121-537: The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year. As General Motors ' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. It was a ground-up design on a new GM E platform debuting for the 1963 model year and was also Buick's first unique Riviera model. Unlike its subsequent GM E platform stablemates,
242-452: A Buick LeSabre coupe with unique styling (with quarter windows mimicking the 1975–78 Cadillac Eldorado). Unlike its LeSabre counterpart, the front fascia is vertical as opposed to slanted. It was reduced to a wheelbase of 115.9 in (2,940 mm), down 6.1 in (150 mm), and an overall length of 218.2 in (5,540 mm), down 4.8 in (120 mm). Weight was reduced by approximately 660 pounds (300 kg). The 455 engine
363-535: A Buick LeSabre , but slightly longer than a contemporary Thunderbird . At 3,998 pounds (1,813 kg), it was about 390 lb (180 kg) lighter than either. It shared the standard Buick V8 engines , with a displacement of either 401 cu in (6.6 L) or 425 cu in (7.0 L), and the unique continuously variable design twin turbine automatic transmission . Power brakes were standard, using Buick's massive "Al-Fin" ( aluminum finned) drums of 12.0 in (300 mm) diameter. Power steering
484-659: A 20 in (508 mm) reduction in length in the case of the Eldorado. Engines were also downsized, with V6 engines available in the Riviera and Toronado models for the first time. The Riviera was named the 1979 Motor Trend Car of the Year . Sales more than doubled to 52,181 for 1979 and reached 48,621 units for the similar 1980 models. Throughout the 1970s, American-built personal luxury cars had grown larger and more luxurious, resulting in heavier cars. However, engine power output decreased because of using six-cylinder engines or detuning
605-405: A choice of bucket seats or conventional bench seats as standard equipment, making the Riviera a full six-passenger car for the first time. Optionally available was a Strato-bench seat with armrest or Strato bucket seats with either a short console or a full-length operating console with a horseshoe-shaped floor shifter and storage compartment. Both the buckets and Strato-bench seat were available with
726-441: A collectible car. The Riviera was redesigned for the 1966 model year. It retained its cruciform X-frame , powertrain, and brakes, but its new body was longer, wider, and 200 pounds (91 kg) heavier. Vent windows, a feature GM had introduced in the 1930s, were absent. Headlamps remained concealed, but now pivoted behind the grille when not in use, and they were once again horizontal. The car's added weight slowed acceleration with
847-494: A combination of sports car and luxury car characteristics, typically two-door coupés or convertibles , typically with a small rear seat not intended for regular use by adults. Personal luxury car designs emphasize comfort and convenience, often highly equipped with interior features that were either optional or not available on other models. In contrast to the European grand tourer sporty luxury car, where high-speed performance
968-533: A dramatic fall in annual sales. The base price of the 1986 Eldorado increased by approximately 16% to $ 24,251, and production was reduced to about a quarter of what it had been just two years earlier. The Riviera and Toronado used Buick's 232 cu in (3.8 L) V6 engine, while Cadillac continued to use their 250 cu in (4.1 L) V8 engine. Similarly, the 1986 Riviera's base price increased substantially to $ 19,831, and sales plummeted to 22,138 for 1986, only 15,223 for 1987, and 8,625 for 1988 (although
1089-600: A great success, reaching 65,305 for the 1985 model year. Production Figures Personal luxury car Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and marketing to develop upscale, distinctive " platform sharing" models that became highly profitable. Although luxury coupes had been produced in North America for several decades,
1210-481: A key milestone in the decline of the personal luxury car. The 318 cu in (5.2 L) V8 engine produced only 140 hp (104 kW), Reaction in the motoring press was especially vicious, with Car and Driver referring to this Imperial as an outmoded all frosting automobile. Sales were poor. The Imperial was built on the Chrysler Cordoba (second generation) chassis, a car with declining sales, that
1331-403: A lack of buyer interest. The revised styling did not improve sales, which fell to 20,129 in 1974, although it is impossible to determine how much this was a result of the energy crisis and how much was due to the tame appearance. This generation introduced a novelty that later became federally mandated in a modified form, two high-mounted taillights above the trunk and below the rear window, which
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#17328515024531452-605: A mix of body, interior, and trim parts from the previous year's Ford Elite, Mercury Montego, and Mercury Cougar, plus unique styling for the rear bodywork. This generation became the best-selling in the history of the Ford Thunderbird. Helped by a $ 2,700 price reduction from 1976, over 318,000 sold in 1977 and 352,000 in 1978 (the best single sales year in Thunderbird history), followed by 295,000 in 1979. The 1978 Buick Regal , Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and
1573-430: A more conventional-looking "Colonnade" treatment which was more in line with its LeSabre and Electra brethren than its front-wheel drive cousins. This turned the car from a hardtop coupe into a pillared coupe , as it featured wide B pillars and fixed quarter opera windows . A landau half-vinyl roof option was available. The car did retain its forward-jutting grille, albeit in a slightly modified form. Thus modified,
1694-499: A platform shared with far less expensive models. The Eldorado represented 0.5% of Cadillac's total sales in 1953, with 1,690 Buick Skylarks, 458 Oldsmobile 98 Fiestas, and 750 Packard Caribbeans sold. The styling of 1950s luxury cars has been described as a "baroque excess". An example is the Continental Mark II introduced for the 1956 model year. With a price of approximately US$ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 112,069 in 2023) ,
1815-498: A popular story, Mitchell got the idea for the Riviera in Paris . He had originally envisaged the design for Cadillac Division, as a new La Salle , "a baby Cadillac". The Riviera also featured frameless glass in the front doors, giving hardtops an even sleeker look. An encounter with a shark, while skin diving in the Bahamas, inspired Mitchell's Corvette Shark show car, his Stingray racer and
1936-443: A quicker ratio steering box and firmer rated springs. The Super Turbine 400 transmission now had a variable pitch torque converter, but was fitted with a three-speed gear selector. The Gran Sport stock dual exhaust pipes were increased from 2.0 inches (51 mm) to 2.25 inches (57 mm) inside diameter and had fewer turns to reduce backpressure. Externally, the headlamps, now vertically arranged, were hidden behind clamshell doors in
