By the point the Nineties rolled round, Japan’s affect on the American automotive market had reached almost its full capability, particularly throughout the realm of sports activities vehicles. At this level, icons such because the Toyota Supra, Honda Prelude, and the Nissan Z fashions had successfully made their method into the collective soul of American motoring. Due to this, many domestically produced sports activities vehicles, save for the Chevrolet Corvette, for instance, had taken a proverbial backseat.
The identical could possibly be stated for sporty, near-luxury fashions, such because the Acura CL. Fashions like this supplied patrons a classy coupe with a leather-based inside and a sizzling engine. In essence, they have been the modern-day private luxurious coupes. In the meantime, American automakers lagged only a bit behind. Home manufacturers had fashions such because the Lincoln Mark VIII and the Ford Thunderbird, however these have been being surpassed by a number of the foreign-born opponents. This example is why, for its ultimate technology, Buick restyled and barely repositioned the Riviera in an effort to do direct battle with each home rivals and worldwide adversaries.
The Ultimate Buick Riviera Wore A number of Hats
Fast Information About The Ultimate-Gen Buick Riviera
- Launched in 1995
- Constituted the Riviera’s eighth technology
- Carries a generation-wide common used worth of $2486.40
- Supplied each naturally-aspirated and supercharged engine choices
- Discontinued in 1999
The Buick Rivera debuted in 1963, however the nameplate was even older than that. It was first used on the finish of the Nineteen Forties to indicate a higher-trimmed model of a few of Buick’s fashions out there on the time, such because the Roadmaster. In Italian, “riviera” means shoreline, and the corporate meant the moniker to convey a way of worldwide luxurious in an try to draw a wider vary of patrons, particularly these with extra European-oriented tastes. By the top of the Fifties, the Riviera badge was relegated to probably the most upscale Buick fashions, such because the Electra 225.
The state of affairs modified in 1963 when Buick determined to make the Riviera a standalone mannequin. From its start, the Riviera was designated as a private luxurious coupe. At introduction, the automotive had a standalone physique shell, not shared with different divisions of Normal Motors. All through the Nineteen Sixties and early Seventies, the Riviera mixed efficiency and luxurious and was one of many extra distinctive entrants into the non-public luxurious market. Some of the well-known Buick designs was the 1971–1973 Riviera, because it boasted the long-lasting “boat tail” pointed rear-end styling.
As soon as the golden period of the traditional American muscle automotive ended within the early Seventies, the Riviera leaned far more in direction of the luxurious facet of issues. On the time, engines weren’t producing almost as a lot energy as they used to, partly because of the introduction of unleaded gas, forcing automakers to decrease compression ratios. By the mid-Seventies, the Riviera was positioned between the Oldsmobile Toronado and the Cadillac Eldorado, each of which have been front-wheel-drive fashions. Conversely, the Riviera continued to be rear-wheel drive.
Upon GM’s resolution to downsize throughout all of its main model holdings within the late Seventies, the Buick Riviera adopted the company mandate. The sixth-generation Riviera, which debuted in 1979, boasted front-wheel drive for the primary time within the mannequin’s life. The model additional downsized the mannequin starting with its seventh technology, debuting in 1986. By this level, the Riviera had misplaced almost all of its traditional efficiency orientation, with the seventh-gen’s strongest engine being Buick’s famously dependable 3800 V6, producing as much as 170 horsepower.
Enter The Eighth-Gen
When the seventh-gen Riviera was discontinued in 1993, Buick went again to the drafting board for an in depth redesign for the subsequent iteration. The revamp took so lengthy that the Riviera truly skipped a manufacturing 12 months, 1994, marking the primary time the mannequin would not be produced since its introduction 31 years prior. As soon as the eighth-gen mannequin debuted, it was apparent that Buick had reintroduced a number of the Riviera’s sporting prowess that had been misplaced because the early Seventies.
This time, Buick had overseas opponents in its sights, quite than simply its home adversaries. Fashions just like the Acura CL, BMW 3 Collection Coupe, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class have been now not directly focused, and the brand new Riviera wanted to have the ability to stand as much as them. Due to this, the eighth-gen Riviera got here geared up with an all-new exterior and inside design. Its cabin boasted a way more trendy, streamlined look that seemed far more European than the styling discovered within the earlier technology.
Specs & Options
For the primary time, the Buick Riviera supplied an engine with compelled induction, particularly supercharging. At launch, the bottom powerplant was the naturally aspirated 3800 Collection V6, and patrons may improve to a supercharged model of it. The 1995 model-year Rivieras featured the Collection I model of the mill, whereas 1996 and later fashions featured the Collection II model. The 3800 Collection II featured a slew of upgrades and is broadly thought-about the very best iteration of this venerable powerplant. Supercharged iterations have been supplied all through the eighth-generation Riviera’s life, whereas the naturally aspirated model of the Buick V6 was solely out there till 1997.
The Riviera got here with completely different transmissions relying on the kind of engine put in. Naturally aspirated variations obtained the 4T60-E four-speed automated. Supercharged variations employed the 4T60-E HD, a heavier-duty model with beefed-up internals. Starting in 1997, the 4T65-E HD took over, sporting a bigger torque converter and stronger inner elements. Entrance-wheel drive was the only real drivetrain possibility.
Beneath the physique, the Riviera makes use of GM’s G platform for its underpinnings. The platform is shared with fashions such because the Oldsmobile Aurora. As for the suspension, the eighth-gen Riviera utilized a MacPherson strut setup within the entrance and a multi-link unbiased configuration on the rear. A completely remoted subframe was put in up entrance, utilizing rubber bushings to assist cut back vibration and harshness. Most Rivieras additionally got here geared up with a self-leveling air suspension put in on the rear.
Within the desk beneath, we lay out the eighth-gen Riviera’s fundamental specs for its ultimate, 1999 mannequin 12 months:
Engine Particulars | 3.8L supercharged V6 |
|---|---|
Horsepower | 240 hp |
Torque | 280 lb-ft |
Curb Weight | 3,713 lbs |
*Specs courtesy of Kelley Blue E book
Present Pricing
1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Present Common Used Value | $2,315 | $2,335 | $2,401 | $2,646 | $2,735 |
*Pricing courtesy of Kelley Blue E book
Why The Riviera Wanted To Go
Because the automotive business shifted additional away from private luxurious, the Buick Riviera started to undergo considerably in gross sales. Reportedly, whereas the eighth-gen Riviera had a 1995 gross sales figures report of roughly 41,000 items, by 1998, that quantity had fallen to about 10,613. Affected by a drop of about 75 %, Buick determined to tug the plug on the mannequin, citing {that a} market shift away from coupes as an entire was guilty.
For the reason that Riviera’s finish, a few idea fashions have been introduced bearing its identify. The primary happened in 2007 and was meant as a solution to take a look at the waters for reviving the nameplate. It premiered in China first after which went on show on the Detroit Auto Present. One other idea debuted in 2013, with the identical purpose. Nevertheless, neither of those fashions ever went into manufacturing, and the Riviera nameplate has remained unused moreover these ideas. Will we see one other Riviera in some unspecified time in the future? As of this writing, time will solely inform.
Sources: GM Heritage, Kelley Blue E book
