For years, Buick’s advertising tagline was “Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?”

And for years, my response was an unequivocal “No.”

In many ways, Buicks represented what was wrong with the American auto industry. It built ostentatious and ornate vehicles that handled with the nimbleness of a circus elephant — and occupied as much real estate. Or it offered midsize sedans marginalized by their mediocrity.

Buick’s few bright shining lights — the mid-1980s Regal Grand National and early Riviera come immediately to mind — were dimmed by chintzy Skylarks and the hideous Rendezvous.

Although there was a market for big, pedestrian Buicks, it was an older audience. As recently as a couple of years ago, the average Buick buyer was 70-something.

Since that’s not the typically demographic automakers seek, it was somewhat surprising that General Motors kept Buick but eliminated brands such as Pontiac and Hummer when it downsized by shedding brands.

The 2011 Buick Regal might explain what GM’s brain trust was thinking. A carbon copy of the German-built Opel Insignia, Europe’s 2009 Car of the Year, the Regal is the kind of car I want to own and GM needs to lure younger buyers from other brands.

With its introduction last year of the sporty 2011 Regal, Buick set its sights specifically on attracting would-be buyers of Acura’s TSX and Volvo’s S60. So much so that the Regal’s press kit includes a spec sheet that compares its vital statistics to those two vehicles.

But based on my weeklong evaluation of the new Regal, Buick needn’t stop with those two competitors. The Regal is impressive enough to also attract Lexus IS shoppers, and in its sportiest trim could convert some bargain-hunting Audi, BMW, Infiniti and Mercedes fans.

That model, the 2012 Regal GS, was unveiled last November but won’t be available until “the second half of 2011,” according to Buick. An entry-level model also should be available by then, but right now Buick offers only one well-equipped version of the Regal, the CXL.

Buick currently offers two four-cylinder engines for the Regal CXL: A 2.4-liter, direct-injection model rated at 182 horsepower and 172 pounds-feet of torque, and a turbocharged, 2.0-liter engine delivering 225-horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque.

The GS will be getting a more powerful, 255-horsepower turbocharged engine, but it also will have four cylinders. Buick has no plans to put a six-cylinder or V-8 engine in the Regal.

That might be the most conspicuous road sign of the new direction Buick is heading as it strives to lower the age of its average buyer. But it’s not the only one.

The new Regal’s standout styling — a stark contrast from generations of pedestrian-looking LeSabres, which were about as distinctive as a white dress shirt — is sure to attract a younger audience.

So is its taut handling. The Regal features front-wheel drive, rather than the rear-wheel drive layout found on some European thoroughbreds. But the system seems to perform as well as those found on Audi’s front-drive models, which I consider among the best in the world.

The Regal isn’t quite as good at communicating with its driver as your typical Audi or BMW model, but it doesn’t fall far short. Combine that with its quick reflexes, flat cornering and an ability to remain poised and unflustered during rapid transitions and on a wide variety of road conditions, and you’ve got a sedan that’s genuinely fun to drive.

That positions it about as far from the floaty Buick boats your parents or grandparents used to drive as Opel’s Russelsheim, Germany, factory is from Ontario, Canada. The former is where my test car and early 2011 Regals were built, the latter where most North American model production will take place.

I suspect most buyers will find the standard powertrain more than adequate whether it originates in Germany or Canada. The standard six-speed automatic transmission seemed like a great mate for the engine, and I particularly appreciated its quick downshifts.

The well-matched transmission made the engine seem peppy and capable in most driving situations. I rarely felt like I needed more oomph, but I nevertheless would have had more fun driving a turbo CXL with its available six-speed manual gearbox.

On the other hand, I couldn’t ask for much more refinement or aesthetic appeal than the Regal interior cabin. Decent roominess and a long list of standard creature comfort features add to the cabin’s appeal.

Its starting price of $26,245, meanwhile, enhances the Regal’s overall appeal. Even if you fork over $2,500 more to get the tubocharged engine, the Regal seems like a great value. So much so I suspect Buick will find a lot of new customers who really would rather have a Buick.

Scott Wasser is executive editor of MaineToday Media. He writes a weekly auto column for the Sunday Telegram and other newspapers. He can be contacted at:

swasser@pressherald.com