2057-427: A reclining seat option for the passenger's side. Sales for 1966 rebounded to 45,308, a new record. For 1967, Buick replaced the 425 "Nailhead" with a 430 cu in (7.0 L) V8 . Its 360 hp (268 kW) and 475 lb⋅ft (644 N⋅m) of torque were a performance improvement. Gasoline mileage improved slightly, but remained low. Powerful disc brakes with Bendix four-piston calipers became optional for
2178-459: A sharp departure from those of the Toronado and Eldorado. ( Collectible Automobile ran an article about 1971–76 full-sized Buicks in which one sketch design for their 2-door coupes which was rejected resembled the 1971–73 Riviera). This generation introduced a much more visual representation of the " sweepspear ", with a more faithful representation to the version that appeared on 1950s Buicks in both
2299-576: A smaller high-volume model. Before the late 1970s, personal luxury cars were usually large, rear-wheel drive vehicles powered by large V8 engines. As a result of the downsizing trend in the American automotive industry during the late 1970s, many personal luxury cars have been produced as mid-size cars with six-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive. By the 21st century, the personal luxury market had diminished as consumers migrated to other market segments. Personal luxury cars are mass-market vehicles that have
2420-403: A specially tuned "radial roadability" suspension, additional sound insulation and special "Gran Sport" badging. The design changes however only led to a marginal increase in sales, with 34,080 being produced for the model year. Although carrying over the same platform, mechanicals, and some body panels seen on the "Third Generation" Riviera, Buick replaced its distinctive 'boat tail' roofline with
2541-516: A two-seater to a four-passenger car and the Chrysler 300C . To fill this gap, an experimental Cadillac design, the XP-715 , was created, dubbed the "LaSalle" after a former GM luxury marque. Its angular look was reportedly inspired by GM styling chief Bill Mitchell 's visit to London during the period, when he was struck by the sight of a custom-bodied Rolls-Royce . He later said that "knife-edged" styling
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#17328515024532662-527: A wheelbase (and overall length) that is 4.0 inches (102 mm) longer than a regular Buick Roadmaster or Super four-door sedan. The 1951–52 Buick Super four-door Riviera sedan is still 0.75 inches (19 mm) shorter in wheelbase and length than the regular Buick Roadmaster and 4.75 inches (121 mm) shorter than the Roadmaster four-door Riviera sedan. In 1953, with the move from the Fireball straight-eight to
2783-579: The Chevrolet Corvette . The first-generation Thunderbird was a two-seat car with a V8 engine, a suspension designed for comfort instead of handling , and available in either convertible (folding soft-top) or roadster (removable hardtop ) body styles. The Thunderbird was able to reach a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph), which is similar to many European grand tourers of the era. The Thunderbird's sporty luxury format, with more features, proved vastly more popular with American car buyers than
2904-715: The Continental Mark VI were down 50%. For the 1984 model year, Continental Mark VII was downsized to a mid-size car, with aerodynamic styling based on the Ford Fox platform shared with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. For 1986, General Motors drastically downsized the Cadillac Eldorado (eleventh generation) , Buick Riviera (seventh generation) and Oldsmobile Toronado (fourth generation) by 13–16 in (330–406 mm). With an Eldorado Coupe unit sales drop of 72% in 1986, seldom has any model experienced such
3025-587: The Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado , the Riviera was initially a front engine/rear-wheel drive platform, switching to front-wheel drive starting with the 1979 model year. While the early models stayed close to their original form, eight subsequent generations varied substantially in size and styling. A total of 1,127,261 Rivieras were produced. The Riviera name was resurrected for two concept cars that were displayed at auto shows in 2007 and in 2013. The name Riviera , Italian for coastline ,
3146-660: The Pontiac Grand Prix (third generation) downsized from being a full-size to a mid-size coupe in an attempt to reverse the declining sales of the Grand Prix model. Smaller than the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado, it was designed to be nimbler and more performance-oriented than the Ford Thunderbird and Buick Riviera. Sales reached over 112,000 units, almost quadruple the 32,000 full-sized models built in 1968. Due to rising insurance costs and emissions standards in
3267-408: The spartan Corvette sports car by selling 16,155 units in 1955, compared with 674 Corvettes, 809 Chrysler 300D , and 2,200 Studebaker Speedsters. This market signal set the stage for further development. The 1958 Ford Thunderbird became the first volume personal luxury car. The redesign added a rear seat in response to Ford's market research that the two-seat layout of the first generation
3388-481: The "Buick LaSalle" and later "Buick Riviera" concept cars, the finished design was adapted to a shortened version of Buick's existing cruciform frame . It was again introduced as a concept car in 1963 called the Buick Riviera Silver Arrow. Of the first generation Riviera, 112,544 units were produced in three years, divided into exactly 40,000 vehicles in the 1963 model year, as well as 37,658 for 1964 and
3509-675: The 'Bill Mitchell era'. Bill Mitchell was the son of a Buick dealer and developed a talent for sketching automobiles at an early age. He grew up in Greenville, Pennsylvania and New York City. Mitchell attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and later studied at the Art Students' League in New York, New York . After completing art school, Mitchell joined
3630-475: The 1959–1984 Cadillac DeVille, the 1963–1965 and 1966–1967 Buick Riviera , the 1961–1976 Corvette Stingray , the 1970–1981 Chevrolet Camaro , the 1976–1979 Cadillac Seville , and the 1980–1985 Cadillac Seville. Mitchell spent the entirety of his 42-year career in automobile design at General Motors, eventually becoming Vice President of Design, a position he held for 19 years until his retirement in 1977. His design stewardship at General Motors became known as
