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Wikipedia

Buick

April 08, 2023

For other uses, see Buick (disambiguation).

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 marques of automobiles, 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.

Buick
FormerlyBuick Auto-Vim and Power Company
(1899–1903)
Buick Motor Company
(1903–1908)
TypePrivate (1899–1908)
Division (1908–present)
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1899; 124 years ago (1899)[1]
FounderDavid Dunbar Buick
FateAcquired by General Motors in 1908[2]
Headquarters
Detroit, Michigan
,
U.S.
Area served
North America
China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau)
Key people
ProductsAutomobiles
Services
  • Vehicle financing
  • Vehicle service and parts
ParentGeneral Motors
Websitebuick.com

In the North American market, Buick is a premium automobile brand, selling luxury vehicles positioned above GM's mainstream brands, while priced below the flagship luxury Cadillac division. Buick's current target demographic according to The Detroit News is "a successful executive with family."[4]

After securing its market position in the late 1930s, when junior companion brand Marquette and Cadillac junior brand LaSalle were discontinued, Buick was positioned as an upscale luxury car below the Cadillac. During this same time period, many manufacturers were introducing V8 engines in their high-end models, while Buick used a straight-8 for all models starting in 1931. The first Buick V8 was introduced in 1953, then in 1962, the Buick V6 was introduced for the compact Special model. Buick engines, with few exceptions, have always used overhead valves which the company pioneered in the 1904 Buick Model B.

In 2017, Buick sold more than 1.4 million vehicles worldwide, a record for the brand.[5] Buick's largest market is Mainland China, which accounts for 80% of its sales.[6] Buicks are also sold in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. U.S. market share in 2022 was 1.2%, down by nearly half of its market share in 2000.[7]

History

See also: David Dunbar Buick and Harley Earl

Early years

Buick is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and is currently the oldest in the United States. (Autocar, founded in 1897, is the oldest motor vehicle manufacturer in the western hemisphere; while originally an automobile maker, Autocar now builds heavy trucks. Oldsmobile, also an early automaker founded in 1897, is now defunct; Studebaker was founded in 1852, but did not begin producing automobiles until 1902; Henry Ford produced his first car in 1896 but did not start the Ford Motor Co. until 1903, and during the period in between was involved with other automobile manufacturers such as Cadillac, founded in 1902).

The first two Buick automobiles were made in 1899 and 1900 at the "Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company" by chief engineer Walter Marr,[3] but company owner David Dunbar Buick was reluctant to begin making automobiles, being satisfied with stationary and marine engine production, so Marr left Buick in 1901 to found his own automobile company under his own name. His replacement was Eugene Richard, who applied for a patent in 1902 for Marr's valve-in-head (overhead valve) engine, which patent, number 771,095, was awarded to Richard in the name of Buick in 1904.[3] In 1903, the third Buick automobile was made, this time by Richard, but in 1904 Buick, whose company was now called "Buick Motor Company", moved from Detroit to Flint, Michigan, and Richard stayed behind. Marr was rehired in Flint as chief engineer, to begin making automobiles in production. That year, 37 Buick automobiles were made, production increasing to 750 in 1905, 1,400 in 1906, 4,641 in 1907, and 8,800 in 1908, taking the number one spot away from close competitors Oldsmobile, Ford, and Maxwell.[3]

David Buick incorporated his company as the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903, in Detroit, Michigan. Buick had been financed by a friend and fellow automobile enthusiast, Benjamin Briscoe, who in September 1903 sold control of the business to James H. Whiting, of Flint Wagon Works, in Flint, Michigan.[8] Whiting moved Buick to Flint, to a location across the street from his factory, with the idea of adding Buick's engines to his wagons.[3] David Buick stayed on as a manager and re-hired Walter Marr as chief engineer. The engine Buick and Marr developed for this automobile was a two-cylinder valve-in-head engine of 159 cubic inches, with each cylinder horizontal and opposed to the other by 180 degrees.

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.[10]

Between 1899 and 1902, two prototype vehicles were built[11] in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr. Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering[12] similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash.

 
 
(Left); the first logo of Buick (1904), with an image of the Uncle Sam and the legend "known all over the world"; (right): Valve-In-Head (OHV) engine, illustration from 1904 patent, Buick Manufacturing Company

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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15][16] 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[17] 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.[18] The creation of General Motors is attributed mainly to the success of Buick,[19] so it can be said Marr and Richard's designs directly led to GM.[20] The power train and chassis architecture introduced on the Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F.[21]

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 flat-twin engine is inherently balanced, with torque presented to the chassis in a longitudinal manner. The engine was mounted amidships.[22]

Billy Durant was a promoter, and Buick soon became the largest carmaker in America. Durant embarked on a series of corporate acquisitions, calling the new firm General Motors. At first, the manufacturers comprising General Motors competed against each other, but Durant ended that. He wanted each General Motors division to target one class of buyers. Buick was positioned below the Cadillac brand. To save on resources, Buick vehicles shared a common platform, called the GM A platform, that was shared with Chevrolet, Oakland, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac.

At first, Buick followed the likes of Napier in automobile racing, winning the first-ever race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[23]

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.[24]

1910s - 1920s

 
Louis Chevrolet in his Buick 60 Special (aka "Buick Bug") in 1910

In 1910, Buick introduced the Model 10 with an OHV four-cylinder engine[25] followed in 1911, with their first closed-body car, the Buick Six,[26] 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.[27] 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.[28]

In 1929, as part of General Motors' companion make program, Buick Motor Division launched the Marquette sister brand, designed to bridge the price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile; however, Marquette was discontinued in 1930. All Buick, Marquette, Viking, and Oldsmobile products shared the newly introduced GM B platform starting in 1926.

1930s

Buick debuted two major achievements for the 1931 model year, the OHV Buick Straight-8 engine and a synchromesh transmission in all models but the Series 50. The Eight was offered in three displacements, the 220 cubic inch (bore 2 7/8 in. stroke 4.25 in.), was available in the Series 50 with 77 brake HP. The Series 60 engine was a 272 cu. in. unit (bore 3 1/16 in., stroke 5 in.) giving 90 brake HP. Cadillac had previously introduced the Cadillac Type 51 with a flathead V8 engine in 1915 which made usage of an eight-cylinder engine a luxury feature.

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 turn signals, which did not appear on other car brands until almost a decade later.[29] All 1939 models also had a steering column-mounted shift lever.

In the mid-1930s McLaughlin-Buicks were purchased by British monarch Edward VIII.[30] He had a preference for the Canadian built McLaughlin-Buick.[31] Buicks were used for royal transport within Canada, including for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during the 1939 royal tour of Canada.[31]

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).

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. Buick Straight-6 engine, in line, OHV, 191 to 331 cu. in.

1931–1953. Buick Straight-8 engine, in line, OHV, 221 to 345 cu. in.[32]

1953-1981 Buick V8 engine

1961-2008 Buick V6 engine

Post World War II years

1940s

 
1910 Buick Bug race car and 1944 M18 Buick Hellcat tank destroyer

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 Buick V8 engine and the Roadmaster Skylark. In 1955, Buick had its best model year sales to date with 738,814 vehicles sold; a record that would hold until 1977. In 1957, Buick's new 364 cu. in. engine block and ball joint front suspension debuted and Roadmasters now had aluminum finned brake drums. 1959 saw the introduction of three new models: Electra, Invicta and LeSabre as well as a new 401 cu. in. V8 engine in the Electra and Invicta. An Electra also paced the Indianapolis 500 race that year.

1960s

An Electra 225 paced the Daytona 500 race in both 1960 and 1963. In 1961, a new Fireball V6 engine was introduced and the Skylark nameplate returned as the top model of the new Special compact car line. The Buick Special was named Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1962. Also in 1962, Wildcat was introduced as a trim level on Invicta and became its own model the following year. In 1963 the Riviera was introduced as its own model. In the mid-1960s Buick started officially selling German-built Opel cars through its North American dealerships. For 1967, radial tires became available as an option on all full-size Buicks.[33]

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.

