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164-436: Competing against Buick , Oldsmobile , Pontiac , Dodge , and DeSoto , Edsel was the first new brand introduced by an American automaker since the 1939 launch of Mercury and 1956 launch of Continental, which ended and merged into Lincoln after 1957. In the year leading to its release, Ford invested in an advertising campaign, marketing Edsels as the cars of the future. While 1958 Edsels introduced multiple advanced features for

328-529: 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,

492-631: 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

656-402: A Ford body, their wheelbase was 120-inch (300 cm), 2 inches longer. In response to the widely negative response to 1958 Edsel exteriors, the exterior of 1959 Edsels underwent a restyling to tone down its appearance. While the vertical center grille made its return, following heavy revision, a redesign of the hoodline integrated the headlamps into a full-width outer grille, visually lowering

820-485: A LaSalle driven by Willard Rader, along with Gus Bell, on the track at the Milford Proving Grounds , achieved 952 miles (1,532 km), averaging 95.2 mph (153.2 km/h), with only seven minutes given over to refueling and tire changes. In comparison, the average speed at that year's Indianapolis 500 was 97.5 mph (156.9 km/h). The test at Milford would have continued, but a problem in

984-619: 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

1148-507: A badly leaking trunk during rain, and the odometer showing fewer than actual miles traveled. Edsel's most memorable design feature was its trademark " horsecollar " grille, which was distinct from that of other cars of the period. According to a popular joke at the time, Edsels "resembled an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon". According to Thomas E. Bonsall's 2002 book, Disaster in Dearborn , it was assistant stylist Bob "Robin" Jones who suggested

1312-777: 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

1476-510: 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

1640-454: 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

1804-467: 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

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1968-577: A full array of semi-custom body styles, as it had in its first year, including a convertible sedan. Earl oversaw this redesign. The LaSalle emerged with a smooth-flowing design, its thin radiator flanked by a series of thin chrome slots. In its final year, sales of the LaSalle reached the second-highest level ever at 24,133. In addition to the Series 40-50, there was also the lower, wider Series 40-52 Special using General Motors' new "Torpedo"-style body . By

2132-420: A horizontal strip or a round dial, the speedometer was a rotating dome. In line with aircraft design, the dashboard adopted warning lights for conditions such as low oil level, parking brake engaged, and engine overheating. While not equipped with cruise control , Edsel introduced a speed warning on the speedometer if the driver exceeded a preset speed limit. While a standard column-mounted transmission shifter

2296-406: A junior Cadillac, but as something more agile and stylish. Influenced by the rakish Hispano-Suiza roadsters of the time, Earl's LaSalle emerged as a shorter, yet elegant, counterpoint to Cadillac's larger cars, unlike anything else built by an American automotive manufacturer. Built by Cadillac to its high standards but at a dedicated factory at Wyoming Road Assembly , the LaSalle soon emerged as

2460-510: A large car like an Edsel was seen as too expensive to buy and own. When Ford introduced the Falcon in 1959, it sold over 400,000 units in its first year. Ford's investment in expanded plant capacity and additional tooling for Edsels helped make the company's subsequent success with the Falcon possible. By 1965, the market for medium-priced cars had recovered, and this time, Ford had the right car,

2624-855: 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. LaSalle (automobile) LaSalle was an American brand of luxury automobiles manufactured and marketed, as

2788-462: A mid-price model, with the brand slotted in between Ford and Mercury. However, when the cars debuted in September 1957, the least expensive Ranger model was priced within $ 74 of the most expensive and best-trimmed Ford sedan, and $ 63 less than Mercury's base Medalist model. In their mid-range pricing, Edsel's Pacer and Corsair models were more expensive than their ostensibly more costly Mercury counterparts. Edsel's top-of-the-line Citation hardtop sedan

2952-643: 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

3116-726: A name. When the agency issued its report, citing over 6,000 possibilities, Ford's Ernest Breech commented that they had been hired to develop one name, not 6,000. Early favorites for the name brand included Citation, Corsair, Pacer, and Ranger, which were ultimately chosen for the vehicle's series names. David Wallace , manager of marketing research, and coworker Bob Young unofficially invited freethinker poet Marianne Moore for input and suggestions. Moore's unorthodox contributions, among them "Utopian Turtletop," "Pastelogram," "Turcotinga," "Resilient Bullet," "Andante con Moto" and "Mongoose Civique", were meant to stir creative thought and were not officially authorized or contractual in nature. By

3280-431: A network of 1,187 Edsel dealers, Ford Motor Company now had approximately 10,000 dealerships between its three divisions, bringing it closer in line with Chrysler, with 10,000 dealers across five brands, and General Motors, with 16,000 across six brands. Edsels were introduced amid considerable publicity on "E Day"—September 4, 1957. They were promoted by a top-rated television special, The Edsel Show , on October 13, but

3444-575: 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

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3608-659: 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