3751-598: The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray coupe, to the Riviera's platform. The design was originally intended for the smaller A-body or its related G-body , as shown by a full scale clay model of an A-body based boat-tail Riviera recently revealed. Given the late stage of the 1968-72 A/G platform evolution and accretive cost to add another version to it, GM Management decreed that the next Riviera use the full sized GM B platform body—expanded for 1971 by 3 in (76 mm) in wheelbase and more than 120 lb (54 kg) heavier— which produced controversial looks, making for
Buick Riviera - Misplaced Pages Continue
3872-547: The 1964 model year. The second was the 1963 Buick Riviera , which began life as the Cadillac LaSalle XP-715 concept car. However, General Motors management was not interested in the XP-715 concept for Cadillac and offered it up to a competition between interested divisions. Buick won based on its marketing presentation. Total sales for the 1963–1965 model years was 112,244. American Motors' first personal luxury car
3993-416: The 1975 model year. Foreign manufacturers took advantage of this American consumer trend. Notably Mercedes-Benz introduced the 450SL and SLC models . Total production was 237,287 (SL) and 62,888 (SLC), and North America was the key market for these models, with 2/3 of production officially sold there - before additional cars from the grey market . Mercedes-Benz were coy in their American ad copy about
4114-566: The 1977 model year, the Ford Thunderbird (seventh generation) was downsized to an intermediate-size platform (based on the Ford LTD II), shedding nearly 10 inches (254 mm) of length and 900 lb (408 kg) of weight. It was repositioned as the replacement for the Ford Elite and sold alongside the closely related Mercury Cougar (fourth generation) . The Thunderbird was assembled using
4235-464: The 1980 MY). The standard engine was now Buick's 125 hp (93 kW) 252 cu in (4.1 L) V6 , and a new option was an Oldsmobile diesel engine with a mere 105 hp (78 kW) offered through 1985. 1982 also saw the first-ever Riviera convertible , although relatively few were built, owing to a high price - US$ 23,944 ($ 75,597 in 2023 dollars ). The Riviera convertible was available in only two color choices-white or red firemist with
4356-550: The 1988 introduction of the Buick Reatta coupe may have cannibalized some Riviera sales that year). The final year of production for the rear-wheel-drive Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (fourth generation) was 1988, during which 27,678 were built. For the 1988 model year, GM moved the Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and Pontiac Grand Prix to versions based on its front-wheel-drive W-body platform . The Chevrolet Monte Carlo
4477-430: The 2005 model year. The longest-running nameplate of the personal luxury car was the 50-year production of the Cadillac Eldorado , which started in the 1953 model year, originally designating ultra-premium, low-volume versions of lower-priced Cadillac models, including the hand-built four-door 1957 Eldorado Brougham. According to Hemmings Motor News , Cadillac first entered the "personal luxury car" market in 1967, with
4598-540: The 401 cu in (6.6 L) V8 returned as the standard engine, and the "Gran Sport" version made its debut, powered by the Super Wildcat V8, a 360 hp (268 kW) engine equipped with two Carter 625 CFM carburetors, a distributor with different advance, and outfitted with a more aggressive 3.42 axle ratio. A heavy-duty suspension was the separate H2 option but was not part of the Gran Sport option. It offered
4719-599: The Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Chrysler Cordoba. During the mid-1970s, luxury features become more common in compact and subcompact cars. The 1978 Plymouth Sapporo coupe (a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda built in Japan ) was marketed as a personal luxury car, featuring a vinyl roof with stainless steel targa band , velour interior, "luxury" wheel covers with whitewall tires, and various power accessories. For
4840-474: The Eldorado's 50th model year (2002) would be its last. To mark the end of the nameplate, a limited production run of 1,596 cars was produced in red or white—the colors available on the original 1953 convertible. Production ended on April 22, 2002. The Lansing Craft Centre was retooled to build the Chevrolet SSR . The Ford Thunderbird (eleventh generation) was introduced for the 2002 model year. It retained
4961-466: The Gran Sport. Performance remained reasonably brisk, with a 0–60 mph time of 8.1 seconds for the GS, but the Riviera's sporty image was rapidly fading. One noteworthy advance was Buick's Max Trac traction control . The 1971 Riviera also features GM's "Full-Flo" ventilation system and two large deck lid louvers are prominent on the trunk lid. Despite these features, Riviera sales for 1971 dropped to 33,810,
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5082-551: The Mark III included hidden headlamps (with retractable body-colored covers), a Rolls-Royce-style grille, and a simulated spare tire on the trunk lid. The Mark III was the first American-made vehicle with radial tires as standard equipment. In what would become a three-decade rivalry, the 1969 model year Mark III sold 30,858 cars for the extended 1969 model year (although 7,770 were built in 1968), while Eldorado sold 23,333 units that year. The Mercury Marauder (second generation)
5203-627: The Mustang was downsized to become the subcompact Mustang II for 1974, leaving the Cougar XR-7 without a platform-mate. The Cougar XR-7 was marketed from 1974 through 1976 alongside the Ford Elite , styled to resemble the Thunderbird, and marketed at a lower price. The Cougar XR-7 was priced higher than the Elite and included more standard features, but sold about 60,000 units compared to almost 125,000 Elites during
5324-601: The New York City based Barron Collier Advertising where he prepared layouts and advertising illustrations, including U.S. advertisements for MG cars . While working at the agency, Mitchell met brothers Barron Collier Jr., Miles Collier and Sam Collier , who had founded the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) (a forerunner of the Sports Car Club of America) in 1931. Mitchell became the official illustrator of
5445-565: The October 1962 Paris Motor Show . Both followed the close coupled four-seater coupe with powerful engine formula, laid down by the 1958 Thunderbird. The first was the Studebaker Avanti . The Avanti featured a fiberglass body, an optional supercharged engine, and front disc brakes . It was marketed as "America's only four-passenger high-performance personal car". The company built 4,647 Avantis before Studebaker ended Avanti Production for
5566-605: The Pontiac Grand Prix were among the first of the personal luxury cars to be radically downsized, resulting in weight reductions of more than 900 pounds (408 kg) and exterior dimensions similar to compact cars (e.g. the Chevrolet Nova, Ford Granada and Dodge Dart). For 1979, Cadillac Eldorado (tenth generation) , Buick Riviera (sixth generation) and Oldsmobile Toronado (third generation) were downsized to an intermediate-sized front-wheel-drive platform, resulting in