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 Diesel engine becomes available on select Buick models and Somerset is introduced as a trim/option package on the Regal Limited. In 1981, the T-Type performance trim is introduced on the Riviera. Regal was the official pace car of the Indianapolis 500 race in 1981. In 1982, the Grand National high-performance package is first offered on Regal. A soft-top Riviera helped lead the return of the convertible, which had disappeared from domestic lineups in 1976. The following year, a Riviera convertible with a twin-turbo V6 paced the Indy 500. Also in 1983, Buick had its best model year to date with 810,435 vehicles sold.

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 V6 engine, a fuel-injected 3.8 liter Buick V6 engine, or a 4.3 liter Oldsmobile diesel V6 engine. Each was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission with a 0.70:1 overdrive gear. The 3.0 liter V6 and 4.3-liter diesel V6 were discontinued after 1985. During the 1985 through 1989 model years, the Electra name also continued to be used on the rear-wheel-drive B-body "Estate" station wagon. Also in 1985, Buick introduced the Somerset as its own model. Buick-powered cars won the pole and second position in qualifying for Indianapolis 500. Over the next few years, Buick engines would set a number of stock-block records and twice would power a third or more of the 33-car Indy 500 field (11 in 1990 and 12 in 1992). 1985 would be the final year for the rear-drive LeSabre before another downsizing and conversion to front-wheel-drive for 1986 (sedans and coupes only; the rear-drive LeSabre Estate Wagon would soldier on largely unchanged for a few more years). The top-line LeSabre Limited became the LeSabre Limited Collectors Edition to mark the end of an era for the rear-wheel-drive coupe and sedan; engine offerings included the standard 231 V6 (sedans and coupes) or optional Olds 307 V8 or Oldsmobile 350 diesel V8. 1985 saw Buick's best model year sales to date with 915,336 vehicles sold.

In 1986, the LeSabre was introduced on the new front wheel drive H platform, after departing from rear wheel drive on the GM B platform. Joining the LeSabre on the H-body included the Oldsmobile Delta 88. Like the previously introduced Electra, the LeSabre's hood was hinged at the front of the car instead of near the cowl and windshield. Styling and did not include Buick's long-standing ventiports or sweepspear styling cues. In 1986, a LeSabre Grand National model was built to qualify the coupe body style for NASCAR competition. Less than 120 units were made, all finished in black with a gray interior.[34]

Also for 1986, the E-body Riviera was converted to unibody construction and further downsized to a 108 in (2,700 mm) wheelbase similar in length to that of the Buick Regal. The V6 was now the only engine, rated initially at 142 hp (106 kW) SAE and 200 lb⋅ft (270 N⋅m) of torque. It used the Turbo-Hydramatic 440-T4 automatic with a 2.84:1 final drive ratio. This generation was noted for advanced electronic instrumentation displayed on a dash-mounted 9-inch (230 mm) CRT. The CRT controlled the vehicle's climate control system and stereo, and also supplied advanced instrumentation such as a trip computer and maintenance reminder feature. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard. With a choice of three suspension packages available, up to the performance-oriented FE3 setting, handling was notably improved. The Riviera placed fourth for Motor Trend's 1986 Car of the Year contest. Fuel economy was notably improved for the 1986 Riviera, but the investment in the downsized, transverse engine front-wheel drive platform resulted in a substantial price increase to $19,831 for the base model to $21,577 for the new T-Type. Downsizing also resulted in a dimensional similarity to smaller, less expensive offerings from GM. The smaller dimensions, generic styling, and lack of a V8 led to Riviera sales plummeting to 22,138 for 1986.

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 U.S. Olympic Team. The Reatta two-seater was introduced, to be followed two years later by a convertible. Also in 1988, Regal was downsized and converted to front-wheel drive. Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 in a Regal that year. 1988 also saw the debut of the slogan "The Great American Road Belongs to Buick".

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 Fleetwood Sixty Special), lower-body accent exterior paint treatment, distinctive thick-padded vinyl top with limousine-style rear-window surround (available only on Ultra), simulated burled elm trim on the doors and instrument panel, unique aluminum wheels, anti-lock brakes, chromed B-pillar moldings, specific grille and tail lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, electronic instrumentation, padded glove-compartment door, unique interior door panel trim, and a variety of otherwise minor changes. With its long list of standard equipment, the Park Avenue Ultra carried a higher base price than Cadillac's Sedan de Ville. The Riviera was also restyled for 1989, adding 11 inches to its overall length. In the late 1980s, the Flint-built LeSabre ranked #1 in North America and #2 in the world in a major independent quality study which eventually led Buick to change its ad slogan from "The Great American Road Belongs to Buick" to "Buick: The New Symbol for Quality in America."

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) naturally aspirated 3800 V6 was standard, with a supercharged version rated at 225 hp (168 kW) and 275 lb⋅ft (373 N⋅m) available as an option. Rivieras were now assembled in Lake Orion, Michigan, riding the same Cadillac-derived G platform as the 4-door Oldsmobile Aurora.

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"[35] models, a designation which hearkened back to several Silver Arrow show cars that had been built off Riviera bodies by Bill Mitchell. The eighth-generation Rivieras received the most powerful V6 Buick engine since the Grand Nationals of the 1980s. The supercharged OHV V6 gave impressive torque and acceleration, pushing the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in under 7 seconds, and turning the 1⁄4 mile in 15.5 seconds and achieved MPG fuel efficiency ratings of 18 city/27 highway.

Recent years

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 GM's G platform; however GM chose to continue to refer to it as the H platform.[36] The LeSabre was manufactured at GM's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly factory in Hamtramck, Michigan and Lake Orion Assembly, in Lake Orion, Michigan. Some of the changes with the redesign included a new grille that did not open with the hood and slightly smaller exterior dimensions. Despite its somewhat smaller exterior size, it still offered similar interior room and more trunk space than the previous model. 2001 saw Buick's first entry into the crossover market with the introduction of the Rendezvous as a 2002 model. In 2003, the Buick Centieme crossover concept car commemorated Buick Motor Division's 100th anniversary. Some of the Centieme's exterior design and interior features would later appear on the 2008 Enclave crossover. In 2004, Buick added the Rainier mid-size SUV, and the new Terraza minivan was added a year later.

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.[37] 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.[38]

Since 2005, GM had gradually consolidated Buick with GMC and former Pontiac dealerships to create the current Buick-GMC network. During General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization and emergence in 2009, the company designated Buick as a "core brand", citing the division's success in China.[39] Behind the scenes, GM began to move products originally planned for other brands to Buick. The Opel Insignia was originally intended to become the second-generation Saturn Aura, but instead became the new Buick Regal.[40][41] In the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, Buick tied with Jaguar as the most dependable brand in the United States.[42]

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 Lexus ES.[43] In 2010, Buick became the fastest-growing automotive brand in America and attracted a younger customer demographic.[44] A GM company spokesman at the time said that Buick was positioned as a "premium" marque (entry-level luxury) to compete with various Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, and Volvo models, while Cadillac was aimed at the "luxury" performance segment which includes brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.[45] An all-new Regal sedan, a smaller model based on the European Opel Insignia, was re-introduced for the 2011 model year after a seven-year absence. For 2012, the all-new Verano, which was a compact sedan based on the Chevrolet Cruze, joined the lineup. Additionally, the performance-oriented Regal GS officially went on sale and became the first Buick in almost 20 years to be offered with a manual transmission and a turbocharger. Buick also entered the hybrid market with the introduction of eAssist technology on the 2012 LaCrosse and Regal which helped improve fuel economy ratings by as much as 38% over the regular gas-engine versions. Meanwhile, sales of the Enclave crossover remained strong. In January 2012, the all-new Encore mini crossover was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Also in 2012, a turbocharged version of the Verano was introduced and the Enclave was redesigned for the 2013 model year. In 2013, GM confirmed plans for a "hybrid global brand" which includes Opel/Vauxhall and Buick using more synergies between the brands.[46][47] LaCrosse and Regal were refreshed for the 2014 model year. In 2015, the all-new Cascada subcompact convertible debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The all-new 2017 LaCrosse was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Buick also confirmed that the Envision compact crossover would be sold in North America starting summer 2016. The Verano compact sedan was dropped from the Buick lineup in North America in 2017. With GM selling off the Opel/Vauxhall division to Group PSA in March 2017, Buick is expected to move away from sharing the Opel model/designs upon the completion of the current generation vehicles.[48]

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.[49] 2019 would be the last year for the Cascada convertible globally and the LaCrosse sedan for the North American market.