3772-581: A separate brand, by General Motors ' Cadillac division from 1927 through 1940. Alfred P. Sloan, GM's Chairman of the Board, developed the concept for four new GM marques - LaSalle, Marquette, Viking and Pontiac - paired with already established brands to fill price gaps he perceived in the General Motors product portfolio. Sloan created LaSalle as a companion marque for Cadillac. LaSalle automobiles were manufactured by Cadillac, but were priced lower than Cadillac-branded automobiles, were shorter, and were marketed as

3936-465: A set pattern, with design changes driven principally by engineering needs. For example, the Ford Model T evolved only slightly over its production run; A 1927 Model T was almost identical to a 1910 Model T, while GM made yearly appearance and model name changes across all brands starting in 1908. Earl, who had been hired by Cadillac's General Manager, Lawrence P. Fisher, conceived the LaSalle not as

4100-552: 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

4264-429: 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

4428-437: A split grille, similar to the 1959 Pontiac. For the first time, a full-width front bumper was used. While sharing their tailfins with Ford, the rear fascia of Edsels were distinguished by four oblong vertical taillamps. Distinguished primarily by their grille and taillamps, the 1960 Edsels were fitted with model-specific hoods, bumpers, and body-side trim. The four-door Ranger hardtop had no direct Ford equivalent, as it combined

4592-475: A stand-alone factory solely to Edsel model production. The 1958 Edsels were assembled in both Mercury and Ford factories. The longer-wheelbase models, Citation and Corsair, were produced alongside the Mercury products. The shorter-wheelbase models, Pacer and Ranger, were produced alongside Ford products. Workers assembling Fords and Mercurys often found the task of assembling the occasional Edsel that moved down

4756-415: A stellar sales success. To make matters worse, as a new make, Edsel had no established brand loyalty with buyers as its competing makes had. Even if the 1957–1958 recession had not occurred, Edsel would have been entering a shrinking marketplace. In the early 1950s, when the "E" car was in its earliest stages of development, Ford Executive Vice President Ernest R. Breech had convinced Ford management that

4920-480: A subordinate model under the Cadillac brand, thus, to call them "Cadillac LaSalle" is improper. Eddie Murphy’s character bails out of a 1939 coupe during a car chase in the movie Harlem Nights. In the 1967 film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre , gangster Mike Heitler (played by Leo Gordon ) buys a used LaSalle for $ 750 (equivalent to about $ 12,000 in 2021), to be disguised as a Chicago police car for use in

5084-421: A supreme example of the corporate culture's failure to understand American consumers. Business analysts cite the weak internal support for the product inside Ford's executive offices. According to author and Edsel scholar Jan Deutsch , an Edsel was "the wrong car at the wrong time." Edsels are most notorious for being a marketing disaster. The name "Edsel" became synonymous with the real-life commercial failure of

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5248-434: A trend-setting automobile. Earl was then placed in charge of overseeing the design of all of General Motors' vehicles. Earl's design even included a nod to the inspirational Hispano-Suiza H6 , with the marque's circled trademark "LaS" cast into the horizontal tie bar between the front lights. There were two wheelbase choices where Fisher offered eight selections while Fleetwood Metal Body offered four coachwork choices on

5412-550: A vertical motif for the front end of the "E-car". Buick 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 automobile brands and was the company that established General Motors in 1908. Before the establishment of General Motors, GM founder William C. Durant had served as Buick's general manager and major investor. With

5576-444: A vivid illustration of how not to market a product. The principal reason Edsel's failure is so infamous is that Ford did not consider that failure was a possibility until after the cars had been designed and built, the dealerships established, and $ 400 million invested in the product's development, advertising and launch. Incredibly, Ford had presumed to invest $ 400 million, well over $ 4 billion in 21st century dollars, in developing

5740-442: A year in the U.S. from 1957 onward. Edsels were equipped with powerful engines and offered brisk acceleration, but they also required premium fuel, and their fuel economy, especially in city driving, was poor even by late-1950s standards. Ford Motor Company had conducted the right marketing study, but it came up with the wrong product to fill the gap between Ford and Mercury. By 1958, buyers had become fascinated with economy cars, and

5904-544: 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

6068-657: 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

6232-477: Is unknown. In January 1958, the free-standing Edsel division was added to Lincoln–Mercury, with the re-christened Mercury–Edsel–Lincoln Division (M–E–L) adopting Edsel sales and marketing operations. As the model year progressed and sales fell under expectations, multiple Edsel-only dealers closed or expanded their brand offerings with the encouragement of Ford Motor Company, including Lincoln–Mercury or imported Ford of Britain and Ford of Germany franchises. For

6396-411: 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

6560-608: The Buick Master Six . The Model 10 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

6724-671: The Cadillac Series 61 , the Buick Century and Special , the Oldsmobile 70 , and the Pontiac Streamliner Torpedo . A third was a modified notchback design, derived from the fastback B-body, but described as " A-body -like", that was finally used by the Cadillac Series 63 . Any or all of these could have ended up being part of the next LaSalle line. However, it is widely believed that of the three,

