Although GM must still feel the sting of rival Ford's dominance in the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards today, it's not without its own bag of tricks. The Buick Regal GS Concept is a case in point.

A close preview of the upcoming production car, the 2011 Buick Regal GS Concept is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 255-horsepower sports sedan. Expected to soon be on sale in the U.S. as an up-rated version of the 2011 Buick Regal, the GS offers a six-speed manual transmission and available all-wheel drive, though if it's like the regular Regal, those last two features won't be offered together, the all-wheel-drive version being stuck with an automatic.

Either way, performance is sub-six-seconds 0-60 mph, and big 14-inch Brembos on the concept ensure fade-free and face-sucking braking. The HiPerStrut suspension system promises a firm but compliant ride while allowing the driver to attack the twisties with glee, and the adaptive chassis system lets the driver tune the car's responses to suit his or her mood.

Check out the full 2011 Buick Regal GS Concept preview here.