2020s

 
Buick logo used until 2023

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.[7] 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 2023 model year, Buick's North American lineup consists of the Encore GX compact crossover, the Envision compact crossover, and the Enclave mid-size crossover.

Production models

Further information: List of Buick vehicles

Current

Past

Concept cars

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

Trishield

 
A trishield, the Buick symbol, hood ornament on a 1990 LeSabre Custom

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 LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra then in the Buick lineup. It was supplanted by the Buick Hawk in the 1970s, but the trishield reemerged in the 1980s, simplified, but with its same patriotic colors. The Trishield with red, white, and blue features, was simplified in 2005, but the colors have returned, representing the current trio of vehicles in the Buick marque for sedans and crossovers.[original research?]

VentiPorts

A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1949 is a series of three or four 'vents' on the front fenders 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 to simulate the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. Combined with the bombsight mascot (introduced in 1946), Nickle's custom Buick invoked an imaginary fighter airplane. The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production.[original research?]

The 1949 Buick Sales brochure stated the following "...four chrome-ringed Venti-Ports on forward fenders (three on all Super models) striking a smart aviation note while serving to ventilate the engine compartment." Air entered from the grille into the engine bay, was pressurized by the radiator fan, and exited (partially) through the VentiPorts. However, sometime during the 1949 model year this attribute was discontinued and the VentiPorts became non-functional.[original research?]

When introduced in 1949, there were only 2 model lines; the higher-priced Roadmaster had 4 ports per side, the lower series Super had 3. This was echoed over the next few years. By '54, Buick had added the Special and Century model lines, and although the Century and Super both used the same engine as the top-line Roadmaster, only the Roadmaster wore 4 VentiPorts. And the '53-54 Skylark had none.[citation needed][original research?]

Buick was not entirely consistent with how they applied the styling feature, so theories that their count was tied to engine or body shell size is not factually consistent. It is more accurate that Buick tied the Ventiport count to the model line, and that was dependent on the year in question. For example, in '55 the Century and Super were both 'promoted' to 4 VentiPorts per side, despite the fact that the Century was sharing the smaller body shell with the '3-holer' Special.[citation needed][original research?]

Buick temporarily dropped the VentiPorts for model years 1958 and 1959. 1958 is infamous for being relatively over-adorned; perhaps stylists decided there wasn't 'room' for Ventiports that year. But by model-year 1960, they were back.[citation needed][original research?]

In 1961, Buick introduced the first V6 engine installed in an American passenger car, called the Fireball V6 in the Buick Special, and three VentiPorts appeared on the side. This still was not tied to cylinder count, however, as the V8 LeSabres continued to carry 3 Ports per side. Also during this era, Buick used what the '67 Buick GS brochure called "vertical VentiPorts" to describe trim details seen on the lower half of front fenders on the Skylarks and Wildcat lines. The specialty Riviera model had neither, akin to the '53-54 Skylark. VentiPorts were used on most models over the next 2 decades.[citation needed][original research?]

VentiPorts appeared on the limited production 1987 Buick GNX, and once again they were functional. Then the feature was dropped again, until 2003 when VentiPorts were re-introduced on the Buick Park Avenue Ultra. After the Park Avenue was discontinued, Buick incorporated VentiPorts on the new-for-2006 Lucerne. For the first time, it seemed Buick was tying VentiPort count to the number of cylinders; the V6 engine Lucernes had three on each side, while V8s had four on each side.[citation needed][original research?]

Modern and edgy compared to the oval ones that adorned Buicks for years, the new VentiPorts have become a Buick-wide talisman again. The newly designed VentiPorts appear on every Buick model from 2014 until around 2017.

At one time, a letter from Buick surfaced that was a response to an inquiry regarding the name of the ports. The official name, according to the letter, was "Cruiserline VentiPorts".[51]

Sweepspear

 
Sweepspear on a 1953 Buick Skylark

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.[52]

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

 
Delta Fins on a 1959 Buick Electra 225 Riviera

The 1958 Buick was marketed beginning in September 1957, just as the space age began with the launching of Sputnik I on October 4 of that year. The "Sweepspear" evolved into the "Delta Fin" reminiscent of a rocket ship, which appeared on the all-new appearance for 1959, and was trimmed down in 1960 and removed for 1961.[53]

Taillight shapes

During the 1950s, the characteristic form of the Buick taillamps was a tier of small, circular bullet-shapes.[53] In the early 1960s, most models began to evolve a wide, rectangular pattern, until the 1965 Skylark and Electra models appeared with full-width rear lamps.[citation needed][original research?]

Classic grille styling

 
Buick "dollar grin" and "Trishield" in a Buick LeSabre

The Buick styling cue (dating from the 1942–1958 period) that has most often reappeared, though, is for the grille to be a horizontal oval with many, thin, vertical chromed ribs bulging forward. This has sometimes been called the Buick "dollar grin", particularly on the early 1950s models, which had thick, highly polished ribs that somewhat resembled teeth. The 1950 model took this tooth theme to its extreme as the teeth crossed over the bumper exposing the 1950 "grin", which was the result of extending the bumper guards over the front bumper, and was advertised as "Front and Center with Duty plus Beauty".[53] The 1951 model reined in the theme, bringing the bumper guard "teeth" back behind the bumper. Current Buick Models have a new take on the classic styling with their Chromed "Waterfall Grilles".[citation needed][original research?]

Waterfall grille

 
Revised Buick waterfall grille on 2nd generation LaCrosse

In recent years, Buick has adopted a waterfall grille, as seen on the Buick Velite concept car from 2004 and first used in production with the Buick Lucerne introduced for the 2006 model year. This waterfall grille bears some resemblance to grilles of Buicks from the 1980s, such as the Grand National.[citation needed][original research?]

Nailhead

The Buick V8 engine, nicknamed the Nailhead because of its relatively small intake and exhaust valves which resembled nails,[citation needed] became popular with hot-rodders in the 1950s and 1960s because the vertical attachment of the valve covers, in contrast to the angled attachment of other V8 engines, enabled the engine to fit into smaller spaces while maintaining easy access for maintenance.[citation needed]

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 Gran Sport and Skylark GSX models of the 1960s and 1970s, and the Grand National and GNX models of the 1980s, with a performance package revival called T-Type.

World distribution

Asia

 
Buick G2.5 V6 made by Shanghai GM, China, 2002
 
V6 engine of Buick 2.5G of Shanghai GM, China, 2002

Buick is one of China's most popular, best-selling automobiles.[6] In 2016, General Motors sold over 1.1 million Buicks in China.[54] Buicks have always been popular in China. In pre-World War II China, one in five cars was a Buick.[55] 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.[56]

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 protectionist policy on behalf of the government restricted the percentage of imported parts that could be used in the manufacture of vehicles and the sale of imported cars. From then onwards, all GM products were sold by Chevrolet dealerships. In 1990, after a heavy modification to the protectionist policy of the sixties, GM started assembling the Buick Century in Mexico, at the plant in Ramos Arizpe, in the state of Coahuila, just south of Texas, and selling it through Mexican Chevrolet dealerships, so it was not uncommon for many people to call it "Chevrolet Century". In 1997, GM stopped selling Buicks in Mexico and the brand was not sold there until 2009.

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.[57]

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.[58]

Motorsport

For many years, Buick was a substitute for Chevrolet in automobile racing. No earlier than the 1960s, Buick was a competitor in the Indianapolis 500, and (like almost every other American manufacturer) also participated in the Grand National stock car racing series using its Regal and later the Gran Sport.

The golden age of Buick in motorsport, however, was early through late 1980s. General Motors entered the Regal, particularly the Grand National model, in the NASCAR Cup Series alongside the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Buick was also a major powerplant in the IndyCar Series and IMSA GT Series (particularly in the IMSA GTP class) for several years. The 1990s, however, proved to be the end of Buick's reign in motorsports, as GM replaced it for many years with Oldsmobile before phasing out that marque in 2004. Oldsmobile would be replaced by Pontiac until its demise in 2009, being replaced by Chevrolet.

