Buick
Parent General Motors | | |
Website | buick.com |
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Buick (/ˈbjuːɪk/) is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American automobile brands and was the company that established General Motors in 1908.[3] Before the establishment of General Motors, GM founder William C. Durant had served as Buick's general manager and major investor. With the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, Buick became the oldest surviving American carmaker.
Buick is positioned as a premium automobile brand, selling
However, over the same time period, Buick sold more than 1.4 million vehicles, a record for the brand.[5] The growth was driven by sales in China, which accounts for 80% of Buick's sales.[6]
History
Early years
Buick is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and is currently the oldest in the United States still active today.
The first two Buick automobiles were made in 1899 and 1900 at the "Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company" by chief engineer
David Buick incorporated his company as the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903, in
Whiting built only a few automobiles in 1904, the Model B, before running out of operating capital, causing him to bring in William C. Durant that year as a controlling investor. Durant built a few more model B's in 1904, stepped up production for the model C in 1905, and spent the next four years turning Buick into the biggest-selling automobile brand in the US.
During the 19th century, Durant had made his fortune as co-owner, also in Flint, with Josiah Dallas Dort, of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, which by 1904 was the largest carriage-making company in the country and one of the largest in the world.[3] Durant moved most Buick production to the former Durant-Dort Imperial Wheel plant in Jackson, Michigan in 1905. Buick continued car production in Jackson through 1907, when Factory #1 was completed in Flint. The Jackson plant continued production with Buick trucks through 1912.[9] David Buick sold his stock upon departure in 1906, making him a wealthy man, but he died in modest circumstances 25 years later. In 1907, Durant agreed to supply motors to R. S. McLaughlin in Canada, an automaker, and in 1908 he founded General Motors.
Between 1899 and 1902, two prototype vehicles were built[10] in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr. Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering[11] similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash.
In mid-1904, another prototype was constructed for an endurance run, which convinced Whiting to authorize the production of the first models offered to the public.[12] The architecture of this prototype was the basis for the Model B.
The first Buick made for sale, the 1904 horizontally opposed 2-cylinder engine Model B, was built in Flint, Michigan at a re-purposed factory that was known as the Flint Wagon Works. There were 37 Buicks made that year, none of which survive. There are, however, two replicas in existence: the 1904 endurance car, at the Buick Gallery & Research Center in Flint, and a Model B assembled by an enthusiast in California for the division's 100th anniversary.[13][14] Both of these vehicles use various parts from Buicks of that early era, as well as fabricated parts. These vehicles were each constructed with the two known surviving 1904 engines.
The early success of Buick is attributed mainly to what it called the valve-in-head engine, now known as the overhead valve (OHV), engine[15] patented by Eugene Richard and developed by Richard, Buick, and Marr. The Model F had a two-cylinder engine, an 87-inch wheelbase, and weighed 1,800 lbs.[16] The creation of General Motors is attributed mainly to the success of Buick,[17] so it can be said Marr and Richard's designs directly led to GM.[18] The power train and chassis architecture introduced on the Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F.[19]
The Model F was similar to the Model G, a lower-priced two-seat roadster, produced from 1906 until 1909. Both the F and G were powered by a 159 cu in (2.6 L) two-cylinder 159 engine producing 22 hp (16 kW; 22 PS) along with a 2-speed transmission as well as mechanical brakes on the rear wheels.
The
At first, Buick followed the likes of
The first full-size Buick to join the smaller Model B was in 1907, when the Buick Model D was introduced with a four-cylinder 255.0 cu in (4,178 cc) T-head engine, installed in the front with rear-wheel drive. This was one of the only cars with side valves that Buick ever made.[22]
1910s - 1920s
In 1910, Buick introduced the Model 10 with an OHV four-cylinder engine[23] followed in 1911, with their first closed-body car, the Buick Six,[24] that followed the same bodystyle that first appeared at Cadillac, and four years ahead of Ford. The car was built at the all-new factory in Flint which later became known as Buick City.[25] Buick during the 1920s made various sized vehicles, with series designations for different years, sometimes using numbers, while later years using lettered designations. One of the larger vehicles, with a straight-six, was the Buick Master Six.