5687-508: The Riviera for 1977 onto the new smaller GM B platform . While the other E-bodies were front wheel drive since 1966 (1967 for Cadillac's Eldorado), the Buick E platform used a rear-wheel-drive B-body undercarriage (along with the cruciform frame of pre-1965 GMs for the 1966–70 generation). All B-bodies (including C and D platform GM RWDs) were downsized for the 1977 model year which prompted the short-lived 1977/78 generation. It was, in most respects,
5808-482: The Riviera's exclusivity and to increase demand; only 2,601 were delivered with the delayed availability larger engine in the 1963 model year. With the same power as the bigger Buicks and less weight, the Riviera had improved all-around performance: Motor Trend recorded 0–60 miles per hour (0–97 km/h) in 8 seconds or less, the standing 1 ⁄ 4 mile (400 m) in about 16 seconds, and an observed top speed of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h). Fuel economy
5929-403: The Riviera's lighter weight made its ride somewhat firmer. While still biased towards understeer , contemporary testers considered it one of the most driveable American cars, with an excellent balance of comfort and agility. Buick's 325 hp (242 kW) 401 cu in (6.6 L) "Nailhead" V-8 was initially the only available engine, fitted with dual exhaust as standard equipment, and
6050-514: The Roadmaster and Super lines at the beginning of the following model year. However, since it was a body style designation and not a model, the Riviera name does not usually appear on the car. In 1959, Buick became much more selective in applying the Riviera name. From then until 1962 it only was used to denote a premium trimmed six-window hardtop style which it initially shared exclusively with Cadillac (the Oldsmobile 98 would receive it in 1961) and
6171-640: The V8 engines to comply with increasingly strict vehicle emissions standards . Along with the reduced straight-line performance, the cars also had poor fuel economy. They also needed to meet the rising corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) regulations set by the United States Secretary of Transportation via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . The 1981 Imperial (sixth generation) by Chrysler Corporation marked
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#17328515024536292-558: The Year and a nomination for the North American Car of the Year in its first year. However, many publications did not regard the Thunderbird's revival that highly. It garnered a place on Car and Driver magazine's 2009 list of "The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History". Sales did not meet Ford's expectations and the Thunderbird was discontinued in 2005. The 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (sixth generation)
6413-402: The actual drop in net power was only 5 hp (4 kW). Sales remained stagnant at 33,728, a drop of 82 from the prior year. For 1973, the Riviera underwent a number of changes. The front bumper was redesigned to be thicker and featured bumper guards as standard in order to meet 1974 impact-bumper standards, the grille was switched back to horizontal slats, and the front lamps were moved from
6534-422: The beginning of the "personal luxury car" market segment is generally considered to have started in 1958. It was the success of the Ford Thunderbird (second generation) when it was redesigned from a two-seat car to a four-seat vehicle. These changes shifted the Thunderbird's emphasis from sporting to comfort and luxury, and sales increased by 50 percent. The Thunderbird was sold for eleven generations up until
6655-405: The bumper and were now integrated into the headlights, wrapping around the corners of the car. Sluggish sales of the third generation Riviera led GM to believe that the boattail deck lid was too radical for most customers' tastes, so in 1973 it was blunted and made slightly shorter. The taillights, meanwhile, were moved down from the sheet metal and into the bumper, and the rear license plate location
6776-399: The car being a sports car, advising potential buyers "Spoil Yourself" and asking "How can a 2-seater weighing 3,500 pounds loaded down with an automatic transmission and luxury power amenities be considered a sports car?." The 450SL addressed the same market niche as the 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbird personal car , which had similar categorization issues. The mid-size Chrysler Cordoba
6897-401: The car looked far less distinctive than its predecessors, and even its platform mates, the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado . The tamer-looking Riviera was no lighter, and its standard 455 V8 lost more power, dropping to 230 hp (172 kW) and 245 hp (183 kW) for standard and Stage One models respectively. Max Trac was dropped from the option list after 1974 due to
7018-439: The car reached a suitable speed to downshift to first. This was the first year of the stylized "R" emblem, a trademark that would continue throughout the remainder of Riviera's 36-year production run. The engine was upgraded to the previously optional 340 hp (254 kW) 425 cu in (7.0 L) V8. A 360 hp (268 kW) 'Super Wildcat' version was available, with dual Carter AFB four-barrel carburetors . In 1965
7139-874: The club and his sketches for the club eventually came to the attention of Harley Earl , then head of General Motors Art and Color Section. Based on sketches Mitchell created as the official illustrator for the ARCA, Harley Earl recruited Mitchell to General Motors' then new Art and Color Section on December 15, 1935. In 1936 Earl appointed Mitchell as the Chief Designer in the then newly created Cadillac design studio. On May 1, 1954 Mitchell became General Motors Director of Styling under Harley Earl. In December 1958, Harley Earl reached GM's mandatory retirement age of 65 and thus retired from his position as chief stylist. The 46-year-old Mitchell succeeded him as General Motors Vice President, Styling Section. Mitchell set out to break with
7260-430: The cost was equivalent to a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud , and 3,012 Mark IIs were sold from 1955 until 1957. It was produced in the two-door hardtop body style with extensive standard equipment for the time that included power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, power vent windows, leather interior, and a tachometer. The only option was air conditioning for $ 595. The Ford Thunderbird , released in 1955,