Buicks were also entered in the Trans Am Series in the 1980s and 1990s using aftermarket V8 engines.

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

  •  

    A 1911 Buick Advertisement - Syracuse Post-Standard, January 21, 1911

  •  

    1913 advertisement

  •  

    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

  •  

    Advertisement for 1916 Buick by dealer Howard Automobile Co., San Francisco

See also

References

  1. ^ Buick Motor Division History Lawrence R. Gustin, 1993
  2. ^ Historia de la marca GENERAL MOTORS at Motor Giga
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dunham, Terry B.; Gustin, Lawrence R. (1987). The Buick: a complete history (Third ed.). Kutztown, PA.: Automobile Quarterly. ISBN 9780915038640.
  4. ^ "Buick reboots brand with a shift toward SUVs". The Detroit News. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Two Straight Years of 1.4 Million Sales for Buick" (Press release). General Motors. 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ . Flint Timeline Project. Archived from the original on July 7, 2009. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  9. ^ "All Things Buick". buickcity.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  10. ^ VMC virtualmuseum.ca McLaughlin-Buick:"Canada's Standard Car"
  11. ^ . welovebuicks.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-07. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  12. ^ "1901 Buick perhaps 1902". prewarbuick.com. 2002-01-01. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  13. ^ . thewhiting.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  14. ^ . runbidsell.com. Archived from the original on 2019-09-02. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  15. ^ . 1929buick.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  16. ^ . 1929buick.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  17. ^ . Buick. Archived from the original on 2008-09-23. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  18. ^ "1906 Buick Brochure". oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  19. ^ "The free-wheeling gambler who created conservative General Motors". info.detnews.com. 1996-07-30. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  20. ^ Stoll, John D. (2008-07-07). "GM Weighs More Layoffs, Sale of Brands". online.wsj.com. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  21. ^ Katz, John F. (1998-03-02). . autoweek.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  22. ^ . 1929buick.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  23. ^ Wells, Dick. "SRMA Update" in Street Rodder, 12/98, p.298. The accuracy of this source is in question, however.
  24. ^ . carnut.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-26.
  25. ^ "1910 Buick Model 10". Bonhams. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  26. ^ Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950)
  27. ^ Clymer, p.120.
  28. ^ "Buick is a lot more than a dad wagon in China". money.cnn.com. 22 February 2017.
  29. ^ "Who Made That Turn Signal?". The New York Times. July 12, 2013.
  30. ^ Davies, Caroline (2001-08-23). "Car that took King into exile goes on sale". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  31. ^ a b Vance, Bill (May 24, 2019). "Ontario car company became GM Canada". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  32. ^ The Buick, A Complete History, Dunham and Gustin
  33. ^ LaChance, David (July 2006). "1966–'67 Buick Riviera GS". Muscle Machines. Retrieved July 26, 2015
  34. ^ . Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-01-08.
  35. ^ "Riviera Owners Association".
  36. ^ Frame, Phil (16 January 1995). "GM H Cars Move to G Platform". Automotive News. Archived from the original on 16 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  37. ^ Dederer, Andrew (2008-04-25). "Buick and the Detroit Zombies". The Truth About Cars. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
  38. ^ Krebs, Michelle (2009-06-29). "'Good' GM: Maybe Not All That Good". Edmunds Auto Observer. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  39. ^ Evans, Scott (2009-04-02). "GM CEO Henderson Says Buick is a Core Brand". MotorTrend.com. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  40. ^ "2011 Buick Regal". Autoblog.com.
  41. ^ "GMI Exclusive: 2010 Saturn Aura on "Hold"". GM Inside News. 2008-06-26. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  42. ^ "Buick and Jaguar Tie to Rank Highest for Vehicle Dependability, J.D. Power Press Release, 19 March 2009
  43. ^ . Motor Trend. March 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  44. ^ "Fastest Growing Car Brand in America? Buick". Advertising Age. 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  45. ^ "2010 Buick LaCrosse". Autoblog.com.
  46. ^ "Opel, Buick To Expand Product Sharing, Become A "Hybrid Global Brand"". 17 June 2013.
  47. ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
  48. ^ Frost, Lawrence; Taylor, Edward (Mar 6, 2017). "PSA targets Opel turnaround as GM exits Europe". Reuters. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  49. ^ "Buick Announces Avenir Sub-Brand To Join Future Products In 2018" from GM Authority (September 1, 2016)
  50. ^ a b c d e Official website of Buick China. 2017-09-29 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  51. ^ "Timeline Photos". Buick Official Facebook Page. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
  52. ^ Kimes, Beverly (1996). standard catalog of American Cars 1805–1942. Krause publications. pp. 161–192. ISBN 0-87341-478-0.
  53. ^ a b c Flory, J. "Kelly" Jr. (2008). American Cars, 1946 to 1959; Every Model, Year by Year. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3229-5.
  54. ^ Pham, Sherisse (23 February 2017). "Buick is a lot more than a dad wagon in China". CNNMoney.
  55. ^ . Internet Auto Guide. Archived from the original on 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  56. ^ Austen, Ian (March 26, 2008). "A Chevy With an Engine From China". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
  57. ^ "Buick Trims Mexico Lineup To Include Crossovers Only" from GM Authority (March 26, 2019)
  58. ^ . Holden.co.nz. Archived from the original on June 3, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-13.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buick.
 
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  • Official website  
  • Buick at Curlie
  • Business analysis of Buick's position in China and within GM in 2019 – video by CNBC
  • Old Buick images and historical data