In the 1910s and 1920s, Buick was a prestige brand in the Republic of China with the brand driven by or for high-level politicians and the Emperor. Buick now sells 80% of its production in the People's Republic of China and is a minor player in Taiwan.[26]
In 1929, as part of
1930s
Buick debuted two major achievements for the 1931 model year, the
The Series 80 and Series 90 used a 344 cu. in. version (bore 3 5/16 in., stroke 5 in.) for 104 brake HP. Automatic vacuum-operated spark advance was another feature replacing the steering column-mounted spark lever although an emergency lever was now dash mounted. Buick scored another first in 1939 when it became the first company to introduce
In the mid-1930s McLaughlin-Buicks were purchased by British monarch
In the 1920s and 1930s Cadillac and Buick vehicles were popular with long-distance passenger service operators e.g. the Nairn Transport Company in the Middle East (Baghdad-Damascus).
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1904 Buick Model B
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1905 Buick Model C
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1910Buick Model 10Runabout
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1917 Buick D-35 roadster
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1918 Buick E-45
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1922 Buick Model 22-54 Sport roadster
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1925 Buick Master Six Series 25 touring
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1925 Buick Master Six
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1929Buick Series 46Business Coupe
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1930Buick Series 46Business Coupe
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1932Buick Series 60 Model 67sedan
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1935 Buick Series 40 Model 46C convertible coupe
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1938Buick Series 80touring sedan
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1939 Buick Series 40 Model 41 touring sedan
Buick engines
1904–1911. Two cylinders horizontally opposed at 180 degrees, OHV, 159 cu. in.
1907–1924. Four cylinders, in line, OHV, 165 to 392.6 cu. in. It was related to the Chevrolet Inline-4 engine
1914–1930.
1931–1953.
1953-1981 Buick V8 engine
1961-2008 Buick V6 engine
Post World War II years
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1947 Buick Super
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1948 Buick Roadmaster Sedanet
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1949 Buick Roadmaster
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1950 Buick Super Riviera
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1953 Buick Roadmaster Estate
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1955 Buick Special
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1956 Buick Century Riviera
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1957 Buick Super Riviera
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1958 Buick Special Riviera
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1959 Buick Electra
1940s
1940 saw the first use of the "Estate" designation for Buick on the Super station wagon. World War II stopped automobile production in 1942. Starting that year, Buick produced the M18 Hellcat tank destroyer and supplied radial engines for the B-24 Liberator, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, and Douglas C-54 Skymaster. By the fall of 1945, automobile production resumed. In 1948, the Dynaflow automatic transmission was first offered by Buick. 1949 saw the debut of Buick's VentiPorts.
1950s
1953 marked Buick's 50th anniversary as well as the introductions of the
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1962 Buick Special DeLuxe
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1963 Buick Wildcat
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1963 Buick Riviera
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1965 Buick LeSabre
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1966 Buick Riviera GS
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1968 Buick Skylark
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1970 Buick GSX
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1971 Buick Estate
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1972 Buick Riviera
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1973 Buick Century GS
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1975 Buick Skyhawk
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1978 Buick Electra Limited
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1979 Buick Regal
1960s
An Electra 225 paced the
1970s
The 1970s saw a number of new models added to the Buick lineup including the Estate Wagon as its own model in 1970, Centurion in 1971, Apollo in 1973, and Skyhawk in 1975. 1975 also saw the first appearance of the "Park Avenue" nameplate for Buick as a trim/option package on the Electra 225 Limited. A Buick Century paced the Indianapolis 500 race not once but twice in the mid-1970s. In 1976, Buick began selling rebadged Isuzu Geminis as Opels to replace the Opel Kadett models it had previously marketed. The following year, Electra 225 and LeSabre were redesigned and downsized, and the Buick brand saw its best model year sales to date with 773,313 vehicles sold. 1978 marked Buick's 75th anniversary and welcomed a redesigned Century as well as a redesigned Regal coupe which was now available with a turbocharged V6 engine. Buick model year sales broke another record in 1978 with 795,316 vehicles sold. In 1979, the Riviera was redesigned; Riviera S-Type was named Motor Trend Car of the Year.