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6888-474: The Ford V8 was introduced with a standard equipment V8 displacing 221 cu in (3.6 L). Body style selections and a wide arrange of Duco automotive lacquer paint color selections, introduced by DuPont , was beginning to become commonplace. The 1932 LaSalle Series 345-B and 1933 Series 345-C followed the same pattern of appearance, engineering upgrades and ever growing options list. Beginning with

7052-511: The Galaxie 500 LTD . The LTD's success led Chevrolet to introduce the Caprice as a mid-1965 upscale trim option on its top-of-the-line Impala four-door hardtop. The name of the car, Edsel, is also often cited as a further reason for its lack of popularity. Naming the vehicle after Edsel Ford , former company president and son of Henry Ford, was proposed early in its development. However,

7216-504: 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;

7380-610: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre . In the 1970s television show All in the Family , Archie and Edith Bunker sing, "Gee, our old LaSalle ran great" in the program's opening theme song, "Those Were the Days." Many could not understand the now-obscure reference, and the opening was re-recorded in future seasons with the word ‘LaSalle’ enunciated a little more clearly. In Season One, episode 21 of The Streets of San Francisco , Lew Ayres mentions

7544-603: 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 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

7708-659: 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

7872-452: 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 was Eugene Richard, who applied for a patent in 1902 for Marr's valve-in-head ( overhead valve ) engine, which patent, number 771,095,

8036-572: The 125" wheelbase and six choices on the 134", while Fleetwood now provided two choices on the 125" and only one choice on the 134", that being the Transformable Town Cabriolet at US$ 4,900 ($ 86,947 in 2023 dollars ). The first engine upgrade to the LaSalle was introduced in 1929 with the Series 328, which had slight differences to the Cadillac V8 which was also upgraded. The Victoria and business coupe were replaced with

8200-542: 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 ,

8364-436: The 1930 LaSalle and the 1928-1929 Cadillac Series 341 were essentially identical so the LaSalle was labeled as Series 340 while the 1930 Cadillac V8 was upgraded to Series 353. In an attempt to further add exclusivity, Fleetwood convertible coachwork selections were further distinguished by the descriptions "Fleetcliffe", "Fleetlands", "Fleetway" and "Fleetwind" which didn't continue for 1931. The next vehicle choice offered by GM

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8528-586: The 1934 model year, a significant portion of the LaSalle, now called the Series 50 Model 350, was more closely related to the Oldsmobile L-Series , Buick Series 40 and Buick Series 50 while sharing an appearance with the senior Cadillac Series 355s . This was marked by a shift to the Oldsmobile- and Buick-based B platform . Again, Earl 's work with the LaSalle resulted in a graceful vehicle, led by an elegantly thin grille that now concealed

8692-840: The 1957 model year. Sales of Chrysler's DeSoto marque dropped dramatically from its 1957 high by over 50% in 1958. When DeSoto sales failed to rebound during the 1959 model year, plans were made in Highland Park to discontinue the nameplate by 1961. Despite the presence and influence of the "whiz kids" in the Ford hierarchy and upon this car, the project epitomized the hazards of 'design by committee .' Sales for most car manufacturers, even those not introducing new models, were down. Among domestic makes, only Rambler and Lincoln produced more cars in 1958 than in 1957. Customers started buying more fuel-efficient automobiles, particularly Volkswagen Beetles , which were selling at rates exceeding 50,000

8856-650: The 1959 model year, Ford revised the market position of Edsel, slotting it between Ford and Mercury. To reflect the marketing change, the Mercury-based Citation was withdrawn and the Corsair became a higher-trim version of the Ranger. The Pacer was also discontinued. The station wagon line was pared down to the Villager wagon, dropping the two-door Roundup and wood-trim Bermuda. While all Edsel sedans used

9020-623: 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

9184-600: The 2013 Best Article of the Year Award from the Motor Press Guild for his Automobile magazine article, "GM's Road Not Taken" about the La Salle II Roadster . The LaSalle name was raised again when Cadillac was developing a new small luxury sedan, but it was passed over in favor of Cadillac Seville . Early mockups of what was to become the 1963 Buick Riviera were badged "LaSalle II," as

9348-479: The Cadillac division was being considered for production of this successful personal luxury car. For media outlets, when referring to the cars in visual or print media reporting the proper nomenclature is to identify them "LaSalle" as they are a separate marque, and are registered under the "Make" name of LaSalle on automobile titles. While built by the Cadillac Division of General Motors, they are not

9512-660: 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

9676-770: 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

9840-647: The Edsels, it had built exactly the "entirely new kind of car" that Ford had been leading the buying public to expect through its pre-introduction publicity campaign for the cars. In reality, Edsels shared their engineering and bodywork with other Ford models, and the similarities were apparent once the vehicles were viewed firsthand. For its inaugural model year, Edsel introduced a seven-model product line, including four sedans and three station wagons. The lower-trim Edsel Ranger and Edsel Pacer shared bodies with Ford Fairlane sedans (118-inch (300 cm) wheelbase) while