April 08, 2023
buick, other, uses, disambiguation, juː, division, american, automobile, manufacturer, general, motors, started, automotive, pioneer, david, dunbar, 1899, among, first, american, marques, automobiles, company, that, established, general, motors, 1908, before, . For other uses see Buick disambiguation Buick ˈ b juː ɪ k 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 marques of automobiles 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 BuickFormerlyBuick Auto Vim and Power Company 1899 1903 Buick Motor Company 1903 1908 TypePrivate 1899 1908 Division 1908 present IndustryAutomotiveFounded1899 124 years ago 1899 1 FounderDavid Dunbar BuickFateAcquired by General Motors in 1908 2 HeadquartersDetroit Michigan U S Area servedNorth America China excluding Hong Kong and Macau Key peopleWalter MarrEugene RichardBenjamin BriscoeJonathan MaxwellJames H WhitingWilliam C DurantWalter Chrysler 1911 1919 Charles W NashHarry BassettEdward StrongHarlow CurticeHarley EarlProductsAutomobilesServicesVehicle financingVehicle service and partsParentGeneral MotorsWebsitebuick comIn the North American market Buick is a premium automobile brand selling luxury vehicles positioned above GM s mainstream brands while priced below the flagship luxury Cadillac division Buick s current target demographic according to The Detroit News is a successful executive with family 4 After securing its market position in the late 1930s when junior companion brand Marquette and Cadillac junior brand LaSalle were discontinued Buick was positioned as an upscale luxury car below the Cadillac During this same time period many manufacturers were introducing V8 engines in their high end models while Buick used a straight 8 for all models starting in 1931 The first Buick V8 was introduced in 1953 then in 1962 the Buick V6 was introduced for the compact Special model Buick engines with few exceptions have always used overhead valves which the company pioneered in the 1904 Buick Model B In 2017 Buick sold more than 1 4 million vehicles worldwide a record for the brand 5 Buick s largest market is Mainland China which accounts for 80 of its sales 6 Buicks are also sold in the United States Canada and Mexico U S market share in 2022 was 1 2 down by nearly half of its market share in 2000 7 Contents 1 History 1 1 Early years 1 1 1 1910s 1920s 1 1 2 1930s 1 1 3 Buick engines 1 2 Post World War II years 1 2 1 1940s 1 2 2 1950s 1 2 3 1960s 1 2 4 1970s 1 2 5 1980s 1 2 6 1990s 1 3 Recent years 1 3 1 2000s 1 3 2 2010s 1 3 3 2020s 2 Production models 2 1 Current 2 1 1 China 2 1 2 North America 2 2 Past 3 Concept cars 4 Distinguishing features 4 1 Trishield 4 2 VentiPorts 4 3 Sweepspear 4 3 1 Delta fin 4 4 Taillight shapes 4 5 Classic grille styling 4 6 Waterfall grille 4 7 Nailhead 5 Performance 6 World distribution 6 1 Asia 6 2 Mexico 6 3 Middle East 6 4 New Zealand 7 Motorsport 8 Enthusiast organizations 9 Advertisements 10 See also 11 References 12 External linksHistory EditSee also David Dunbar Buick and Harley Earl Early years Edit Buick is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and is currently the oldest in the United States Autocar founded in 1897 is the oldest motor vehicle manufacturer in the western hemisphere while originally an automobile maker Autocar now builds heavy trucks Oldsmobile also an early automaker founded in 1897 is now defunct Studebaker was founded in 1852 but did not begin producing automobiles until 1902 Henry Ford produced his first car in 1896 but did not start the Ford Motor Co until 1903 and during the period in between was involved with other automobile manufacturers such as Cadillac founded in 1902 The first two Buick automobiles were made in 1899 and 1900 at the Buick Auto Vim and Power Company by chief engineer Walter Marr 3 but company owner David Dunbar Buick was reluctant to begin making automobiles being satisfied with stationary and marine engine production so Marr left Buick in 1901 to found his own automobile company under his own name His replacement was Eugene Richard who applied for a patent in 1902 for Marr s valve in head overhead valve engine which patent number 771 095 was awarded to Richard in the name of Buick in 1904 3 In 1903 the third Buick automobile was made this time by Richard but in 1904 Buick whose company was now called Buick Motor Company moved from Detroit to Flint Michigan and Richard stayed behind Marr was rehired in Flint as chief engineer to begin making automobiles in production That year 37 Buick automobiles were made production increasing to 750 in 1905 1 400 in 1906 4 641 in 1907 and 8 800 in 1908 taking the number one spot away from close competitors Oldsmobile Ford and Maxwell 3 David Buick incorporated his company as the Buick Motor Company on May 19 1903 in Detroit Michigan Buick had been financed by a friend and fellow automobile enthusiast Benjamin Briscoe who in September 1903 sold control of the business to James H Whiting of Flint Wagon Works in Flint Michigan 8 Whiting moved Buick to Flint to a location across the street from his factory with the idea of adding Buick s engines to his wagons 3 David Buick stayed on as a manager and re hired Walter Marr as chief engineer The engine Buick and Marr developed for this automobile was a two cylinder valve in head engine of 159 cubic inches with each cylinder horizontal and opposed to the other by 180 degrees 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 10 Between 1899 and 1902 two prototype vehicles were built 11 in Detroit Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering 12 similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash Left the first logo of Buick 1904 with an image of the Uncle Sam and the legend known all over the world right Valve In Head OHV engine illustration from 1904 patent Buick Manufacturing Company 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 13 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 14 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 amp Research Center in Flint and a Model B assembled by an enthusiast in California for the division s 100th anniversary 15 16 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 17 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 18 The creation of General Motors is attributed mainly to the success of Buick 19 so it can be said Marr and Richard s designs directly led to GM 20 The power train and chassis architecture introduced on the Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F 21 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 flat twin engine is inherently balanced with torque presented to the chassis in a longitudinal manner The engine was mounted amidships 22 Billy Durant was a promoter and Buick soon became the largest carmaker in America Durant embarked on a series of corporate acquisitions calling the new firm General Motors At first the manufacturers comprising General Motors competed against each other but Durant ended that He wanted each General Motors division to target one class of buyers Buick was positioned below the Cadillac brand To save on resources Buick vehicles shared a common platform called the GM A platform that was shared with Chevrolet Oakland Oldsmobile and Cadillac At first Buick followed the likes of Napier in automobile racing winning the first ever race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway 23 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 24 1910s 1920s Edit Louis Chevrolet in his Buick 60 Special aka Buick Bug in 1910 In 1910 Buick introduced the Model 10 with an OHV four cylinder engine 25 followed in 1911 with their first closed body car the Buick Six 26 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 27 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 28 In 1929 as part of General Motors companion make program Buick Motor Division launched the Marquette sister brand designed to bridge the price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile however Marquette was discontinued in 1930 All Buick Marquette Viking and Oldsmobile products shared the newly introduced GM B platform starting in 1926 1930s Edit Buick debuted two major achievements for the 1931 model year the OHV Buick Straight 8 engine and a synchromesh transmission in all models but the Series 50 The Eight was offered in three displacements the 220 cubic inch bore 2 7 8 in stroke 4 25 in was available in the Series 50 with 77 brake HP The Series 60 engine was a 272 cu in unit bore 3 1 16 in stroke 5 in giving 90 brake HP Cadillac had previously introduced the Cadillac Type 51 with a flathead V8 engine in 1915 which made usage of an eight cylinder engine a luxury feature 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 turn signals which did not appear on other car brands until almost a decade later 29 All 1939 models also had a steering column mounted shift lever In the mid 1930s McLaughlin Buicks were purchased by British monarch Edward VIII 30 He had a preference for the Canadian built McLaughlin Buick 31 Buicks were used for royal transport within Canada including for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during the 1939 royal tour of Canada 31 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 Buick in the early years 1904 Buick Model B 1905 Buick Model C 1910 Buick Model 10 Runabout 1914 Buick Six Model B 35 phaeton 1917 Buick D 35 roadster 1918 Buick E 45 1922 Buick Model 22 54 Sport roadster 1925 Buick Master Six Series 25 touring 1925 Buick Master Six 1929 Buick Series 46 Business Coupe 1930 Buick Series 46 Business Coupe 1932 Buick Series 60 Model 67 sedan 1935 Buick Series 40 Model 46C convertible coupe 1938 Buick Series 80 touring sedan 1939 Buick Series 40 Model 41 touring sedan 1941 Buick Series 90 Touring Sedan Model 90Buick engines Edit 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 engine1914 1930 Buick Straight 6 engine in line OHV 191 to 331 cu in 1931 1953 Buick Straight 8 engine in line OHV 221 to 345 cu in 32 1953 1981 Buick V8 engine1961 2008 Buick V6 engine Post World War II years Edit 