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102-577: Buick is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and is currently the oldest in the United States still active today. 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

204-528: 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. Once Buick's top-selling model in North America,

306-567: 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. The profitability of the model lineup and popularity in China ensured Buick's future within General Motors, with

408-714: A Golden Age Truck Museum exhibit "has a GCW of 900,000 lbs, a 30,000lb front axle, planetary rear axles rated at 200,000 lbs, and was originally powered with a 525 HP Cummins V-12 diesel which was later replaced with a 6-cylinder Cummins KT rated at 750 HP." Most Autocar trucks continued to use the Autocar Driver Cab; in 1977 Autocar launched the Construcktor 2 model which used the Xpeditor cab that had recently been launched by sister-company, White. The Exton plant ended production in 1980, with production moving to

510-618: 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. 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

612-777: A brief term as GM president. Also in 1980, the Diesel engine became available on select Buick models and Somerset was introduced as an optional package on the Regal Limited. In 1981, the T-Type performance trim was 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 was first offered on Regal. A soft-top Riviera helped lead

714-510: 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

816-454: 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

918-467: 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

1020-703: A half-ton capacity, and a two-cylinder gasoline engine under the seat. Later engines had 4 and 6 cylinders, and wheelbases became longer. Inline engines became the company's focus. During World War I , the Canadian Armoured Autocar used an Autocar chassis. In 1929, Autocar sold 3300 units, though the number fell to 1000 in 1932 and continued to decline during the Great Depression . Larger trucks with "Blue Streak" gasoline engines and Diesel engines , mainly from Cummins , came later. During World War II , Autocar supplied 50,000 units to

1122-1168: 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. Autocar Company The Autocar Company is an American specialist manufacturer of severe-duty , Class 7 and Class 8 vocational trucks , with its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama . Started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , in October 1897 as

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1224-724: A manufacturer of early Brass Era automobiles , and trucks from 1899 , Autocar is the oldest surviving motor vehicle brand in the Western Hemisphere . Their last cars of their own manufactures were produced in 1911 ; after that the company continued as a maker of severe-duty trucks. 42 years later, in 1953, the Autocar Company was taken over by the White Motor Company , (established 1900), which made Autocar their top-of-the-line brand for continuing producing heavy-duty industrial trucks. White Motors

1326-642: 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. The LeSabre was manufactured at GM's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly factory in Hamtramck, Michigan and Lake Orion Assembly, in Lake Orion, Michigan. Some of

1428-575: 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

1530-657: A preference for the Canadian built McLaughlin-Buick. Buicks were used for royal transport within Canada, including for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during the 1939 royal tour of Canada . 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). 1940 saw the first use of

1632-577: A second, 1.2 million square-foot manufacturing site in Birmingham, Alabama. Since 2012, Autocar also builds a medium-duty vocational truck series called the Xpert (ACMD). It uses a 2-3 person cab made by Chinese Qixing (QX-PW21TGD). Autocar has also offered the Xpert with dual-steering system for garbage truck service. Autocar announced on May 7, 2019, the relaunch of the DC conventional truck that had been

1734-552: 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

1836-429: 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

1938-602: A useful oil circulation system. Other impacts include Clarke's initiative to place the driver on the left hand side of the vehicle which eventually became the standard in much of the automotive industry worldwide, as well as the Autocar thread specification which became the standard in the U.S. automotive industry. Clarke was also a talented photographer . His family were members of the exclusive South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club above Johnstown, Pennsylvania , whose earthen dam at Lake Conemaugh burst on May 31, 1889, causing

2040-413: A wheel steering with left-hand drive. The Type X was a runabout. During the 1905–1906 model year the company produced 1000 Type X cars. The manufacture of 500 Type XV runabouts was authorized for 1907 in place of 500 touring cars (Type XIV) in addition to the 1000 runabouts already planned. At special meeting on June 19, 1906, held at 711 Arcade Building, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , the board authorized