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1980 Buick Skylark
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1982 Buick LeSabre Limited
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1984 Buick Riviera
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1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
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1986Buick Somerset
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1987 Buick Skyhawk Custom
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1988 Buick Reatta
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1992 Buick Roadmaster Limited
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1994 Buick Century Estate
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1996 Buick Skylark
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1997 Buick Park Avenue
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1999 Buick Riviera
1980s
In the 1980s, Buick's lineup saw several changes including the downsizing of various models. In 1980, Lloyd Reuss was appointed as general manager and further pushed Buick into turbocharging, racing, and performance production cars, building momentum which continued a number of years after his departure in 1984 as he headed toward a brief term as GM president. Also in 1980, the
In 1984, Buick was the official car of the XXIII Olympiad. A reorganization split manufacturing & engineering from sales and marketing. The first pilot Buick is produced at "Buick City", a state-of-the-art assembly center built inside the walls of Buick's home plant in Flint. Buick had its best model year sales to date with 906,626 vehicles sold plus Buick's worldwide sales topped one million for the first time. Lloyd Reuss ended his tenure as general manager of the Buick Motor Division in 1984.
For the 1985 model year, Buick introduced the downsized sixth-generation Electra, effectively GM's first front-drive, transverse-engine, full-size unibody cars — initially powered by a carbureted 3.0 liter Buick
In 1986, the LeSabre was introduced on the new
Also for 1986, the
In 1987, the last of the turbo/intercooled Regal Grand Nationals, often called the quickest American cars, were offered as well as 547 even quicker special edition '87 GNXs. It would also be the last year for the rear-wheel-drive Regal. General manager Ed Mertz promoted the new "Premium American Motorcars" theme which focused Buick marketing on the various qualities that made the marque famous.
In 1988, Buick was the official car of the
In 1989, a new Electra trim level was offered called the Park Avenue Ultra. The Ultra was an upgrade to the Electra Park Avenue and featured a standard leather-trimmed interior with dual 20-way power front seats (shared with Cadillac's restyled 1989
1990s
In 1990, the first Reatta convertible was produced. 1990 was also the last year for the Electra as Park Avenue, previously a trim level on the Electra, became its own model for the 1991 model year. In 1991, Buick led the industry in improvement in sales and market share. A new four-door Regal came to market for 1991, the first Regal sedan since 1984. Buick also introduced a supercharged 3.8-liter V6 in the Park Avenue Ultra. Supercharging became so popular at Buick that by the new millennium, Buick was the leading marketer and industry leader of supercharged cars. 1991 saw the return of the Roadmaster after a 33-year absence. The Roadmaster was first offered as a wagon only and then a sedan was added for 1992.
For 1992, the popular LeSabre was redesigned along the same lines as the previous year's Park Avenue. 1992 also saw the introduction of a new, redesigned Skylark. In 1993, a special edition LeSabre was sold to commemorate Buick's 90th anniversary. In addition to Custom trim level standard equipment, included were "90th Anniversary" badging, cassette player, cruise control, rear-window defogger, power driver's seat, carpeted floor mats, exterior pinstripes, and choice of wire or aluminum wheel covers.
In 1995, after a hiatus in 1994, the Riviera returned with radical styling that departed from the previous generations' more traditional image. A 205 hp (153 kW)
In 1996, both the Roadmaster sedan and wagon were discontinued. In 1998, after 95 years in Flint, Buick's headquarters was moved to Detroit. Bob Coletta, Buick general manager, saw the first Chinese Buick roll off the line at Shanghai before he turned over the top Buick job to Roger Adams. Buick Gallery and Research Center opened at Flint's Sloan Museum. A reorganization of the division split sales from marketing.