1940s 1950s 1947 Buick Super 1948 Buick Roadmaster Sedanet 1949 Buick Roadmaster 1950 Buick Super Riviera 1953 Buick Roadmaster Skylark 1953 Buick Roadmaster Estate 1955 Buick Special 1956 Buick Century Riviera 1957 Buick Super Riviera 1958 Buick Special Riviera 1959 Buick Electra1940s Edit 1910 Buick Bug race car and 1944 M18 Buick Hellcat tank destroyer 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 Edit 1953 marked Buick s 50th anniversary as well as the introductions of the Buick V8 engine and the Roadmaster Skylark In 1955 Buick had its best model year sales to date with 738 814 vehicles sold a record that would hold until 1977 In 1957 Buick s new 364 cu in engine block and ball joint front suspension debuted and Roadmasters now had aluminum finned brake drums 1959 saw the introduction of three new models Electra Invicta and LeSabre as well as a new 401 cu in V8 engine in the Electra and Invicta An Electra also paced the Indianapolis 500 race that year 1960s 1970s 1962 Buick Special DeLuxe 1963 Buick Wildcat 1963 Buick Riviera 1965 Buick LeSabre 1966 Buick Riviera GS 1968 Buick Skylark 1970 Buick GSX 1971 Buick Estate 1972 Buick Riviera 1973 Buick Century GS 1975 Buick Skyhawk 1977 Buick Electra Park Avenue 1979 Buick Regal1960s Edit An Electra 225 paced the Daytona 500 race in both 1960 and 1963 In 1961 a new Fireball V6 engine was introduced and the Skylark nameplate returned as the top model of the new Special compact car line The Buick Special was named Motor Trend Car of the Year in 1962 Also in 1962 Wildcat was introduced as a trim level on Invicta and became its own model the following year In 1963 the Riviera was introduced as its own model In the mid 1960s Buick started officially selling German built Opel cars through its North American dealerships For 1967 radial tires became available as an option on all full size Buicks 33 1970s Edit 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 1980s 1990s 1980 Buick Skylark 1982 Buick LeSabre Limited 1984 Buick Riviera 1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue 1986 Buick Somerset 1987 Buick Regal Grand National 1987 Buick Skyhawk Custom 1988 Buick Reatta 1992 Buick Roadmaster Limited 1994 Buick Century Estate 1996 Buick Skylark 1997 Buick Park Avenue 1999 Buick Riviera1980s Edit 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 Diesel engine becomes available on select Buick models and Somerset is introduced as a trim option package on the Regal Limited In 1981 the T Type performance trim is introduced on the Riviera Regal was the official pace car of the Indianapolis 500 race in 1981 In 1982 the Grand National high performance package is first offered on Regal A soft top Riviera helped lead the return of the convertible which had disappeared from domestic lineups in 1976 The following year a Riviera convertible with a twin turbo V6 paced the Indy 500 Also in 1983 Buick had its best model year to date with 810 435 vehicles sold In 1984 Buick was the official car of the XXIII Olympiad A reorganization split manufacturing amp 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 V6 engine a fuel injected 3 8 liter Buick V6 engine or a 4 3 liter Oldsmobile diesel V6 engine Each was mated to a 4 speed automatic transmission with a 0 70 1 overdrive gear The 3 0 liter V6 and 4 3 liter diesel V6 were discontinued after 1985 During the 1985 through 1989 model years the Electra name also continued to be used on the rear wheel drive B body Estate station wagon Also in 1985 Buick introduced the Somerset as its own model Buick powered cars won the pole and second position in qualifying for Indianapolis 500 Over the next few years Buick engines would set a number of stock block records and twice would power a third or more of the 33 car Indy 500 field 11 in 1990 and 12 in 1992 1985 would be the final year for the rear drive LeSabre before another downsizing and conversion to front wheel drive for 1986 sedans and coupes only the rear drive LeSabre Estate Wagon would soldier on largely unchanged for a few more years The top line LeSabre Limited became the LeSabre Limited Collectors Edition to mark the end of an era for the rear wheel drive coupe and sedan engine offerings included the standard 231 V6 sedans and coupes or optional Olds 307 V8 or Oldsmobile 350 diesel V8 1985 saw Buick s best model year sales to date with 915 336 vehicles sold In 1986 the LeSabre was introduced on the new front wheel drive H platform after departing from rear wheel drive on the GM B platform Joining the LeSabre on the H body included the Oldsmobile Delta 88 Like the previously introduced Electra the LeSabre s hood was hinged at the front of the car instead of near the cowl and windshield Styling and did not include Buick s long standing ventiports or sweepspear styling cues In 1986 a LeSabre Grand National model was built to qualify the coupe body style for NASCAR competition Less than 120 units were made all finished in black with a gray interior 34 Also for 1986 the E body Riviera was converted to unibody construction and further downsized to a 108 in 2 700 mm wheelbase similar in length to that of the Buick Regal The V6 was now the only engine rated initially at 142 hp 106 kW SAE and 200 lb ft 270 N m of torque It used the Turbo Hydramatic 440 T4 automatic with a 2 84 1 final drive ratio This generation was noted for advanced electronic instrumentation displayed on a dash mounted 9 inch 230 mm CRT The CRT controlled the vehicle s climate control system and stereo and also supplied advanced instrumentation such as a trip computer and maintenance reminder feature Four wheel disc brakes were standard With a choice of three suspension packages available up to the performance oriented FE3 setting handling was notably improved The Riviera placed fourth for Motor Trend s 1986 Car of the Year contest Fuel economy was notably improved for the 1986 Riviera but the investment in the downsized transverse engine front wheel drive platform resulted in a substantial price increase to 19 831 for the base model to 21 577 for the new T Type Downsizing also resulted in a dimensional similarity to smaller less expensive offerings from GM The smaller dimensions generic styling and lack of a V8 led to Riviera sales plummeting to 22 138 for 1986 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 U S Olympic Team The Reatta two seater was introduced to be followed two years later by a convertible Also in 1988 Regal was downsized and converted to front wheel drive Bobby Allison won the Daytona 500 in a Regal that year 1988 also saw the debut of the slogan The Great American Road Belongs to Buick 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 Fleetwood Sixty Special lower body accent exterior paint treatment distinctive thick padded vinyl top with limousine style rear window surround available only on Ultra simulated burled elm trim on the doors and instrument panel unique aluminum wheels anti lock brakes chromed B pillar moldings specific grille and tail lamps leather wrapped steering wheel electronic instrumentation padded glove compartment door unique interior door panel trim and a variety of otherwise minor changes With its long list of standard equipment the Park Avenue Ultra carried a higher base price than Cadillac s Sedan de Ville The Riviera was also restyled for 1989 adding 11 inches to its overall length In the late 1980s the Flint built LeSabre ranked 1 in North America and 2 in the world in a major independent quality study which eventually led Buick to change its ad slogan from The Great American Road Belongs to Buick to Buick The New Symbol for Quality in America 1990s Edit 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 naturally aspirated 3800 V6 was standard with a supercharged version rated at 225 hp 168 kW and 275 lb ft 373 N m available as an option Rivieras were now assembled in Lake Orion Michigan riding the same Cadillac derived G platform as the 4 door Oldsmobile Aurora 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 35 models a designation which hearkened back to several Silver Arrow show cars that had been built off Riviera bodies by Bill Mitchell The eighth generation Rivieras received the most powerful V6 Buick engine since the Grand Nationals of the 1980s The supercharged OHV V6 gave impressive torque and acceleration pushing the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour 97 km h in under 7 seconds and turning the 1 4 mile in 15 5 seconds and achieved MPG fuel efficiency ratings of 18 city 27 highway Recent years Edit 2000s 2010s 2000 Buick LeSabre 2002 Buick Rendezvous 2004 Buick Rainier CXL 2005 Buick Terraza 2006 Buick Lucerne CXL 2008 Buick Enclave CXL 2009 Buick LaCrosse Super 2011 Buick Regal GS 2012 Buick Verano 2013 Buick Encore 2016 Buick Cascada Premium 2016 Buick Envision Premium 2017 Buick Velite 52000s Edit 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 GM s G platform however GM chose to continue to refer to it as the H platform 36 The LeSabre was manufactured at GM s Detroit Hamtramck Assembly factory in Hamtramck Michigan and Lake Orion Assembly in Lake Orion Michigan Some of the changes with the redesign included a new grille that did not open with the hood and slightly smaller exterior dimensions Despite its somewhat smaller exterior size it still offered similar interior room and more trunk space than the previous model 2001 saw Buick s first entry into the crossover market with the introduction of the Rendezvous as a 2002 model In 2003 the Buick Centieme crossover concept car commemorated Buick Motor Division s 100th anniversary Some of the Centieme s exterior design and interior features would later appear on the 2008 Enclave crossover In 2004 Buick added the Rainier mid size SUV and the new Terraza minivan was added a year later 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 37 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 38 Since 2005 GM had gradually consolidated Buick with GMC and former Pontiac dealerships to create the current Buick GMC network During