2142-543: Is inherently balanced, with torque presented to the chassis in a longitudinal manner. The engine was mounted amidships . 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

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2244-495: Is now second nationally in several segments, including concrete pump trucks and refuse trucks. The Autocar ACTT is a leading model of terminal tractor . The company has a nationwide service network in the US. Autocar's customer base includes large fleets, private fleets and major municipalities in the United States and Canada such as Miami, Newark, Houston, Chicago and Vancouver. Autocar announced on September 13, 2017, that it had opened

2346-657: 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

2448-678: Is the DC-64R, which is purpose-built for refuse applications. Another unique feature of the DC is that Autocar mounts full roll-off hoist bodies on the Autocar production line, avoiding numerous problems when modifications are made after production. Additional variations of the DC announced include the DC-64D for dump trucks , the DC-64M for concrete mixer trucks , and the DC-64P specifically for concrete pump trucks . On May 13, 2021, Autocar announced

2550-411: The 1 ⁄ 4 mile in 15.5 seconds and achieved MPG fuel efficiency ratings of 18 city/27 highway. 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

2652-604: The Ford Motor Company 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 , 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

2754-778: The Johnstown Flood . Clarke sold his interest in Autocar in 1929 and retired from business. He died in Palm Beach, Florida , on January 6, 1957, and is buried in Allegheny Cemetery , in Pittsburgh. Autocar experimented with a series of vehicles from 1897, with a tricycle, "Autocar No. 1", now in the collection of the Smithsonian . In 1899 Autocar built the first motor truck ever produced for sale in North America. The first production Autocar automobile

2856-623: The Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1903; 425 were produced the first year, 2,500 in 1902, and over 19,000 were built in all. When General Motors assumed operations from Ransom E. Olds on November 12, 1908, GM introduced the Oldsmobile Model 20 , which was the 1908 Buick Model 10 with a stretched wheelbase and minor exterior changes. It was a runabout model, could seat two passengers, and sold for US$ 650. While competitive, due to high volume, and priced below

2958-504: 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;

3060-749: The White Motor Company , which made Autocar their top-of-the-line brand among their "Big Four" brand portfolio. The Ardmore plant was replaced in 1954 with a new plant in Exton, Pennsylvania , though the Ardmore plant burned while being torn down in 1956 and the fire could have destroyed a neighborhood. Autocar's "Custom Engineering" process for meeting each customer's needs led to a reputation as "World's Finest". White replaced Blue Streak engines with its own Mustang, and production of gasoline-powered trucks ended in 1965. AP off-road vehicles became an important product for Autocar. The 1964 AP19 shown in September 2007 at

3162-659: 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

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3264-421: The " Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company" when started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , in October 1897 but was renamed two years later as The Autocar Company in 1899 when it moved east across the "Keystone State" to Ardmore, Pennsylvania , outside Philadelphia . One of the company's early cars was named the "Pittsburgher". By 1907, the company had decided to concentrate on commercial vehicles and soon withdrew from

3366-540: The 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash . In mid-1904, another prototype was constructed for an endurance run, which convinced Whiting to authorize the production of the first models offered to the public. 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 ,

3468-622: 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. 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

3570-499: The Autocar bow-tie emblem on the radiator and hood side panels. In 1996 "Autocar" became a truck model name. Autocar remained a part of Volvo until 2001. When Volvo acquired the North American operations of Renault Trucks in 2000, including its wholly-owned subsidiary Mack Trucks , the merged company would have had an excess or anti-competitive share of the refuse truck market sector. Volvo agreed to sell select designs for

3672-514: The Autocar company now employs over 400 at its manufacturing facilities in Birmingham, Alabama (model ACX cabover and model DC trucks) and Hagerstown, Indiana , where the company produces custom-engineered ACMD and ACTT models for severe-duty vocational applications. The company's severe-duty ACX model offers features ranging from improved ergonomic cabs, integrated controls, and complex multiple axle configurations, up to triple-steer, triple-drive 12x6 trucks weighing over 100,000 lbs. The Autocar ACX