10004-684: 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

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10168-433: The Ford family strongly opposed its use. Henry Ford II declared that he did not want his father's good name spinning around on thousands of hubcaps. Ford ran internal studies to decide on a name, and dispatched employees to stand outside movie theaters to poll audiences as to what their feelings were on several ideas. They reached no conclusions. Ford retained the advertising firm Foote, Cone & Belding to come up with

10332-405: The Ford press release. In some newspaper markets, dealers scrambled to renegotiate newspaper advertising contracts involving the 1960 Edsel models, while others dropped the name from their dealerships' advertising entirely. Ford issued a statement that it would distribute coupons to customers who purchased 1960 models, and carryover 1959 models, prior to the announcement, valued at $ 300 to $ 400 toward

10496-661: The Fords and Mercurys were satisfactorily assembled on the same lines. Many Edsels actually left the assembly lines unfinished. Uninstalled parts were placed in the trunks along with installation instructions for dealership mechanics, some of whom never installed the additional parts at all. Some dealers did not even receive all the parts. In the March 1958 issue of Popular Mechanics , 16% of Edsel owners reported poor workmanship, with complaints ranging from faulty welding to power steering failure. In its test car, Popular Mechanics tested for these problems and discovered others, notably

10660-744: The LaSalle II Roadster. Ordered to be destroyed, both the four-door hardtop and the roadster were shipped to the Warhoops Salvage Yard in Sterling Heights, Michigan; instead of being destroyed they were hidden in a corner of the facility. In 1990, collector Joe Bortz purchased and restored the Roadster, which was featured in a 2013 article in Automobile (magazine) , for which the author, Robert Cumberford won

10824-488: The LaSalle received another engine upgrade introduced in the LaSalle Series 340. Fisher body selections were reduced to seven closed while Fleetwood choices expanded to six. The only wheelbase used was 134" and a radio was first introduced as a optional item for US$ 175 ($ 3,192 in 2023 dollars ) and all LaSalle's were prewired with an antenna imbedded in the roof. Wheels were available in hickory artillery style, wire wheels or solid pressed steel discs. The engine displacement of

10988-412: The Landau Cabriolet from Fisher while Fleetwood choices were all cabriolet coupes or sedans. Both wheelbase choices were both available for Fisher and Fleetwood coachwork selections. September 1929 is when Cadillac introduced its all-new 1930 Series 353 , one month before the Cadillac V-12 and the Wall Street Crash of 1929 The ultra-luxury Cadillac V-16 made its grand introduction January 1930, and

11152-442: 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,

11316-407: The Louisville Assembly, except for the pilot prototypes. Ford announced the end of the Edsel program on November 19, 1959. Production continued until late in November, with 2,846 model year 1960 cars produced. Total Edsel sales were approximately 116,000, less than half the company's projected break-even point. The company lost $ 350 million, the equivalent of $ 2.8 billion in 2023 dollars, on

11480-562: The Marquette and the Viking in 1930, their second model year. Cadillac also saw sales of its cars losing ground, as confirmed Cadillac buyers tried to trim pennies by buying the less expensive LaSalle. LaSalle sales also were falling, from a high of 22,691 models in 1929 to a low of 3,290 in 1932. While the introduction of LaSalle showed there was a market for a luxury car that was more conservative in appearance and price, GM already had Buick which filled that role very successfully. The attention given to LaSalle could have been invested in Buick as

11644-432: The Mercury, or a step below it. After introduction to the public, Edsels did not live up to their preproduction publicity, even though many new features were offered, such as self-adjusting rear brakes and automatic lubrication. While Ford's market research had indicated that these and other features would make Edsels attractive to them as car buyers, their selling prices exceeded what buyers were willing to pay. Upon seeing

11808-405: 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

11972-659: 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

12136-524: 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,

12300-416: 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

12464-487: The Roadster as "a signpost to the many wrong turns that led to the bankruptcy of what was in 1955 the largest business entity in the entire world (GM)". There was nostalgia for the LaSalle name, and at various points in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, General Motors issued Motorama cars and proposed new consumer automobiles under the name. The year 1955 saw two Motorama concept cars, the LaSalle II four-door hardtop and

12628-476: 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

12792-439: The United States. 2,505 vehicles were sold in Canada. For the 1960 model year, Edsel saw its model line reduced further, offering only the Ranger sedans, hardtop, and convertible alongside the Villager station wagon. Redesigned alongside 1960 Fords , 1960 Edsels were released with a far more muted styling than their 1958 namesake. Sharing nearly its entire body with Ford, Edsel abandoned its trademark vertical grille in favor of

