD), Avenir (2019-20)
3.6L / 217 V6 (LGX)	310 hp net	GS (AWD)

2020 Regal engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
2.0L / 122 inline-four turbo (LTG)	250 hp net	Sportback, TourX (AWD), Avenir (2019-20)
3.6L / 217 V6 (LGX)	310 hp net	GS (AWD)

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