3774-660: 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

3876-770: 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

3978-684: 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. In 2023, the Envista launched for the 2024 model year. For the 2025 model year, Buick's North American lineup consists of the Envista and Encore GX subcompact crossovers, the Envision compact crossover, and the Enclave mid-size crossover. Buick has

4080-663: 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,

4182-404: The Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F. 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

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4284-594: 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. 2019 would be the last year for the Cascada convertible globally and the LaCrosse sedan for the North American market. New for 2020

4386-524: 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,

4488-416: The Riviera was redesigned; Riviera S-Type was named Motor Trend Car of the Year. 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

4590-476: 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

4692-567: The US$ 850 two-seat Ford Model C "Doctor's Car", it was more expensive than the Western 1905 Gale Model A roadster at US$ 500. The Black sold for $ 375, and the Success for US$ 250. It was built as a city car for short distance driving, while the larger Model S could carry four passengers and could travel longer distances. The flat-mounted, water-cooled , single-cylinder engine, situated at

4794-403: The White Xpeditor cab, first used by Autocar in the Construcktor 2 model. While the AC-series trucks were tough and reliable, they incorporated an expanded number of Volvo components and, for some Autocar loyalists, marked a dilution of the Autocar brand. Volvo-White bought GMC 's heavy truck business in 1987 creating the Volvo WhiteGMC brand. Volvo later dropped any reference to White but used

4896-450: The Xpeditor low cab-forward severe-duty products, intellectual properties , and the Autocar brand to Highland Park, Illinois -based Grand Vehicle Works Holdings, LLC ( GVW Group ). Autocar used the Xpeditor cab developed by White in the Autocar ACL and ACM conventional truck models and had also used it in the earlier Autocar Construcktor 2 conventional truck model, beginning in 1977. Once again independent after nearly 50 years, as of 2021

4998-499: 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" models,

5100-456: The band brake. After 2,234 copies, the 6C model was discontinued in December 1904. In 1905, the Model B was introduced with more improvements. The engine received improved cooling and a new flywheel, and the handbrake now worked on the differential instead of the gearbox. The leaf spring suspension was modified so that the reinforced axles were connected to all spring elements. In 1906, the car received celluloid side window curtains. The dashboard

5202-449: 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

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5304-405: The brands. 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

5406-458: The business to James H. Whiting , of Flint Wagon Works , in Flint, Michigan . 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. 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

5508-411: The center of the car, produced 5 hp (3.7 kW), relying on a brass gravity feed carburetor . The transmission was a semiautomatic design with two forward speeds and one reverse. The low-speed forward and reverse gear system is a planetary type (epicyclic). The car weighed 850 lb (390 kg) and used Concord springs. It had a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). The car's success

5610-485: 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

5712-408: The core of Autocar's business from the 1950s through the 1970s. The relaunched DC is completely new and reported to have several unique features, such as the first 160,000 PSI steel frame rails, an upgraded electrical system, and a cab that fits three workers and is designed for serviceability, with a full steel structure inside the dashboard and aluminum sheets as dash panels. The first version released

5814-479: The country. Buick now sells 80% of its production in the People's Republic of China and is a minor player in Taiwan. 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 . Its styling featured a high peaked hood and radiator shell while its suspension used four, parallel, semi-elliptical springs with Delco-Lovejoy shock absorbers. Marquette

5916-425: The debut of Buick's VentiPorts . 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

6018-473: The decision being made to discontinue the Pontiac brand instead. 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. Behind the scenes, GM began to move products originally planned for other brands to Buick. The Opel Insignia

6120-438: 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

6222-410: The fabled South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club connected with the causes of the infamous tragic disaster of the Great Johnstown Flood of May 1889 . Autocar founder Louis Semple Clarke (1867–1957) was a successful mechanical engineer. Among Clarke's innovations were the porcelain -insulated spark plug for gasoline engines, a perfected drive shaft system for automobiles, and the first design of