In 1999, the last of nearly 16 million Buicks were built in Flint's Buick City. The last car, a 1999 LeSabre, rolled off the assembly line on June 29 that year. In a major independent quality study, Buick ranked #2 (and top domestic) among 37 international brands and Buick City shared the top world position among automotive assembly plants. With sales of all coupes declining in the North American market, GM decided to discontinue the Riviera. 1999 was the car's last model year with production ceasing on November 25, 1998. The final 200 cars had special silver paint and trim and were denoted "Silver Arrow"
Recent years
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2000 Buick LeSabre
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2002 Buick Rendezvous
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2004 Buick Rainier CXL
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2005 Buick Terraza
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2006 Buick Lucerne CXL
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2008 Buick Enclave CXL
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2009 Buick LaCrosse Super
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2011 Buick Regal GS
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2012 Buick Verano
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2013 Buick Encore
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2016Buick CascadaPremium
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2016 Buick Envision Premium
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2017Buick Velite 5
2000s
In the 2000s, Buick's lineup was modified with the compact and performance segments being abandoned in favor of the crossover/SUV market which was growing in popularity. In 2000, Buick headed into the new millennium with a redesigned LeSabre (best-selling U.S. full-size car for eight straight years) and a more powerful Century. Since the first Detroit experimental car of 1899–1900 and the first Flint production car of 1904, more than 35 million Buicks had been built. The 2000 LeSabre was introduced in March 1999 and was now built on
In the years following, Buick began consolidating its North American lineup and by 2008 had reduced it to just three models: the LaCrosse/Allure, the Lucerne, and the new-for-2008 Enclave. The Super name had also returned after a 50-year absence as a new performance trim level on LaCrosse and Lucerne. The brand's total overall sales slipped in the United States, and, with a reputation for primarily appealing to older buyers, rumors circulated throughout this decade that the Buick marque would be discontinued.[35] The profitability of the model lineup and popularity in China ensured Buick's future within General Motors, with the decision being made to discontinue the Pontiac brand instead.[36]
Since 2005, GM had gradually consolidated Buick with
2010s
The 2010s included the return of a classic Buick nameplate, the Buick Regal, and several new model names. The decade also saw the brand's first hatchback since 1987, its first factory convertible since 1991, and its first station wagon since 1996. Buick further expanded its presence in the popular crossover/SUV market in the 2010s.
In January 2009, Buick unveiled the new 2010 LaCrosse sedan, an all-new styling direction that included traditional Buick cues. The market responded positively to the LaCrosse and reviews favorably compared it to luxury models such as the
For 2018, Buick replaced the Regal sedan with an all-new model offering hatchback and station wagon body styles. This new Regal was the first hatchback from Buick for the North American market since the 1987 Skyhawk and the first station wagon since the 1996 Roadmaster. A sub-brand was also added in 2018 to accompany Buick, with the Avenir badge being applied to its top-of-the-line level trims, utilizing the same strategy as GMC's successful Denali sub-brand.[47] 2019 would be the last year for the Cascada convertible globally and the LaCrosse sedan for the North American market.
2020s
New for 2020 was the Encore GX crossover which slotted in between the existing Encore and Envision. The Regal hatchback and station wagon were discontinued for the North American market in 2020.
In June 2022, Buick Global Chief Duncan Aldred announced that Buick would transition its entire line-up to electric vehicles by 2030. As part of that plan, all Buick dealers would be given the opportunity to take a buyout rather than switch to all-electric. Aldred explained the move saying that making the transition to electric would require a considerable investment in upgrading dealer facilities and not all dealers would be willing to make the financial commitment. Aldrerd also pointed out that most Buick dealers also sold other GM products, so accepting the buyout would not necessarily result in a dealership closing.[4] Once Buick's top-selling model in North America, the Encore was discontinued in 2022 as more customers favored the larger Encore GX which was introduced for 2020 and became Buick's new top seller.
For the 2024 model year, Buick's North American lineup consists of the Envista and Encore GX subcompact crossovers, the Envision compact crossover, and the Enclave mid-size crossover.