12956-500: 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,

13120-449: 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

13284-742: 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

13448-511: 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

13612-478: The buying public when the cars were introduced. Its elegance, its engines, its exciting new features, make other cars seem ordinary — Edsel advertisement, 1957 In November 1956, the Edsel Division of Ford Motor Company was formed to establish a retail organization and dealer network, alongside Ford and Lincoln–Mercury. The Continental Division had ceased to exist several months earlier. With

13776-606: 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

13940-580: The companion marque strategy, the gap between the Chevrolet and the Oakland would be filled by a new marque named Pontiac, a quality six-cylinder car designed to sell for the price of a four-cylinder. The wide gap between Oldsmobile and Buick would be filled by two companion marques: Oldsmobile was assigned the up-market, V8 engined Viking , while Buick was assigned the more compact six-cylinder Marquette brand. Cadillac, which had seen its base prices soar in

14104-408: The company should have greater representation in the medium-price range. This idea was furthered by his son, Henry Ford II, in 1948 when another car was proposed to keep abreast of things in the automotive market.” Marketing research and development for the new intermediate line had begun in 1955 under the code name "E car", which stood for "experimental car." Ford Motor Company eventually decided on

14268-510: The company's individual automobile marques into specific price ranges, called the " General Motors companion make program ". The Chevrolet was designated as the entry-level product. Next, (in ascending order), came the Pontiac , Oakland , Oldsmobile , Viking , Marquette , Buick , LaSalle, and Cadillac . By the 1920s, certain General Motors products began to shift out of the plan as the products improved and engine advances were made. Under

14432-549: 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

14596-475: 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

14760-424: The demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, Buick became the oldest surviving American carmaker. Buick is positioned as a premium automobile brand, selling luxury vehicles positioned below the flagship luxury Cadillac division. 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

14924-438: 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

15088-589: The first year, 63,110 Edsels were sold in the United States, and 4,935 were sold in Canada. Though below expectations, this nevertheless represented the second-largest launch for any new car brand to date, exceeded only by the DeSoto introduction in 1929. One four-door Citation model was purchased and delivered in October 1957 to the United Kingdom for Ian Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford . Its current whereabouts

15252-553: The heady 1920s, was assigned the LaSalle as a companion marque to fill the gap that existed between it and Buick. What emerged as the LaSalle in 1927 was introduced on the GM C platform with the Cadillac V8 . The 1927 LaSalle was designed by Harley Earl , who had a 30-year career at General Motors, eventually gaining control of all design and styling at General Motors. Prior to the 1927 LaSalle, automobile design essentially followed

15416-501: The higher-trim Edsel Corsair and Edsel Citation shared bodies with the Mercury Monterey and Mercury Montclair sedans (124-inch (310 cm) wheelbase). Sharing its body and 116-inch (290 cm) wheelbase with Ford station wagons, Edsel had the two-door Edsel Roundup and the four-door Edsel Villager and Edsel Bermuda . The Edsel model line had multiple design features that were considered innovative. In place of

15580-608: The hoodline. A similar revision of the rear fascia repositioned the taillamps. Being based on the 1959 Ford, Edsels received the same roof design as the Fairlanes. Although Ford got a new luxury series of cars mid year, the Galaxie, Edsel never got an equivalent series, further eroding its appeal as a medium price automobile. The 1959 Edsel interior dropped several features to increase its commonality with Ford. The push-button Teletouch transmission controls were withdrawn, alongside

15744-478: The instruction of Ernest Breech, who was chairing a board meeting in the absence of Henry Ford II, the car was finally called "Edsel", in honor of Edsel Ford. Even though Edsels shared basic technology with other Ford cars of the era, a number of issues caused reliability problems, mostly with the 1958 models. Reports of mechanical flaws with the cars surfaced, due primarily to lack of quality control and confusion of parts with other Ford models. Ford never dedicated

15908-539: 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

16072-451: 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

16236-403: The least expensive Cadillac. Its mission was not to fill a price gap, but to keep the luxury-car division out of the red. But as the economy began to recover, the LaSalle did not, at least not commensurate with the economy. Sales were 7,195 in 1934, 8,651 in 1935 and 13,004 in 1936 while Buick appeared to be more attractive yet frugal. To further emphasize that the 1935 LaSalle was improved from

16400-582: The mainstream luxury brand, and concentrated on Cadillac being more elusive and unique to protect the brand image. The introduction of the "Art and Colour Section" headed up by Harley Earl and a shared design theme in all GM products further complicated the brand distinction between the original brands in that the only differences among Oldsmobile, Buick, LaSalle, and Cadillac were exterior design appearance, wheelbase length, and colors, while charging extra due to marketing and pricing objectives. In his 2013 article, "GM's Road Not Taken", Robert Cumberford reviewed

16564-603: The medium priced Packard One-Twenty had consistently outsold the LaSalle by an average of 72 percent over the six-year period 1935–1940 inclusively. It was decided to fold the LaSalle into the more prestigious Cadillac marque. LaSalle did not have the time to develop a prestigious name before the onset of the Great Depression and did not have the opportunity afterward. The Great Depression , combined with LaSalle's stalling sales numbers, caused Cadillac to rethink its companion make. Both Buick and Oldsmobile had eliminated

