The Buick Riviera was built to compete with the Ford Thunderbird, despite it beating out the Thunderbird in performance its sales just weren’t up to par.
Some cars, like the Chevelle, became popular in the 1960s for their unique design. What some people don't know, though, is that some of the designs from that time
, Bill Mitchell, GM's Vice President of Styling, came up with the design for the Buick Riviera. A custom-bodied Rolls inspired him to design what was initially supposed to be a Cadillac with the LaSalle name. The purpose of the "LaSalle" was to compete against the Ford Thunderbird, which was a
When the initial design was put in clay form, Mitchell went to Cadillac to see if the brand would produce it. But, Cadillac wasn't interested because there were plenty of other vehicles in its production already, and they didn't want to take on something new.
Chevy wasn't interested either. That left GM, Oldsmobile, and Buick. The only one that didn't want to change the design was Buick, plus it won the competition GM put forward to see which brand would take on the "LaSalle."
The name didn't work, though, so it was dropped for Riviera instead. Buick proceeded to pull together the parts they felt the model would need to be the ultimate Thunderbird killer.
What did the first generation of the Buick Riviera offer?
For the underpinning, took the cruciform frame used on its larger vehicles and shortened it to fit the 117 inches necessary for the Buick Riviera’s base.
The suspension would consist of trailering arms and coil springs with telescopic shock absorbers. They also added a track bar to help provide a smooth ride for the new Buick they felt would overtake the Thunderbird.
Next, engineers came up with 12-inch drum brakes, which they installed along with the standard Buick 6.6-liter engine. This V8 was a 401 cubic inch Nailhead unit that produced 325 hp.
Buick also added an optional 7.0-liter 425 cubic inch engine that produced 340 hp. Paired with it was what they called an automatic transmission, which was actually a two-speed manual that lacked a clutch.
The interior of the Buick Riviera consisted of twin pairs of bucket seats with a center console that held the gear shifter knob. Walnut veneer trim was placed on the door panels. Plus, Buick added vinyl upholstery to add a bit of luxury to the seats.
The Riviera outperformed the Thunderbird in performance and its styling. The first year, though, Buick limited production numbers to 40,000, which they ultimately sold out in 1963.
When 1964 came around, the 7.0-liter engine became standard, and it used a three-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous year's unit.
Sales weren't quite what the brand expected, though. By 1965, Mitchell and Buick figured out that the Riviera just wasn't going to be the Thunderbird killer they were hoping for. The sales just weren't happening the way you would think for a performance vehicle.
Even though the Riveria was clearly the better car, it just couldn't compete with the popular culture that just loved Thunderbirds too much. Even
, if you can find one in good condition, it could run approximately $21,500 for a first-generation model. While it seems low for a collector's vehicle, it's a good bargain because the Riviera has only just started to be noticed.
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