7381-407: The doors and below the rear side windows. Extra-cost options included a tilt steering wheel, power windows, power driver's seat, air conditioning, a remote-controlled side-view mirror, and white sidewall tires. Minimal trim and mechanical changes were made for 1964, with the most identifiable distinguishing features being a raised stylized "R" hood emblem and "R" emblems replacing the Buick crests in
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#17328515024537502-453: The downsized Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was introduced for 1970 and was sold alongside the larger Oldsmobile Toronado. The base price of the Monte Carlo and Cutlass Supreme were much lower than the Grand Prix. However, all three models were priced similarly if they were ordered with the same level of equipment. Nonetheless, it is claimed that Chevrolet and Pontiac "took personal luxury cars to
7623-492: The downsized GM B platform before the 1979 redesign on the FWD E-platform. For 1978, a special "LXXV" edition was released to commemorate Buick's 75th anniversary on the market. Production total was 2,889 and included special silver & black paint with gray leather seats with black trim, four-wheel disc brakes, brushed chrome trim, deep pile carpeting, and special LXXV name plates. Production Figures The 1979 model year
7744-504: The dramatic styling of the second generation 1965 rear-engine Corvair , which, like other GM models introduced for that year, used curved side-window glass to enhance its "Coke Bottle" profile. During the 1973–74 energy crisis, which brought on a greater demand for smaller cars in place of the larger cars that had been GM's bread and butter profit machine for decades, Mitchell oversaw the styling and design efforts of GM's downsized full-sized and intermediate-sized cars which were introduced in
7865-455: The early 1970s, the muscle car's decline coincided with a strong upswing in the personal luxury segment as American buyers shifted emphasis from performance to comfort. Offsetting this, the 1973 and 1979 oil crises impacted upon demand for cars with relatively poor fuel economy. The 1970s personal luxury models were marketed based on luxury, not performance. They were conventional in design and shared many parts with lesser models. Due to
7986-463: The first front-wheel drive personal luxury car. The Toronado provided the platform for the Cadillac Eldorado (eighth generation) to switch to a smaller high volume 'personal luxury' front-wheel drive layout the following year. Up until 1967, personal luxury cars were grouped with muscle cars and pony cars as the "specialty cars" classification. Rather than marketing to broad income classes as with their standard models, each of these car classes
8107-406: The front wheels but most Riviera continued to be ordered with Buick's highly capable ribbed aluminum brake drums. Cosmetically, changes were few and were limited to the addition of a wide, full-width, center-mounted horizontal chrome grille bar that stretched over the headlight doors and outboard parking lights. Sales were 42,799 for the 1967 model year. The Riviera had full instrumentation. 1967 saw
8228-405: The introduction of U.S. mandated safety equipment to improve occupant crash protection, including an energy-absorbing steering column, non-protruding control knobs, 4-way hazard flasher, soft interior surfaces, locking seatbacks (on 2-door models), a dual-circuit hydraulic braking system (with warning light), and shoulder belt anchors. 1968 models had reshaped loop-type bumpers that surrounded both
8349-404: The last model year 1965 with 34,586 vehicles. The production Riviera was introduced on October 4, 1962, as a 1963 model, its distinctive bodyshell was unique to the marque, unusual for a GM product. The design was substantially the same as the original, less expensively hidden headlights concealed in the fender grilles. The elegant ground-up styling sported the new " Coke bottle look " introduced
8470-505: The late 1970s, some of the last designs that he would lead—and all largely based on themes first developed in his 1976 Cadillac Seville. However, when it came to compact and subcompact cars, Mitchell, who often struggled with alcoholism, reflected that "Small cars are like vodka. Sure people will try them out but they won't stay with them." Mitchell stepped down as chief stylist in July 1977 following his 65th birthday. The last car he designed at GM
8591-421: The leading edges of each fender, as had been in the original design. The non-functional side scoops between the doors and rear wheel arches were removed, and the taillights moved from the body into the rear bumper. A vinyl roof became available as an option, offered only in black, and the tilt steering wheel, optional in previous years, was now standard equipment. Total sales for the 1963 through 1965 model years
8712-423: The lowest to date. The 1972 Riviera received a new, egg-crate grille, more substantial front bumpers to prepare for the new 5-mph impact legislation , restyled taillight trim, and the louvers were removed from the trunk lid. The 1972 Riviera also featured a redesigned ventilation system, and the 455 engine switched to net power ratings, 225 hp (168 kW) or 250 hp (186 kW) in the Gran Sport, although
8833-511: The market for personal luxury cars to decline even more. The Oldsmobile Toronado was discontinued in 1992. The Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar were discontinued after the 1997 model year (although the Cougar nameplate was revived for 1999 as a mid-size sport compact ). The Lincoln Mark VIII , introduced for 1993, was discontinued in 1998, thereby ending the Mark series. The total production of Mark VIII
8954-486: The masses". The introduction of the Monte Carlo and Cutlass Supreme did cut into the Grand Prix's dominance, and sales dropped 40%. The 1972 Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation) had a significant increase in size over the previous generation, making it larger than most other personal luxury cars. The 1974 Mercury Cougar XR-7 was upsized to an intermediate platform (shared with the Ford Torino and Mercury Montego), since
9075-512: The more compact Fireball V8 engine, the Roadmaster and Super four-door Riviera sedans became the same length. In the middle of the 1955 model year, Buick and Oldsmobile introduced the world's first mass-produced four-door hardtops, with Buick offering it only on the Century and Special models, and the Riviera designation was also applied to these body styles. Four-door Riviera hardtops were added to
9196-472: The most beautiful American cars ever built; it has marked a very impressive return to simplicity of American car design." At its debut at the Paris Auto Show , Raymond Loewy said the Riviera was the most handsome American production car—apart from his own Studebaker Avanti , in his view the Riviera's only real competition for 1963. The first-generation Riviera is considered a styling landmark and has become