16728-444: The medium-priced market segment offered great untapped opportunity. At the time, Breech's assessment was basically correct. In 1955, Pontiac, Buick, and Dodge sold a combined two million units. However, by the fall of 1957, when Edsels were introduced, the market had changed drastically. Independent manufacturers in the medium-priced field were drifting to insolvency. Hoping to reverse its losses, Packard acquired Studebaker , which

16892-585: The model line, Ford quietly discontinued the Edsel brand before 1960. Ford Motor Company became a publicly traded corporation on January 17, 1956, and thus was no longer entirely owned by members of the Ford family . The company was now able to sell cars according to current market trends following the seller's market of the postwar years. Ford's new management compared the company's roster of makes with that of General Motors and Chrysler , and concluded that Lincoln

17056-503: The more technologically advanced overhead valve straight-eight engine exclusive to Buick. The LaSalle was the first Cadillac to use hydraulic brakes sourced from Bendix and various components were sourced from within different GM Divisions in order to cut production costs. The Oldsmobile engine was not assembled by Oldsmobile then supplied to the LaSalle factory, instead the parts were sent to the LaSalle factory and assembled by Cadillac-trained LaSalle assembly teams to authentically declare it

17220-516: The name "Edsel", in honor of Edsel Ford , son of the company's founder, Henry Ford despite objections from Edsel's son Henry Ford II . The proposed vehicle marque represented the start-up of a new division of the firm, alongside that of Ford itself and the Lincoln – Mercury division, whose cars at the time shared the same bodies. Ford later claimed to have performed more than adequate, if not superior, product development and market research work in

17384-477: 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,

17548-451: The new product line without any prior study to determine whether such an investment would be prudent or profitable. The pre-release advertising campaign promoted the cars as having "more YOU ideas". The teaser advertisements in magazines revealed only glimpses of the cars through a highly blurred lens or wrapped in paper or under tarps. Ford never test marketed the vehicles or their radical styling concepts with potential buyers prior to either

17712-587: 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

17876-406: The oil system drew the test to an early close. The Series 303 continued for 1928, and as LaSalle sales began to progress, engineering advancements, appearance changes and optional equipment choices continued. Shock absorbers were now sourced from Lovejoy hydraulic units and the clutch was now upgraded to twin discs. The list of available coachwork choices from Fisher expanded to eleven selections on

18040-560: 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

18204-519: The patent application was filed on Nov. 28, 1932. It was assigned to the Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, a GM subsidiary that manufactured components for Fisher Body and they were introduced on the Series 50 in 1934. The Series 50 was also no longer available with a V8, which was a distinction shared with all Cadillacs, and now only available with an Oldsmobile sourced flathead inline-eight, while Buick continued to offer

18368-408: The planning and design of the new vehicle. Ford assured its investors, and the Detroit automotive press, that Edsels were not only superior products, as compared to their Oldsmobile/Buick/DeSoto competition, but the details of their styling and specifications were the result of a sophisticated market analysis and research and development effort, that would essentially guarantee their broad acceptance by

18532-498: 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

18696-421: The predicted "perfect" product or product idea. Similar ill-fated products have often been colloquially referred to as "Edsels". Ford's own Sierra model, which launched almost 25 years later, is often compared to Edsels owing to initial buyer antipathy to their perceived radical styling, even though, unlike Edsels, it ultimately became a sales success. Since the Edsel program was such a debacle, it gave marketers

18860-618: 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

19024-581: The previous model, the name was, again, changed to Series 35-50, dropping the "model" designation, while the vehicle was largely the same with the usual appearance, options list changes, and mechanical advancements. Meanwhile, the Packard One-Twenty had been introduced in 1935 and was very successful. For 1936 the LaSalle was renamed the Series 36-50 and had additional competition from the Lincoln-Zephyr , introduced in 1936. The 1937 LaSalle

19188-438: The previously exposed radiator, which was shared with Cadillac and Pontiac for that year. Earl's other contribution was the modern, airplane-styled, semi-shielded portholes along the side of the hood. All bodies were now made by Fleetwood . 1933 was the first year all GM vehicles were installed with optional vent windows which were initially called “No Draft Individually Controlled Ventilation” later renamed "Ventiplanes" which

19352-589: The price for a base model, many potential buyers simply left the dealerships. Other customers were frightened by the price for a fully equipped top-of-the-line model. One of the external forces working against the Edsel brand was the onset of an economic recession in late 1957 . Compounding Edsel's problems was that the car had to compete with well-established nameplates from the Big Three such as Pontiac , Oldsmobile , Buick , Dodge , and DeSoto , as well as with its sister division Mercury , which had never been