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6324-401: The hiring of a general manager by the name of Harry A. Gillis at a salary of $ 10,000 per year. Production of 300 Type XVI cars and 500 Type XVII were authorized during a board meeting on November 21, 1906. Commercial vehicles were made the focus from 1907 and soon outnumbered cars. As of 1911, Autocar was making only trucks. The first model, the Type XVII, had a 97-inch wheelbase, a one and

6426-431: 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. 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

6528-451: 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

6630-404: The launch of the E-ACTT, a fully electric terminal tractor. Autocar had first introduced electric trucks in 1923. Oldsmobile Curved Dash The gasoline-powered Oldsmobile Model R , also known as the Curved Dash Oldsmobile , is credited as being the first mass-produced automobile , meaning that it was built on an assembly line using interchangeable parts . It was introduced by

6732-445: The military, including specialty vehicles such as half-tracks ; during its entire prewar history, the company had only built 70,000 units. Autocar ranked 85th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. Civilian production resumed in 1944 and sales increased greatly after the war. Autocar soon had 100 dealers. The boom after the war ended quickly, however; and in 1953, Autocar sold out to

6834-419: The modern White plant in Ogden, Utah . Shortly after the move to Utah in 1980, with White insolvent, in 1981 AB Volvo acquired the U.S. assets and brands to become Volvo-White LLC. Volvo produced trucks under both the White and Autocar brands and Autocar continued as the division focused on severe-duty trucks. The Autocar DK severe-duty line was launched in 1983 and, as a replacement of the venerable DC line,

6936-419: 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,

7038-405: The number one spot away from close competitors Ford , Maxwell and Olds Motor Works . Buick proclaimed themselves the largest car manufacturer in the world this year. 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

7140-407: 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

7242-469: The passenger automobile manufacturing / production business, and the Autocar brand is still in use a century and a quarter later for commercial trucks. Based on the minutes of Autocar company board of directors meetings during 1903–1907 it is known that in 1903 the board of directors included the president, Louis S. Clarke , the secretary, John S. Clarke, as well as, James K. Clarke. Both Louis Semple Clarke and his brother John S. Clarke were members of

7344-516: The passenger compartment that powered the rear wheels, and the transmission was a two-speed planetary gearbox. Sales were not successful and it was cancelled by 1906. In 1902, Mr. Olds modified a Model R and essentially stripped it down to an engine, a single seat, and a radiator, and connected the solid front and rear axles on semi-elliptic leaf springs, which then supported the engine, transmission and passenger. He raced it at Florida's Ormond Beach in 1902 and 1903, where his driver Horace Thomas drove

7446-496: 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 . In 2010, Buick became the fastest-growing automotive brand in America and attracted a younger customer demographic. A GM company spokesman at

7548-618: 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

7650-532: 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,

7752-667: 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

7854-526: 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

7956-501: 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 . 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 . The Model 10

8058-475: 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 . An all-new Regal sedan, a smaller model based on the European Opel Insignia , was re-introduced for the 2011 model year after

8160-539: 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 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. The creation of General Motors is attributed mainly to the success of Buick, so it can be said Marr and Richard's designs directly led to GM. The power train and chassis architecture introduced on

8262-617: 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. 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 8,820 in 1908, taking

8364-483: Was a 1900 single cylinder chain drive runabout. About 27 were made. In 1901 Autocar built the first car in North America to use shaft drive. This vehicle is also now in the Smithsonian collection. The 1904 Autocar was equipped with a tonneau , it could seat four passengers and sold for US$ 1700. The horizontal-mounted flat twin engine , situated at the front of the car, produced 11 hp (8.2 kW). This

