Buick is one of those rare brands that somehow managed to be everywhere and overlooked at the same time. It sat in a strange space between Oldsmobile and Cadillac, offering comfort without the flash, performance without the showboating, and innovation without shouting about it. While many people associate the brand with retirees and slow left-lane cruising, those who know their history recognize Buick as a quiet innovator, a name that has built some of the best cars America has ever produced.
Let us take a moment to set the record straight and appreciate 19 times Buick absolutely nailed it.
1. Buick GNX (1987)
The GNX was the four-wheeled equivalent of a mic drop. Buick took the already potent Grand National, partnered with ASC and McLaren, and turned it into a black-on-black missile. Turbocharged, intercooled, and deceptively fast, it was capable of sub-5-second 0 to 60 runs back in 1987. It outran Corvettes, embarrassed European sports cars, and became a dragstrip legend.
This was Buick off the leash, and for one glorious year, they built a monster that still holds a place in the muscle car hall of fame.
2. Buick Regal Grand National (1984–1987)
Before the GNX was unleashed, the Grand National was already rewriting Buick’s image. With its turbocharged 3.8-litre V6, Darth Vader paint job, and square-shouldered stance, it was unlike anything else coming out of Detroit at the time. It turned Buick into a performance brand overnight.
This was the muscle car reimagined for a new era, fast, efficient, and mean-looking.
3. Buick Riviera (1963)
The 1963 Riviera was not just beautiful. It was breathtaking. Styled by Bill Mitchell and inspired by Rolls Royce and Ferrari, the Riviera blended European sophistication with American muscle in a way no other brand dared. It had hidden headlights, a sculpted body, and a 401 Nailhead V8 under the hood.
This was grand touring done the American way, sleek, powerful, and dripping with presence.
4. Buick Skylark GSX (1970)
Muscle cars were everywhere in 1970, but none of them came with the monstrous torque and polish of the Buick GSX. With a 455 cubic inch engine delivering 510 pound-feet of torque, it was the undisputed torque king of the era. It also came with wild colours, stripes, and a massive rear spoiler.
Unlike many of its flashier rivals, the GSX could deliver face-flattening acceleration and still cruise quietly across town. It was brutish but refined, and that made it unforgettable.
5. Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon (1994–1996)
Yes, it was a station wagon. Yes, it was shaped like a loaf of bread. And yes — it had the Corvette’s LT1 V8 engine. The Roadmaster Estate was the perfect sleeper for the dad who wanted muscle but needed room for hockey gear. With wood panelling, rear-facing third-row seats, and genuine street cred, this wagon was the last great hurrah for American full-size family haulers.
You could cruise all day in comfort, tow a boat, and still surprise Mustangs at the stoplight.
6. Buick Reatta (1988–1991)
Quirky? Definitely. But also beautifully made and unique. The Reatta was hand-assembled in a special facility, packed with high-tech touches like a digital dashboard and a touchscreen interface in the late 1980s. It was Buick’s small luxury coupe that did not try to be anything else.
It is one of those cars that was underappreciated in its time but now enjoys cult status for its craftsmanship and charm.
7. Buick Regal GS (2012–2017)
This was Buick sneaking into the sports sedan game, and doing it well. Built on the Opel Insignia chassis and blessed with all-wheel drive, Brembo brakes, and a punchy turbocharged engine, the Regal GS could handle its own on a twisty road.
You could even get it with a six-speed manual, making it one of the last sporty mid-size sedans that felt designed for the driver.
8. Buick Limited (1958)
If Chrome were currency, the 1958 Buick Limited would have bought the entire city of Detroit. It was extravagance on wheels, a car designed at the peak of America’s love affair with excess. But it was also gorgeously made, packed with luxury, and floated like a yacht.
Even Elvis owned one. Enough said.
9. Buick Electra 225 (1960s–1970s)
Nicknamed the “Deuce and a Quarter,” this Buick was a rolling status symbol. With acres of sheet metal and cloud-like ride quality, it epitomized American luxury. It came with power everything, V8 smoothness, and the kind of cabin that looked like a mid-century modern lounge.
The Electra was not built to hustle. It was built to glide. And it did that better than just about anything else.
10. Buick Wildcat (1962–1970)
The Wildcat was Buick’s sporty big coupe — a car that combined serious horsepower with an elegant shape and confident attitude. It offered big block power and cool factor without screaming for attention. If the GSX was the muscle car hero, the Wildcat was the suave older brother who smoked cigars and drank bourbon.
11. Buick Invicta (1959–1963)
The Invicta flew under the radar, but it represented one of Buick’s most balanced efforts. With clean styling, respectable power, and a smooth chassis, it was the perfect grand touring car for the era. While it may not have gotten the spotlight it deserved, collectors today know it as one of Buick’s hidden gems.
12. Buick LaCrosse Super (2008)
A V8-powered front wheel drive sedan? On paper, the LaCrosse Super sounded odd. But on the road, it was a smooth, muscular, and surprisingly fast cruiser. With a 303 horsepower 5.3-litre V8 and GM’s excellent Magnetic Ride Control, this Buick could hustle with surprising composure.
It was one of the last times Buick offered a real performance sleeper for grown-ups.
13. Buick LeSabre T Type (1980s)
The LeSabre T Type took a traditionally soft and floaty car and gave it a little attitude. With firmer suspension, blacked-out trim, bucket seats, and a center console shifter, it felt more like a BMW than a Buick. While it was still a big car, it showed Buick’s willingness to lean into sporty territory without abandoning its comfort roots.
14. Buick Park Avenue Ultra (1990s)
This was Buick being Buick in the best possible way. The Park Avenue Ultra came with the legendary supercharged 3800 Series II V6, plush leather everything, and more insulation than a luxury condo. It was the car your successful uncle drove. Quiet, confident, and capable of surprising acceleration when needed.
15. Buick Lucerne Super (2008)
Another V8 Buick that deserved more love. The Lucerne Super packed a Northstar engine under its hood and rode like a luxury liner. It was conservative in style but confident in execution. And when you put your foot down, that smooth V8 reminded you that Buick could still deliver serious power wrapped in silence.
16. Buick Series 40 Special (1936)
Long before most of the muscle and luxury cars came to be, Buick was already producing elegant, well-crafted machines. The Series 40 Special was an example of 1930s style at its finest, with wide fenders, tall grilles, and graceful proportions. It showed that Buick had design chops even in the prewar era.
17. Buick Roadmaster Sedan (1991–1996)
Same V8 powertrain as the Estate Wagon, but with four doors and even more space. This was a car built for the open highway. It felt like a return to old school American luxury — rear wheel drive, torque rich, and made for long journeys in absolute comfort.
18. Buick Velite Concept (2004)
The Velite never saw production, but it should have. This concept car looked stunning with its long hood and convertible body, and it was one of the first times Buick hinted at going rear wheel drive again. It was modern, elegant, and left people wondering what might have been.
19. Buick Enclave (2008–Present)
The Enclave helped save Buick in the 2000s. It was luxurious, spacious, and quiet — everything you would expect from a premium SUV without the luxury badge price. It proved that Buick could compete in the modern era and stay true to its comfortable, premium DNA.
Buick Was Never Boring, Just Underestimated
For over a century, Buick has delivered powerful engines, elegant interiors, and some of the most well balanced cars in American history. From muscle car legends to digital dashboard pioneers, Buick has always had the ability to surprise, impress, and endure.
Maybe it was not always the loudest brand in the room. But time and time again, Buick got it right.
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