19516-434: The price segment, the launch of the model line became symbolic of commercial failure. Introduced in a recession that catastrophically affected sales of medium-priced cars, Edsels were considered overhyped, unattractive, distinguished by a vertical grille said to resemble a horse collar , and low quality. Following a loss of over $ 250 million, $ 2.57 billion in 2023 dollars, on development, manufacturing, and marketing on

19680-428: The production line burdensome, because it required them to change tools and parts bins, then switch back to resume assembling Fords or Mercurys after completing assembly on Edsels. The workers were also expected to accommodate Edsel assembly with no adjustment in their hourly quota of Ford and Mercury production. Consequently, the desired quality control of the different Edsel models proved difficult to achieve, even when

19844-429: The promotional effort was not enough to counter the adverse initial public reaction to the Edsel's styling and unconventional build. After the launch date, Edsel was described as a "reborn LaSalle ," a General Motors brand that had disappeared in 1940. For months, Ford had been telling the industry press that it "knew", through its market research, that there would be great demand for the vehicles. Ford insisted that, in

20008-410: The purchase of new Ford products to offset the decreased values. The company issued credits to dealers for stock unsold or received, following the announcement. Historians have advanced several theories in an effort to explain Edsel's failure. Popular culture often faults vehicle styling. Consumer Reports has alleged that poor workmanship was Edsel's chief problem. Marketing experts hold Edsels up as

20172-532: 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,

20336-516: 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

20500-504: The restoration of GM's 1955 Motorama La Salle II Roadster. Cumberford likened the Roadster to a harbinger of GM's future. While the Roadster concept showcased important new technology, including an aluminum block, double overhead cam and fuel-injected V6, the technology went unrealized. GM instead emphasized styling over engineering advancement for the decades that followed and did not bring "an aluminum block, fuel-injected, overhead-cam V-6 into production until 2004". Cumberford described

20664-526: 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

20828-633: The roofline of the Fairlane with the doors of the Galaxie. The two-door hardtop shared its body with the Ford Galaxie Starliner, minus the star emblems on the "C" pillar. In a design advance, the muffler was relocated from below the passenger compartment to the rear of the car, intended for better muffler protection and less heat and noise intrusion to the passenger compartment. The 1960 Edsels were produced between October 15 and November 19, 1959. In total, 2,846 vehicles were produced at

20992-567: The rotating-dome speedometer, as Edsel introduced a slightly restyled version of the Ford Fairlane 500 dashboard. The optional climate control and fully padded dashboard returned. Alongside the use of distinct interior trim from Ford, Edsel had a 70/30 split-bench seatback for Corsairs. In 1967, Ford returned the split-bench seatback on the Ford LTD , continuing it into the 2010s on its full-size cars. In 1959, Edsel sold 44,891 vehicles in

21156-399: 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

21320-442: The second-most prestigious marque in the General Motors portfolio. LaSalles were titled as LaSalles, and not as Cadillacs. Like Cadillac — named after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac — the LaSalle brand name was based on that of another French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle . The LaSalle had its beginnings when General Motors' CEO Alfred P. Sloan noticed that his carefully crafted market segmentation program

21484-442: The shorter 128 in (3,251 mm) while only Fisher offered an additional three coachwork choices on the longer 134 in (3,404 mm). For 1927, the most exclusive Fleetwood body was the Transformable Town Cabriolet at US$ 4,700 ($ 82,439 in 2023 dollars ). The LaSalles of this era were equipped with Cadillac's "Ninety Degree V-8", making the car fast, while its smaller size made it sportier and more agile. On June 20, 1927,

21648-479: The third design was most likely to have been a LaSalle, with that platform being assigned exclusively to LaSalle, and that the second design, whose platform was shared with the Series 61, was the next-most-likely. In 1941, sales of the Cadillac Series 61 and 63 were 29,258 and 5,030, respectively. In retrospect, LaSalle sales initially had exceeded Cadillac's since 1933, but since its introduction in 1935,

21812-476: 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

21976-561: The time the decision was made to drop the LaSalle, at least three wood-and-metal mockups had been made for potential 1941 LaSalle models. One was based on the notchback GM C platform , which ended up being shared by the Cadillac Series 62 , the Buick Roadmaster and Super , the Oldsmobile 90 , and the Pontiac Custom Torpedo . A second was based on the fastback GM B platform , which was eventually shared by

22140-672: The total number of cars in 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

22304-543: 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

22468-483: The vehicles' initial development decision, or vehicle shipments to their new dealerships. Edsels were shipped to the dealerships under wraps, and remained so on the dealer lots. The public also had difficulty understanding exactly what Edsels were, primarily because Ford made the mistake of pricing Edsels within Mercury's market price segment. Theoretically, Edsels were conceived to fit into Ford's marketing structure as

22632-486: The venture. Only 118,287 Edsels were built, including 7,440 produced in Oakville, Ontario, Canada . By U.S. auto industry standards, these production figures were dismal, particularly when spread across a run of three model years. On November 20, 1959, United Press International 's (UPI) wire service reported that book values for used Edsels had declined by as much as $ 400, based on condition and age, immediately following