Production models
Current
China
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North America
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Past
- Model B (1904)
- Model C (1905)
- Model F & G (1906–1910)
- Model 10 (1908–1910)
- Model 14 & 14B (1910–1911)
- Model 28, 29, 34, 36 & 43 (1912)
- Model 24, 25, 30, 31 & 40 (1913)
- Series B (1914)
- Series C (1915)
- Series D (1916–1917)
- Series E (1918)
- Series H (1919)
- Series K (1920)
- Series 21 (1921)
- Series 22 (1922)
- Series 23 (1923)
- Series 24 (1924)
- Master Series (1925–1928)
- Standard Series (1925–1928)
- Series 116, 121 & 129 (1929)
- Series 40(1930–1935)
- Series 50(1930–1935)
- Series 60(1930–1935)
- Special (1936–1958, 1961–1969)
- Roadmaster (1936–1958, 1991–1996)
- Century (1936–1942, 1954–1958, 1973–2005)
- Super (1939–1958)
- Skylark (1953–1954, 1961–1972, 1975–1998)
- Invicta (1959–1963)
- Electra (1959–1990)
- LeSabre (1959–2005)
- Wildcat (1963–1970)
- Riviera (1963–1993, 1995–1999)
- Estate (1970–1979, 1990)
- Centurion (1971–1973)
- Apollo (1973–1975)
- Skyhawk (1975–1980, 1982–1989)
- Opel(1976–1979)
- Somerset(1985–1987)
- Reatta (1988–1991)
- Park Avenue (1991–2005, 2007–2012)
- Sail(2001–2004)
- Rendezvous (2001–2007)
- Excelle (2003–2023)
- Rainier (2004–2007)
- Royaum(2005–2006)
- Terraza (2005–2007)
- Lucerne (2006–2011)
- Excelle GT (2010–2023)
- Excelle XT(2010–2015)
- Encore (2013–2022)
- Cascada (2016–2019)
- Velite 5(2017–2019)
- GL6 (2017-2023)
- Velite 7 (2020–2022)
Concept cars
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1938 Buick Y-Job concept
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1951 Buick XP-300 concept
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1954 Buick Wildcat II concept
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1956 Buick Centurion concept
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1963 Buick Silver Arrow
concept -
1989Buick Park Avenue Essenceconcept
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1995 Buick XP2000 concept
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2007 Buick Riviera concept
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2013 Buick Riviera concept
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2015 Buick Avenir concept
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2016 Buick Avista concept
Buick has a long history of creating intriguing concept cars dating back to the Y-Job, the industry's first concept car, of 1938. Its recent concepts, all electric vehicles, are the Buick Enspire concept unveiled in April 2018, the Buick Electra concept unveiled in September 2020, and the Buick Wildcat concept which was unveiled in June 2022.
Distinguishing features
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2023) |
Trishield
The Buick Trishield is rooted in the ancestral coat of arms of the automaker's founder, David Dunbar Buick. That crest was a red shield with a checkered silver and azure diagonal line from the upper left to lower right, a stag above, and a punctured cross below. The division adopted this on its radiator grilles in 1937. In 1960, the logo underwent a major overhaul. Its single shield was replaced by a trio in red, white, and blue—denoting the
VentiPorts
A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1949 is a series of three or four vents on the front fender behind the front wheels. The source of this design feature was a custom car of Buick stylist Ned Nickles, which in addition had a flashing light within each hole each synchronized with a specific spark plug simulating the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production.
They were called VentiPorts because, as the 1949 sales brochure noted, they helped ventilate the engine compartment.[49] Air entered from the grille into the engine bay, was pressurized by the radiator fan, and exited through the VentiPorts. Later in the model year, however, they were made non-functional and from then on were solely a styling feature.