8466-590: Was a somewhat unusual engine design for the time, with most companies producing inline designs. A three-speed transmission was fitted. The steel and wood-framed car weighed 1675 lb (760 kg). The early cars had tiller steering. In 1905, the company was selling the Type XII car for $ 2,250 and another it called the Type X for $ 1,000. It discontinued the Type XI and sold the last of them in 1905. The cars then had

8568-638: Was also offered with an upright position, called the Straight Dash, and approximately 6,500 Model B were manufactured, and the Model F was introduced in 1907, again with mechanical improvements. The Model B also saw a limited production Touring Sedan with a novel entry approach called the Side Entrance Touring Sedan where passengers would enter from the middle of the car. The engine was a 259.8 cu in (4,257 cc) two cylinder horizontally opposed engine installed underneath

8670-474: 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." In 1990, the first Reatta convertible was produced. 1990

8772-420: 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

8874-443: 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. All 1939 models also had a steering column-mounted shift lever. In the mid-1930s McLaughlin-Buicks were purchased by British monarch Edward VIII . He had

8976-561: 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

9078-705: Was built in Flint, Michigan at a re-purposed factory that was known as the Flint Wagon Works . There were 37 Buicks made that year, none of which survive. There are, however, two replicas in existence: the 1904 endurance car, at the Buick Gallery & Research Center in Flint, and a Model B assembled by an enthusiast in California for the division's 100th anniversary. Both of these vehicles use various parts from Buicks of that early era, as well as fabricated parts. These vehicles were each constructed with

9180-486: Was completed in Flint. The Jackson plant continued production with Buick trucks through 1912. David Buick sold his stock upon departure in 1906, making him a wealthy man, but he died in modest circumstances 25 years later. In 1907, Durant agreed to supply motors to R. S. McLaughlin in Canada, an automaker, and in 1908 he founded General Motors . Between 1899 and 1902, two prototype vehicles were built in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr . Some documentation exists of

9282-479: Was discontinued in 1930. All Buick, Marquette, Viking , and Oldsmobile products shared the newly introduced GM B platform starting in 1926. 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.),

9384-592: 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. 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

9486-566: 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. In 1910, Buick introduced the Model 10 with an OHV four-cylinder engine followed in 1911, with their first closed-body car, the Buick Six , that followed

9588-405: Was itself taken over 28 years later in turn by Volvo Trucks of Sweden in 1981 with Autocar continuing as a separate division. In 2001, Autocar was acquired by GVW Group, LLC , which revived Autocar as an independent company. Autocar now builds four models of custom-engineered heavy-duty trucks and has regained leading positions in several vocational segments. The company was originally called

9690-421: 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

9792-479: 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. The 1970s saw

9894-542: Was originally intended to become the second-generation Saturn Aura , but instead became the new Buick Regal. In the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, Buick tied with Jaguar as the most dependable brand in the United States. 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

9996-516: Was partially by accident; in 1901, a fire destroyed a number of other prototypes before they could be approved for production, leaving the Curved Dash as the only one intact. As workers were attempting to move the prototypes out of the burning building, they were only successful at rescuing one prototype, the Model R Curved Dash. In 1904, the Model R was replaced by the Model 6C, which had a larger 1,931 cc engine; in addition, drum brakes replaced

10098-531: Was phased out during a restructuring initiated by GM's new leadership that assumed position on November 15, 1910. 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 . The latter imported two Buick cars in 1924, making it the first automobile to enter China. By 1930, Buick claimed one-sixth of the total number of cars in

10200-457: 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 . The first full-size Buick to join the smaller Model B

10302-456: 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

10404-560: Was widely used in heavy dump truck, concrete mixer, refuse, and oil field applications, among many others. Also launched in 1983 was the widely admired Autocar AT64F, a top-of-the-line long-haul tractor marketed as "The Legend". The last traditional Autocar with a "Custom Driver Cab" was made in Ogden on December 18, 1987. In 1988, the DK was replaced by the Autocar ACL and ACM models, which used

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