General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization and emergence in 2009 the company designated Buick as a core brand citing the division s success in China 39 Behind the scenes GM began to move products originally planned for other brands to Buick The Opel Insignia was originally intended to become the second generation Saturn Aura but instead became the new Buick Regal 40 41 In the 2009 J D Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study Buick tied with Jaguar as the most dependable brand in the United States 42 2010s Edit 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 Lexus ES 43 In 2010 Buick became the fastest growing automotive brand in America and attracted a younger customer demographic 44 A GM company spokesman at the time said that Buick was positioned as a premium marque entry level luxury to compete with various Acura Infiniti Lexus and Volvo models while Cadillac was aimed at the luxury performance segment which includes brands like BMW and Mercedes Benz 45 An all new Regal sedan a smaller model based on the European Opel Insignia was re introduced for the 2011 model year after a seven year absence For 2012 the all new Verano which was a compact sedan based on the Chevrolet Cruze joined the lineup Additionally the performance oriented Regal GS officially went on sale and became the first Buick in almost 20 years to be offered with a manual transmission and a turbocharger Buick also entered the hybrid market with the introduction of eAssist technology on the 2012 LaCrosse and Regal which helped improve fuel economy ratings by as much as 38 over the regular gas engine versions Meanwhile sales of the Enclave crossover remained strong In January 2012 the all new Encore mini crossover was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit Also in 2012 a turbocharged version of the Verano was introduced and the Enclave was redesigned for the 2013 model year In 2013 GM confirmed plans for a hybrid global brand which includes Opel Vauxhall and Buick using more synergies between the brands 46 47 LaCrosse and Regal were refreshed for the 2014 model year In 2015 the all new Cascada subcompact convertible debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit The all new 2017 LaCrosse was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November Buick also confirmed that the Envision compact crossover would be sold in North America starting summer 2016 The Verano compact sedan was dropped from the Buick lineup in North America in 2017 With GM selling off the Opel Vauxhall division to Group PSA in March 2017 Buick is expected to move away from sharing the Opel model designs upon the completion of the current generation vehicles 48 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 49 2019 would be the last year for the Cascada convertible globally and the LaCrosse sedan for the North American market 2020s Edit Buick logo used until 2023 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 7 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 2023 model year Buick s North American lineup consists of the Encore GX compact crossover the Envision compact crossover and the Enclave mid size crossover Production models EditFurther information List of Buick vehicles Current lineup Buick Excelle Buick Excelle GT Buick Excelle GX Buick Verano Pro Buick Verano GS Buick Regal Buick LaCrosse Buick Encore Buick Encore GX Buick Envision Buick Envista Buick Envision S Buick Envision Plus Buick Enclave Buick GL6 Buick GL8 Buick GL8 Century Buick Velite 6 Buick Velite 7Current Edit China Edit Enclave 2020 present Encore 2013 present Encore GX 2020 present Envista 2022 present Envision 2015 present Envision S 2020 present Excelle 2003 present 50 Excelle GT 2010 present Excelle GX 2018 present GL6 2018 present GL8 2000 present 50 LaCrosse 2006 present Regal 1999 present 50 Velite 6 2019 present 50 Velite 7 2020 present Verano 2012 present 50 North America Edit Enclave 2008 present Encore 2013 present Encore GX 2020 present Envision 2016 present Past Edit Model B 1904 Model C 1905 Model F amp G 1906 1910 Model 10 1908 1910 Model 14 amp 14B 1910 1911 Model 28 29 34 36 amp 43 1912 Model 24 25 30 31 amp 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 amp 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 Rainier 2004 2007 Royaum 2005 2006 Terraza 2005 2007 Lucerne 2006 2011 Excelle XT 2010 2015 Cascada 2016 2019 Velite 5 2017 2019 Concept cars EditConcept cars 1938 Buick Y Job concept 1951 Buick XP 300 concept 1954 Buick Wildcat II concept 1956 Buick Centurion concept 1963 Buick Silver Arrowconcept 1989 Buick Park Avenue Essence concept 1995 Buick XP2000 concept 2007 Buick Riviera concept 2013 Buick Riviera concept 2015 Buick Avenir concept 2016 Buick Avista conceptBuick 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 EditThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Buick news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Trishield Edit A trishield the Buick symbol hood ornament on a 1990 LeSabre Custom 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 LeSabre Invicta and Electra then in the Buick lineup It was supplanted by the Buick Hawk in the 1970s but the trishield reemerged in the 1980s simplified but with its same patriotic colors The Trishield with red white and blue features was simplified in 2005 but the colors have returned representing the current trio of vehicles in the Buick marque for sedans and crossovers original research VentiPorts Edit A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1949 is a series of three or four vents on the front fenders 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 to simulate the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane Combined with the bombsight mascot introduced in 1946 Nickle s custom Buick invoked an imaginary fighter airplane The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production original research The 1949 Buick Sales brochure stated the following four chrome ringed Venti Ports on forward fenders three on all Super models striking a smart aviation note while serving to ventilate the engine compartment Air entered from the grille into the engine bay was pressurized by the radiator fan and exited partially through the VentiPorts However sometime during the 1949 model year this attribute was discontinued and the VentiPorts became non functional original research When introduced in 1949 there were only 2 model lines the higher priced Roadmaster had 4 ports per side the lower series Super had 3 This was echoed over the next few years By 54 Buick had added the Special and Century model lines and although the Century and Super both used the same engine as the top line Roadmaster only the Roadmaster wore 4 VentiPorts And the 53 54 Skylark had none citation needed original research Buick was not entirely consistent with how they applied the styling feature so theories that their count was tied to engine or body shell size is not factually consistent It is more accurate that Buick tied the Ventiport count to the model line and that was dependent on the year in question For example in 55 the Century and Super were both promoted to 4 VentiPorts per side despite the fact that the Century was sharing the smaller body shell with the 3 holer Special citation needed original research Buick temporarily dropped the VentiPorts for model years 1958 and 1959 1958 is infamous for being relatively over adorned perhaps stylists decided there wasn t room for Ventiports that year But by model year 1960 they were back citation needed original research In 1961 Buick introduced the first V6 engine installed in an American passenger car called the Fireball V6 in the Buick Special and three VentiPorts appeared on the side This still was not tied to cylinder count however as the V8 LeSabres continued to carry 3 Ports per side Also during this era Buick used what the 67 Buick GS brochure called vertical VentiPorts to describe trim details seen on the lower half of front fenders on the Skylarks and Wildcat lines The specialty Riviera model had neither akin to the 53 54 Skylark VentiPorts were used on most models over the next 2 decades citation needed original research VentiPorts appeared on the limited production 1987 Buick GNX and once again they were functional Then the feature was dropped again until 2003 when VentiPorts were re introduced on the Buick Park Avenue Ultra After the Park Avenue was discontinued Buick incorporated VentiPorts on the new for 2006 Lucerne For the first time it seemed Buick was tying VentiPort count to the number of cylinders the V6 engine Lucernes had three on each side while V8s had four on each side citation needed original research Modern and edgy compared to the oval ones that adorned Buicks for years the new VentiPorts have become a Buick wide talisman again The newly designed VentiPorts appear on every Buick model from 2014 until around 2017 At one time a letter from Buick surfaced that was a response to an inquiry regarding the name of the ports The official name according to the letter was Cruiserline VentiPorts 51 Sweepspear Edit Sweepspear on a 1953 Buick Skylark 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 52 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 Edit Delta Fins on a 1959 Buick Electra 225 Riviera The 1958 Buick was marketed beginning in September 1957 just as the space age began with the launching of Sputnik I on October 4 of that year The Sweepspear evolved into the Delta Fin reminiscent of a rocket ship which appeared on the all new appearance for 1959 and was trimmed down in 1960 and removed for 1961 53 Taillight shapes Edit During the 1950s the characteristic form of the Buick taillamps was a tier of small circular bullet shapes 53 In the early 1960s most models began to evolve a wide rectangular pattern until the 1965 Skylark and Electra models appeared with full width rear lamps citation needed original research Classic grille styling Edit Buick dollar grin and Trishield in a Buick LeSabre The Buick styling cue dating