9317-460: The new front bumper wrapped around and over the new vertical bar grille. A pronounced side trim and skirted rear wheels were standard, with optional exposed wheels. The rear used revised bumper and taillights. The engine was upgraded to 455 cu in (7.5 L), the largest engine Buick offered to date, rated at 370 hp (276 kW) gross, 245 hp (183 kW) net, and over 500 lb⋅ft (680 N⋅m) of torque. 1970 sales were 37,366,
9438-537: The official illustrator of the Automobile Racing Club of America before being recruited by Harley Earl to join the Art and Color Section of General Motors in 1935. Mitchell is responsible for creating or influencing the design of over 72.5 million automobiles produced by GM, including such landmark vehicles as the 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special , the 1949 Cadillac Coupe deVille , the 1955–1957 Chevrolet Bel Air ,
9559-416: The only interior color of red leather. A twin-turbocharged Riviera convertible was chosen to be the pace car at the 1983 Indianapolis 500 , tuned to produce 410 hp (306 kW). Most convertible Rivieras had the V8 engine, which saw an increase in rated SAE net HP to 150 for both convertibles and coupes fitted with it from 1982 through the 1985 model year. In 1983 a special edition of 500 "Riviera XX"
9680-421: The production 1963 Corvette Stingray , largely designed by Larry Shinoda , under Mitchell's direction. The designs for both the 1963 Corvette and the 1963 Riviera were accepted by their respective divisions on Christmas Eve 1961, in what Mitchell referred to as perhaps the greatest moment of his life. Mitchell's fondness for split rear windows as featured on the 1957 Buick and on the 1963 Corvette Stingray coupe
9801-409: The second-generation Riviera proved more successful than the first, with 227,669 units sold over five the years. The Riviera was radically redesigned for the 1971 model year with flowing and dramatic "boat-tail" styling. Designed under Bill Mitchell's direction, it was penned by Jerry Hirshberg , future head of design for Nissan , mating the two-piece vee-butted fastback rear window, inspired by
9922-514: The side molding and beltline . Large, round wheel openings were intended to convey more of a sporty air. The only engine available was Buick's own 455 ci V8 engine producing 315 hp (235 kW), with 330 hp (246 kW) with the Gran Sport (GS) package. The 455 engine had a lower compression ratio to meet EPA emissions requirements, together with the shift from SAE gross to SAE net ratings this reduced claimed power to 255 hp (190 kW), with 265 hp (198 kW) in
10043-499: The steering column and locked the steering wheel and selector lever when the key was removed (a security feature that became mandatory for the 1970 model year). Chrome side trim was revised, as well. At the rear, the reverse lights moved from the rear bumper to new three-section tail-light lenses. Sales for 1969 were 52,872. The 1970 Riviera was restyled, incorporating design cues from Bill Mitchell's 1968 "Silver Arrow II" concept car. Exposed quad headlamps were nearly flush-mounted, while
10164-417: The styling cues used under Harley Earl , wanting to eliminate chrome excess, fat fins and similar signature marks. In the 60s, Mitchell promoted what he called the "sheer look," a more aerodynamic , "shoulderless" drop off from a car's windows to its sides. Mitchell gave GM designers the assignment of combining Rolls-Royce and Ferrari styling cues to create Buick's classic 1963 Riviera . According to
10285-541: The success of the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, other GM divisions followed suit and introduced similar cars in 1970. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo — considered an upscale vehicle for GM's lowest-priced division— was slightly shorter than the Grand Prix due to being built on the Chevrolet Chevelle platform. The Monte Carlo was marketed as providing "elegance and prestige", however, some reviewers found it more similar to Chevrolet's more utilitarian models. The coupe model of
10406-507: The taillight lenses. The interior is distinguished by moving the heater controls from controls under the dashboard eyebrow to slide controls in the forward fairing of the center console. Leather was dropped as an option, and the Dynaflow twin-turbine transmission was replaced by a new three-speed Super Turbine 400 . This was a GM Turbo Hydra-Matic. It used a two-speed "D" and 'L" selector, but could automatically downshift from third to second until
10527-461: The time promoted them as "sports cars." This connoted "anything with a convertible top, lots of performance, a few unique styling touches, and top-of-the-line price tag. These included the Cadillac Eldorado , Buick Roadmaster Skylark , Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta , Imperial Newport , Chrysler New Yorker , Chrysler 300 and Chrysler Windsor , Packard Hawk , and Packard Caribbean . All models had two-door convertible or hardtop body styles, built on
10648-591: The traditional rear-wheel drive layout and was based on the Ford DEW platform . With styling cues from the original 1955 through 1957 Thunderbirds, it was part of an early-2000s retro styling trend that included the Volkswagen New Beetle , Chrysler PT Cruiser , Plymouth/Chrysler Prowler and Mini Hatch . It was initially well received by the automotive press, garnering accolades such as the Motor Trend Car of
10769-421: The transmission lost its variable pitch torque converter. A tilt steering wheel was standard. Sales set another new record in 1968, as 49,284 units were sold. For the 1969 model year, grilles gained a pattern of fine vertical bars overlaid by two wider horizontal bars. Front marker lights became far shorter and square. Front outboard headrests were revised. The ignition switch was moved from the instrument panel to
10890-530: The turbine drive the only transmission. Base price was $ 4,333 ($ 43,645 in 2023 dollars ), running upwards of $ 5,000 delivered with typical options ($ 50,363 in 2023 dollars ). Buick announced an optional 340 hp (254 kW) 425 cu in (7.0 L) version of the Nailhead in December 1962. Total production was deliberately limited to 40,000 vehicles (in a year that Buick sold 440,000 units overall) to emphasize
11011-432: The unchanged 425 engine. The Gran Sport package remained available as an option. Rear seat belts and AM/FM radio were optional. The new front-wheel drive Oldsmobile Toronado shared the Riviera platform, and, a year later, the also front-wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado — the Riviera retaining the rear-wheel drive layout. Inside, the four-place cabin with front and rear bucket seats and center console were replaced by