When introduced, the number of VentiPorts (three or four) denoted the size of straight-eight engine installed. Since displacement differences in straight-eight engines resulted in more significant differences in engine length than on V8s, the Roadmaster needed a longer chassis in front of the cowl to accommodate its larger engine. Thus, an extra VentiPort corresponded to that additional length. After the more compact V8 replaced the straight-eight engine in 1953 this difference in chassis length was no longer needed, but the convention remained. Consequently, when the Century, which shared the Special's smaller body, was reintroduced in 1954, it also received four VentiPorts to denote its engine's greater displacement. However, in 1955, the Super, which shared the Roadmaster's larger body, was promoted from three to four VentiPorts despite having the smaller displacement engine. The Invicta, which took the place of the Century in 1959 and had the smaller body with the larger displacement engine, had only three VentiPorts on introduction; thus the number of VentiPorts came to denote body size rather than engine size.
In 1961, Buick introduced the first V6 engine installed in an American passenger car, in the Buick Special, and three VentiPorts appeared on the side, now denoting the number of cylinders instead of displacement or body size. VentiPorts would continue to appear on some Buick models through 1981.
In 2003 VentiPorts were re-introduced on the Buick Park Avenue Ultra, and continued with its replacement, the Lucerne. Consistent with the tradition that held from 1961, the Lucerne's VentiPorts refer directly to the number of pistons: V6 models have three on each side, while V8s have four on each side.
Sweepspear
Another styling cue from the 1940s through the 1970s was the Sweepspear, a curved trim line running almost the length of the car. Introduced as an option on the 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera hardtop coupe, the original Sweepspear was a chrome-plated steel rub strip which began level over the front wheel, gently curved down across the front fender and door, dove nearly to the rocker panel just ahead of the rear wheel, then flared up and over the rear wheel before leveling off again into a straight run back to the tail light.[citation needed][original research?]
In 1942 all GM vehicles had an appearance upgrade where the trailing edge of the front fender was extended across the front doors that was called "Airfoil" accented by parallel chrome strips on the front and rear fenders on Buick vehicles. In later years the character line of the "Airfoil" feature was accented with a stainless steel strip that evolved into the Buick "Sweepspear" for several decades.[50]
The "Riviera trim", as it was initially called, was made available on the Roadmaster convertible very late in the '49 model year.[3] It proved so popular that by the 1951 model year, it was made a standard feature on all Buicks.[3] On 1950s models with two-tone paint, the Sweepspear separated the two colors.[citation needed][original research?]
Originally stainless steel, the Sweepspear eventually became a vinyl rub strip[3] or simple character line in the sheetmetal, as hinted in some versions of the Buick Riviera, distinct on the 1968–1969 Skylark, and appearing on the 2008 Invicta concept car. Often optional trim was available to reinforce a plain character line in the bodywork.[3]
Delta fin
The 1958 Buick was marketed beginning in September 1957, just as the
Taillight shapes
During the 1950s, the characteristic form of the Buick
Classic grille styling
The Buick styling cue (dating from the 1942–1958 period) that has most often reappeared, though, is for the
Waterfall grille
In recent years, Buick has adopted a waterfall grille, as seen on the
Nailhead
The
Performance
In addition to premium and luxury vehicles, Buick has also been well known for its offerings of high-performance cars. Some of the better-known examples included the
World distribution
Asia
Buick is one of China's most popular, best-selling automobiles.[6] In 2016, General Motors sold over 1.1 million Buicks in China.[52] Buicks have always been popular in China. In pre-World War II China, one in five cars was a Buick.[53] Buicks were used by the last emperor Puyi, the first president Sun Yat-sen, and the first premier Zhou Enlai.[6]
Since 1999, a Buick Regal for China has been produced and sold by Shanghai GM and has proven to be popular among upscale, professional families, establishing Buick as one of the most popular vehicle brands in China. In addition, Buick of China sells a compact Excelle, similar to a five-door hatchback version called the HRV, and a minivan named the GL8. Many Buicks for the local market are equipped with smaller more fuel-efficient engines with double overhead camshafts, than those with overhead valves in the same nameplate for the American market.[54]
GM Taiwan was founded in August 1989. In the early 1990s, Buick, along with other GM brands, was very popular and frequently seen on Taiwanese streets. Park Avenue, 3rd and 4th generation Regal, and 6th generation Skylark used to be sold in Taiwan. In December 2004, General Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with Yulon, a firm based in Taiwan, for the licensed manufacture of Buick vehicles there. In July 2005, Yulon GM Motor Co. Ltd. (Yulon GM), a joint venture with 51 percent equity stake held by Yulon Motor and 49 percent by GM, was founded.