from the 1942 1958 period that has most often reappeared though is for the grille to be a horizontal oval with many thin vertical chromed ribs bulging forward This has sometimes been called the Buick dollar grin particularly on the early 1950s models which had thick highly polished ribs that somewhat resembled teeth The 1950 model took this tooth theme to its extreme as the teeth crossed over the bumper exposing the 1950 grin which was the result of extending the bumper guards over the front bumper and was advertised as Front and Center with Duty plus Beauty 53 The 1951 model reined in the theme bringing the bumper guard teeth back behind the bumper Current Buick Models have a new take on the classic styling with their Chromed Waterfall Grilles citation needed original research Waterfall grille Edit Revised Buick waterfall grille on 2nd generation LaCrosse In recent years Buick has adopted a waterfall grille as seen on the Buick Velite concept car from 2004 and first used in production with the Buick Lucerne introduced for the 2006 model year This waterfall grille bears some resemblance to grilles of Buicks from the 1980s such as the Grand National citation needed original research Nailhead Edit The Buick V8 engine nicknamed the Nailhead because of its relatively small intake and exhaust valves which resembled nails citation needed became popular with hot rodders in the 1950s and 1960s because the vertical attachment of the valve covers in contrast to the angled attachment of other V8 engines enabled the engine to fit into smaller spaces while maintaining easy access for maintenance citation needed Performance EditIn 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 Gran Sport and Skylark GSX models of the 1960s and 1970s and the Grand National and GNX models of the 1980s with a performance package revival called T Type World distribution EditAsia Edit Buick G2 5 V6 made by Shanghai GM China 2002 V6 engine of Buick 2 5G of Shanghai GM China 2002 Buick is one of China s most popular best selling automobiles 6 In 2016 General Motors sold over 1 1 million Buicks in China 54 Buicks have always been popular in China In pre World War II China one in five cars was a Buick 55 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 56 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 Edit Buicks were sold in Mexico from 1921 until 1962 when a protectionist policy on behalf of the government restricted the percentage of imported parts that could be used in the manufacture of vehicles and the sale of imported cars From then onwards all GM products were sold by Chevrolet dealerships In 1990 after a heavy modification to the protectionist policy of the sixties GM started assembling the Buick Century in Mexico at the plant in Ramos Arizpe in the state of Coahuila just south of Texas and selling it through Mexican Chevrolet dealerships so it was not uncommon for many people to call it Chevrolet Century In 1997 GM stopped selling Buicks in Mexico and the brand was not sold there until 2009 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 57 Middle East Edit 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 Edit Buicks were once sold in New Zealand They were also built at the GMNZ plant in Petone outside Wellington 58 Motorsport EditFor many years Buick was a substitute for Chevrolet in automobile racing No earlier than the 1960s Buick was a competitor in the Indianapolis 500 and like almost every other American manufacturer also participated in the Grand National stock car racing series using its Regal and later the Gran Sport The golden age of Buick in motorsport however was early through late 1980s General Motors entered the Regal particularly the Grand National model in the NASCAR Cup Series alongside the Oldsmobile Cutlass Buick was also a major powerplant in the IndyCar Series and IMSA GT Series particularly in the IMSA GTP class for several years The 1990s however proved to be the end of Buick s reign in motorsports as GM replaced it for many years with Oldsmobile before phasing out that marque in 2004 Oldsmobile would be replaced by Pontiac until its demise in 2009 being replaced by Chevrolet Buicks were also entered in the Trans Am Series in the 1980s and 1990s using aftermarket V8 engines Enthusiast organizations EditThe 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 Edit A 1911 Buick Advertisement Syracuse Post Standard January 21 1911 1913 advertisement The Saturday Evening Post November 1920 1912 Buick logo Cover of 1925 promotional folder from Swedish reseller Advertisement for 1916 Buick by dealer Howard Automobile Co San FranciscoSee also EditList of automobile manufacturers of the United StatesReferences Edit Buick Motor Division History Lawrence R Gustin 1993 Historia de la marca GENERAL MOTORS at Motor Giga a b c d e f g h i j Dunham Terry B Gustin Lawrence R 1987 The Buick a complete history Third ed Kutztown PA Automobile Quarterly ISBN 9780915038640 Buick reboots brand with a shift toward SUVs The Detroit News Retrieved 15 December 2020 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 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 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 VMC virtualmuseum ca McLaughlin Buick Canada s Standard Car 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 Retrieved 2010 10 16 James H Whiting thewhiting com Archived from the original on 2010 05 22 Retrieved 2010 10 16 1904 Buick Model B runbidsell com Archived from the original on 2019 09 02 Retrieved 2019 09 02 1904 Buick Prototype Sloan Museum 1929buick com Archived from the original on 2011 07 07 Retrieved 2010 10 16 1904 Buick Model B Restoration Project 1929buick com Archived from the original on 2011 07 07 Retrieved 2010 10 16 A Heritage of Precision Buick Archived from the original on 2008 09 23 Retrieved 2010 10 16 1906 Buick Brochure oldcarbrochures com Retrieved 2011 11 20 The free wheeling gambler who created conservative General Motors info detnews com 1996 07 30 Archived from the original on 2012 07 10 Retrieved 2010 10 16 Stoll John D 2008 07 07 GM Weighs More Layoffs Sale of Brands online wsj com Retrieved 2010 10 16 Katz John F 1998 03 02 1909 Buick Model F autoweek com Archived from the original on 2011 06 28 Retrieved 2010 10 16 Buick History 1904 1929 1929buick com Archived from the original on 2011 07 07 Retrieved 2010 10 16 Wells Dick SRMA Update in Street Rodder 12 98 p 298 The accuracy of this source is in question however Buick Pre 1930 General Specs carnut com Archived from the original on 2019 02 26 1910 Buick Model 10 Bonhams Retrieved 19 December 2020 Clymer Floyd Treasury of Early American Automobiles 1877 1925 New York Bonanza Books 1950 Clymer p 120 Buick is a lot more than a dad wagon in China money cnn com 22 February 2017 Who Made That Turn Signal The New York Times July 12 2013 Davies Caroline 2001 08 23 Car that took King into exile goes on sale The Daily Telegraph London a b Vance Bill May 24 2019 Ontario car company became GM Canada Victoria Times Colonist Retrieved April 28 2022 The Buick A Complete History Dunham and Gustin LaChance David July 2006 1966 67 Buick Riviera GS Muscle Machines Retrieved July 26 2015 1986 LeSabre Grand National Page Archived from the original on 2012 02 11 Retrieved 2012 01 08 Riviera Owners Association Frame Phil 16 January 1995 GM H Cars Move to G Platform Automotive News Archived from the original on 16 June 2013 Retrieved 17 May 2013 Dederer Andrew 2008 04 25 Buick and the Detroit Zombies The Truth About Cars Retrieved 2011 09 23 Krebs Michelle 2009 06 29 Good GM Maybe Not All That Good Edmunds Auto Observer Retrieved 2011 06 03 Evans Scott 2009 04 02 GM CEO Henderson Says Buick is a Core Brand MotorTrend com Retrieved 2011 06 03 2011 Buick Regal Autoblog com GMI Exclusive 2010 Saturn Aura on Hold GM Inside News 2008 06 26 Retrieved 2011 06 03 Buick and Jaguar Tie to Rank Highest for Vehicle Dependability J D Power Press Release 19 March 2009 Comparison 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS vs 2010 Lexus ES 350 Motor Trend March 2010 Archived from the original on 2018 08 10 Retrieved 2011 06 03 Fastest Growing Car Brand in America Buick Advertising Age 2010 08 16 Retrieved 2011 06 03 2010 Buick LaCrosse Autoblog com Opel Buick To Expand Product Sharing Become A Hybrid Global Brand 17 June 2013 Tina Muller New Chief Marketing Officer and Opel Board Member Archived from the original on 2013 09 25 Retrieved 2013 09 28 Frost Lawrence Taylor Edward Mar 6 2017 PSA targets Opel turnaround as GM exits Europe Reuters Retrieved 10 March 2017 Buick Announces Avenir Sub Brand To Join Future Products In 2018 from GM Authority September 1 2016 a b c d e Official website of Buick China Archived 2017 09 29 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved October 2 2017 Timeline Photos Buick Official Facebook Page 2013 12 13 Retrieved 2013 12 15 Kimes Beverly 1996 standard catalog of American Cars 1805 1942 Krause publications pp 161 192 ISBN 0 87341 478 0 a b c Flory J Kelly Jr 2008 American Cars 1946 to 1959 Every Model Year by Year McFarland ISBN 978 0 7864 3229 5 Pham Sherisse 23 February 2017 Buick is a lot more than a dad wagon in China CNNMoney Forecast Says China Provides Opportunities and Competition Internet Auto Guide Archived from the original on 2010 11 21 Retrieved 2012 05 31 Austen Ian March 26 2008 A Chevy With an Engine From China New York Times Retrieved 2012 03 20 Buick Trims Mexico Lineup To Include Crossovers Only from GM Authority March 26 2019 Heart of Holden Heritage Holden co nz Archived from the original on June 3 2010 Retrieved 2010 09 13 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buick Wikiquote has quotations related to Buick Official website Buick at Curlie Business analysis of Buick s position in China and within GM in 2019 video by CNBC Old Buick images and historical data Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Buick amp oldid 1148021493, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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