11132-468: The vehicle's recessed crosshatch front grille and tail lamps. Hidden wiper arms debuted. Federally mandated side marker lights appeared, as inverted trapezoids on the lower leading edges of the front fenders, and circular in the rear. The interior was restyled and for the first time shared its instrument panel with the other full-size Buick models. Shoulder belts for front outboard occupants were made standard on all cars built from January 1, 1968. Mechanically,
11253-544: The year before on the arresting Studebaker Avanti , with a tapered midsection surrounded by flaring fenders. There was no trace of the " Sweepspear " used on beltlines of earlier Buicks with the Riviera package. It rode a cruciform frame similar to the standard Buick chassis, but shorter and narrower, with a 2 in (51 mm) narrower track. Its wheelbase of 117.0 inches (2,970 mm) and overall length of 208.0 inches (5,280 mm) were 6.0 in (150 mm) and 7.7 in (200 mm) shorter, respectively, than
11374-479: Was 112,244. The Riviera was well received by the motoring press and considered a great success, giving the Thunderbird its first real competition as America's preeminent personal luxury car . It has since earned Milestone status from the Milestone Car Society. Jaguar founder and designer Sir William Lyons remarked that Mitchell had done "a very wonderful job," and Sergio Pininfarina declared it "one of
11495-503: Was 13.2 mpg ‑US (17.8 L/100 km; 15.9 mpg ‑imp ). Front leg room was 40.1 inches (1,019 mm). Inside, the Riviera featured a luxurious four-place cabin with front bucket seats and bucket-style seats in the rear. A center console with a floor shifter and storage compartment built into the instrument panel divided the front. Upholstery choices included all-vinyl, cloth and vinyl, or optional leather. A deluxe interior option included real walnut inserts on
11616-429: Was also influenced by the retro trend, incorporating styling cues from its 1970s and 1980s predecessors. The Monte Carlo was the final, personal luxury car in production when it was discontinued at the end of the 2007 model year. Bill Mitchell (designer) William Leroy Mitchell (July 2, 1912 – September 12, 1988) was an American automobile designer . Mitchell worked briefly as an advertising illustrator and as
11737-520: Was available for 1969 and 1970 as its model line of personal luxury cars in base and X-100 trim. The Marauder utilized Ford's redesigned XL hardtop's wheelbase that was 3-inch (76 mm) shorter than other full-sized Mercury models and included a 429 cu in (7.0 L) V8 engine. It featured hidden headlamps, a flying buttress-style roofline with available matte-black rear and trunk lid finish, rear fender skirts as well as five-spoke aluminum wheels with white wall bias-ply tires. Also, for 1969,
11858-578: Was available only on the Electra 225 . The last usage of the term Riviera to describe a luxury trim level was 1963, as the formal designation of the #4829 Electra 225 Riviera four-door hardtop, the same year the E-body model two-door hardtop coupe Riviera made its debut. In the late 1950s, GM lacked a personal luxury car to compete with the highly successful Ford Thunderbird —a uniquely styled, two-door that had dramatically increased in popularity when expanded from
11979-563: Was chosen to evoke the allure and affluence of the French Riviera . It first entered the Buick line in 1949, as the designation for the new two-door pillarless hardtop , described in advertising as "stunningly smart". The Buick Roadmaster Riviera coupe (along with the Cadillac Coupe de Ville and Oldsmobile 98 Holiday coupe) constituted the first mass production use of this body style, which
12100-545: Was discontinued after a short 1988 model year run (replaced by the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina mid-size coupe). With the discontinuation of the Chevrolet Celebrity and Pontiac 6000 , the Regal, Cutlass Supreme, and Grand Prix moved from the personal luxury segment to the conventional mid-size segment and were also offered in the four-door sedan body style. In the early 1990s, the trend towards four-door sedans and SUVs caused
12221-511: Was discontinued in 1983. The 1980 model year Ford Thunderbird (eighth generation) and Mercury Cougar (fifth generation) were downsized to a mid-size car and described by some as "stodgy-looking". Sales were drastically reduced, resulting in extensive revisions for the 1983 model year. While remaining a personal luxury coupe, the redesign of the Thunderbird and Cougar introduced highly aerodynamic body design to Ford vehicles in North America and significantly increased sales. In 1981, sales of
12342-448: Was dropped for 1975, though the Gran Sport handling package would continue to be offered. The standard engine's output dipped to 205 hp (153 kW). Sales for 1975 were 17,306. Minor changes greeted 1976 models, the most notable of which was a new crosshatch grille insert. The Gran Sport handling package was replaced by an 'S/R' package that had similar sporting pretensions. Sales rallied slightly to 20,082 for 1976. Buick downsized
12463-657: Was installed in the Riviera S-Type, shared with the Regal Sport Coupe turbo for model year 1980. The Riviera became Motor Trend 's Car of the Year . Sales more than doubled, to 52,181 for 1979 and 48,621 for the similar 1980 models. 1981 saw the Turbo renamed T-Type and the demise of the 350 engine in favor of the Oldsmobile-built 307 cu in (5.0 L) with 140 hp (104 kW) (phased in during
12584-595: Was introduced in 1975 as the company's first coupe produced specifically for the personal luxury market (despite the company declaring earlier that there would "never be a smaller Chrysler"). The Cordoba used vintage styling cues like Rolls-Royce -style radiator grilles, opera windows , and vinyl roofs . By 1975, other models that had entered the personal luxury car segment included the AMC Matador (second generation) , Buick Regal , Dodge Charger (fourth generation) . The two highest-selling personal luxury cars for 1975 were
12705-507: Was key, the American personal luxury car typically blunted performance by mating large engines to heavy vehicles. The cars were usually mass-produced and often shared major mechanical components with other models from the manufacturer to reduce production costs. The initial luxury cars of this category during the 1950s in the United States were expensive, niche market , low-volume vehicles. Described as "quasi-custom" models, marketers at
12826-439: Was limiting sales. The convertible/roadster body style was replaced by two models, a fixed hardtop and convertible. Sales totaled 198,191 over three model years, approximately four times that of the earlier two-seat model. The Thunderbird received the 1958 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. Two competitors inspired by the continued marketplace success of the four-seat Thunderbird appeared for model year 1963, both shown at