22796-428: Was added retaining the 134" wheelbase used the previous year. The Cadillac Heron or Goddess hood ornament made the options list for US$ 20 ($ 365 in 2023 dollars ) while the latest fashion accessory called a radiator rock screen could be installed for US$ 33 ($ 602 in 2023 dollars ). From the mid-1910s, a V8 engine was regarded as a luxury expectation, while other manufacturers remained with straight-8 engines, but in 1932

22960-435: Was also in financial difficulty. The board decided to stop production under the venerable Packard badge after 1958. The 1957–58 Packards were Studebaker bodied cars using much Packard styling, also known as "Packardbakers". Attempting to capitalize on the emerging consumer interest in economy cars, American Motors shifted its focus to its compact Rambler models and discontinued its pre-merger brands, Nash and Hudson , after

23124-474: 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

23288-420: 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

23452-445: 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

23616-508: 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

23780-483: 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

23944-434: Was beginning to develop price gaps in which General Motors had no products to sell. In an era when American automotive brands were typically restricted to building a specific car per model year, Sloan surmised that the best way to bridge the gaps was to develop "companion" marques that could be sold through the current sales network. As originally developed by Sloan, General Motors' market-segmentation strategy placed each of

24108-707: 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

24272-451: Was called the Series 37-50, a naming convention that would continue with the last LaSalle Series 40-50 and 40-52. For 1937, Cadillac made the LaSalle its own again, giving it the designation Series 37-50 and the 322 cu in (5.3 L) monobloc V8 of the Series 60 , new styling, a lower price range, and a heavy promotion emphasizing that the car was completely Cadillac-built. It

24436-505: Was competing not with Cadillac , but with Oldsmobile , Buick , and DeSoto . Ford developed a plan to move Lincoln upmarket, with the Continental broken out as a separate make at the top of Ford's product line, and to add premium/intermediate vehicles to the intermediate slot vacated by Lincoln. Ford explained in 1958 that “The Edsel is new but it’s actually the germination of an idea conceived by Edsel Ford who thought years ago that

24600-488: 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

24764-479: 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.),

24928-593: 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

25092-526: Was essentially identical to the Cadillac Series 61 . The narrow radiator grille opening was retained and was flanked by additional side grille work which aided in heat dissipation from the engine. Headlights, which had moved down and been secured to the body between the grille and the fender, were again attached to the radiator shell. LaSalle also added a sunroof , marketed as the "Sunshine Turret Top". Sales climbed from 15,501 in 1938 to 23,028 in 1939. The final 1940 LaSalles were introduced in October 1939 with

25256-518: 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

25420-433: Was manufactured by Cadillac engineers. The LaSalle sales department further invited clients to witness the cars being manufactured and listed the different companies that sourced various items that were used to manufacture the 1934 LaSalle. This LaSalle Series 50 Model 350 listed at US$ 1,550 ($ 35,303 in 2023 dollars ) for a choice of coupes, sedans or convertibles and was now priced US$ 1,000 ($ 22,776 in 2023 dollars ) below

25584-421: 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

25748-480: 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

25912-594: Was offered, as a delete option, Edsel marked the introduction of the Teletouch push-button shifting system, mounted in the steering wheel hub. Edsels integrated many elements of the Ford Lifeguard safety package into its design. Along with optional seatbelts, Edsels featured a deep-dish steering wheel, double-latched doors, and childproof rear door locks. The model line was among the first to introduce remote-operated trunk opening and self-adjusting brakes. In

26076-545: 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

26240-458: 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

26404-456: 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

26568-508: Was the all-new Buick Series 50 coupe or sedan with a straight-eight engine with a similar appearance and a Fisher Body for US$ 1,540 ($ 28,088 in 2023 dollars ) while a LaSalle Series 340 sedan was listed at US$ 2,565 ($ 46,783 in 2023 dollars ). The 1931 LaSalle's engine was again upgraded and the Series 345-A appeared with the same appearance, engineering and optional equipment changes. Fisher and Fleetwood coachwork choices were again changed based on popularity, and additional optional equipment

26732-423: Was the only model priced to correctly compete with Mercury's mid-range Montclair Turnpike Cruiser model, as illustrated in the chart below. Edsel products were priced from $ 2,484 (equivalent to $ 25,583 in 2023) to $ 3,766 (equivalent to $ 38,787 in 2023). Not only was Edsel competing against its own sister divisions, but model for model, buyers did not understand what the cars were supposed to be—a step above

26896-585: Was too late. Model year sales of 32,000 LaSalles was a great improvement, but it remained far behind the Packard. A 1934 LaSalle Series 50 Model 350 was chosen as the Pace Car for the Indianapolis 500 , and a 1937 LaSalle Series 37-50 convertible also served as an Indy 500 Pace Car . In its final years, the LaSalle Series 39-50 was once again more Cadillac-like in its appearance and details, and

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