In April 2010, Buick debuted a localised version of LaCrosse, named Alpheon, to the South Korean market.
Mexico
Buicks were sold in Mexico from 1921 until 1962, when a
With the announcement in 2009 of the elimination of the Pontiac brand, it was speculated that Buicks would be sold once again in Mexico since there was a large network of Pontiac-GMC dealerships already in place. On July 24, 2009, Grace Lieblein, the new president of GM in Mexico, revealed that the Buick brand would be available in Mexico in late September of that year, after an absence of a dozen years, with the LaCrosse and the Enclave models. Buick shared the dealership floor with Pontiac and GMC until the Pontiac brand faded away in the summer of 2010.
On March 26, 2019, Buick announced that the Mexican division will offer only crossovers (Encore, Envision, and Enclave). The La Crosse sedan, Regal hatchback, and Regal TourX station wagon were dropped from the market as those brands were expected to be discontinued due to Opel's future (under new owner PSA). The Insignia is tied to the North American-badged Regal and Buick's decision to make the La Crosse exclusive to China.[55]
Middle East
In Israel, Buicks are imported by Universal Motors, Ltd. (UMI), which also imports other GM vehicles. For model years 2004 and 2005, the Buick LeSabre and Buick Rendezvous were sold. For model years 2006 and 2007, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were sold alongside the Rendezvous. For the 2008 model year, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were available. Buicks were marketed throughout the Middle East until the second-generation Buick Roadmaster was discontinued, and continued to be available in the Gulf Cooperation Council markets until 1996.
New Zealand
Buicks were once sold in New Zealand. They were also built at the GMNZ plant in Petone, outside Wellington.[56]
Motorsport
For many years, Buick was a substitute for Chevrolet in
No earlier than the 1960s, Buick was a competitor in the
The golden age of Buick in motorsport, however, was early through late 1980s. General Motors entered the Regal, particularly the
Buicks were also entered in the
Enthusiast organizations
The Buick Club of America, founded in 1966, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of automobiles built by the Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation.
Advertisements
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A 1911 Buick Advertisement - Syracuse Post-Standard, January 21, 1911
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1913 advertisement
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The Saturday Evening Post, November 1920
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1912 Buick logo
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Cover of 1925 promotional folder from Swedish reseller
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Advertisement for 1916 Buick by dealer Howard Automobile Co., San Francisco
See also
References
- ^ "David Buick." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Encyclopedia.com. (July 25, 2023). https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/david-buick
- ^ "Buick Electra". GM Authority. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 9780915038640.
- ^ a b Colias, Mike (2 September 2022). "GM to Offer Franchise Buyouts to U.S. Buick Dealers". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "Two Straight Years of 1.4 Million Sales for Buick" (Press release). General Motors. 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
- ^ a b c Frankel, Todd C. (January 20, 2016). ""That's a Buick?" In China, unlike the U.S., there's no doubt". The Washington Post.
- ^ Johansson, George (1991-07-18). "Buick - mannen och bilen" [Buick - the man and the car]. Teknikens Värld (in Swedish). Vol. 43, no. 14. Stockholm, Sweden: Specialtidningsförlaget AB. p. 40.
- ^ "James H. Whiting 1842-1919". Flint Timeline Project. Archived from the original on July 7, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ "All Things Buick". buickcity.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
- ^ "Buick History". welovebuicks.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-07. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
- ^ "1901 Buick perhaps 1902". prewarbuick.com. 2002-01-01. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
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External links
- Official website
- Buick at Curlie
- Business analysis of Buick's position in China and within GM in 2019 – video by CNBC