12947-462: Was marketed as a personal car and is often credited with playing a key role in the creation of the personal luxury car segment. In the early 1950s, both Ford and General Motors were developing competitors to address what they perceived as the growing popularity of the European sports car niche in the North American market. The result was the Ford Thunderbird , Studebaker Speedster , and
13068-503: Was moved from the left side of the bumper to the center. The 250 hp (186 kW) engine became standard, with 260 hp (194 kW) with the Stage One package. This also included a limited-slip differential and a chrome-plated air cleaner. The "Gran Sport" package was still available as a separate option package consisting of a ride-and-handling package that included a rear stabilizer bar, JR78-15 whitewall steel-belted radial tires,
13189-549: Was not shared by some of his fellow stylists or the buying public and both cars dropped the feature after a measure of public resistance. The split rear window would be eliminated (and re-worked into one pane of curved glass) for the 1964 Corvette coupe. The 1963-1967 Stingray (in both coupe and roadster editions), with its slightly bulged front and rear quarter-panels, would be one of the first General Motors cars to feature what came to be known as "Coke bottle" styling, creating an aggressive and muscular look. Mitchell also influenced
13310-407: Was offered, celebrating twenty years since the introduction of the first Riviera (502 were built in the end). These have a special two-tone exterior paint, real wire wheels, a leather, and walnut interior as well as 24-karat gold plated "Riviera XX" badging. The Riviera XX also received a special grille, which then became part of the 1984 model year facelift model. Overall sales made the 1980s Riviera
13431-425: Was released, moving further upmarket and with a four-door pillarless hardtop body style being added. The Continental Mark III two-door coupe was introduced for the 1969 model year as the flagship vehicle of Ford Motor Company and as a successor to the 1956 and 1957 Continental Mark II . The Mark III was based on the chassis of the Ford Thunderbird (fifth generation) to lower development costs. Styling features of
13552-470: Was replaced by a 350 cu in (5.7 L) Buick V8 engine with 155 hp (116 kW) or an Oldsmobile-built 403 cu in (6.6 L) with 185 hp (138 kW). California models had a 170 hp (127 kW) Oldsmobile 350 . Sales were up modestly to 26,138 for 1977 and then fell to 20,535 for 1978, although this was a stopgap model until the all-new E-body cars would be ready for 1979. The 1977 and 1978 Rivieras were produced on
13673-430: Was shared on its platform twin the Toronado. For 1975, the Riviera received an updated front fascia, which lost its forward-jutting theme through the redesign of the fiberglass front end cap. Quad rectangular headlights were mounted horizontally. The new vertical-bar grille echoed the "stand-up" theme that many GM cars of the day incorporated. Parking lights wrapped around the fender sides. The Stage One performance package
13794-499: Was slightly more than 126,000 units. General Motors ended production of the Buick Riviera in 1998, with 1,956 cars produced in the final model year. For the 1995 model year, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo was re-introduced and built on the front-wheel drive GM W-body platform. It was the two-door coupe version of the updated Lumina four-door sedan replacing the previous year's Lumina two-door coupe. In 2001, General Motors announced that
13915-412: Was standard equipment, with an overall steering ratio of 20.5:1, giving 3.5 turns lock-to-lock. The Riviera's suspension used Buick's standard design, with double wishbones in the front and a live axle located by trailing arms and a lateral track bar in the rear, but the roll centers were lowered to reduce body lean. Although its coil springs were actually slightly softer than other Buicks,
14036-468: Was targeted by the automakers to smaller and more specific market niches while offering long lists of options to satisfy consumer demands for individuality. For 1967, the AMC Marlin was increased in size but still considered an intermediate, a "larger 3+3 family coupe designed to appeal to the market's trend toward bigger cars with more appointments." Also for 1967, the Ford Thunderbird (fifth generation)
14157-667: Was the intermediate -sized 1965 Rambler Marlin . The Marlin was described as "unusual, distinctive and in a class by itself". Its design feature is the fastback roofline that terminates at the rear bumper. It was renamed as the AMC Marlin for 1966 to focus it on the personal luxury market. The Dodge Charger was introduced in 1966 and is similar in size to the AMC Marlin. The cars like the Charger were still classified "specialty cars" as they were not muscle cars but included premium trim and other features. The 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado became
14278-471: Was the 1977 Pontiac Phantom concept, which now resides at the Sloan Museum . He was also instrumental in the design of what would become the 1980–1985 Cadillac Seville. On August 1, 1977, Irv Rybicki succeeded Mitchell as Vice President of General Motors Design. Following his retirement from General Motors, Mitchell ran William L. Mitchell Design, a private design-consulting firm, from 1977 to 1984. He
14399-538: Was the debut of the first front wheel drive Riviera, which was also the first front-drive production model in Buick history. Built on a 114 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase, it once again shared its mechanical design and platform with the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado . The Olds 403 and Buick 350 were dropped, but the Olds 350 remained, as did a new turbocharged Buick V6 engine of 231 cu in (3.8 L) displacement with 185 hp (138 kW) which
14520-632: Was to become popular over the next 30 years. Buick added a two-door Riviera hardtop to the Super the following year, the Special in 1951, and the Century upon its return, after a 12-year absence, in 1954. From 1951 to 1953 the Riviera designation was given to the existing long-wheelbase versions of the four-door Buick Roadmaster and Super sedans . The 1951–53 Buick Roadmaster and Super four-door Riviera sedans feature more standard features, more plush interior trim, and
14641-475: Was what he wanted for the new model, but with a lower profile. The design itself was penned by stylist Ned Nickles. When Cadillac passed on the venture in 1960 the project was thrown open for competition by the other GM Divisions. Buick, desperate to revive its flagging sales, won the competition by enlisting the aid of the McCann-Erickson advertising agency to create its presentation. Initially referred to as
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