Classic Luxury: The 5 Best Cars Buick Ever Made

Buick has been building cars since 1899, making it one of the oldest surviving car brands on the planet. Over that long run, the brand has worn a lot of hats, from quiet family sedans to full-blown muscle machines. Some models left such a lasting impression that car fans still argue about them today. These are the five best Buick cars the brand ever rolled out of a factory.

• Buick produced some of the most underrated performance cars in American history, especially during the muscle car era.
• Every old Buick car on this list was ahead of its time in design, raw power, or both.
• Collectors and casual fans still chase these older Buick models at auctions and car shows nationwide.

1963 Buick Riviera

Ask any car historian about the best Buick cars, and the 1963 Riviera will almost always come up first. Designed by GM stylist Bill Mitchell, the Riviera ditched the chrome-heavy, rounded shapes Buick wore in the 1950s. Clean lines, a tapered midsection, and a pointed front end gave it a look that even Italian designer Sergio Pininfarina admired. A 401 cubic inch “Nailhead” V8 produced 325 horsepower, with an optional 425 cubic inch version bumping that to 340 hp. Motor Trend clocked it at 0 to 60 in under 8 seconds, seriously quick for 1963. GM capped production at 40,000 units to keep demand high, and the Riviera gave the Ford Thunderbird its first real competition.

1970 Buick GSX Stage 1

If the Riviera proved Buick could build a beautiful car, the 1970 GSX proved the brand could build a terrifying one. Available only in Saturn Yellow or Apollo White with black accents, this thing looked angry just sitting still. When GM lifted its ban on large engines in midsize cars, Buick dropped a 455 cubic inch V8 into the GSX that made 360 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, the highest torque rating of any American passenger car at the time. With the Stage 1 performance package, this Buick classic car could embarrass Chevelles, GTOs, and even some Hemi-powered Mopars at the strip. Surviving examples are rare and highly sought after.

1987 Buick GNX

The 1980s were rough on American muscle cars. Emissions regulations choked most performance engines. Leave it to Buick to find a workaround. Working with McLaren Performance Technologies, the brand built the GNX as a send-off for the Grand National. Instead of a big V8, the GNX used a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6 making 276 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. In 1987, that was enough to hit 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, faster than a Corvette. Only 547 were ever built, and the all-black exterior gave the car a menacing look that still holds up. Low-mileage examples now sell for over $200,000 at auction.

1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport

Pontiac kicked off the muscle car craze in 1964 with the GTO, and Buick answered the next year with the Skylark Gran Sport. You could get it as a hardtop or convertible, and under either body sat a 401 cubic inch Nailhead V8 producing 325 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque from Buick’s full-size lineup squeezed into the midsize Skylark platform. Add a strengthened chassis, heavy-duty shocks, and larger drum brakes, and you had a real performer. It earned Car of the Year honors from Motor Trend in 1965. Sales didn’t match GTO numbers, but the Gran Sport proved there was a market for a fast Buick, paving the way for the GSX and Grand National.

1949 Buick Roadmaster

You can’t make a list like this without going back to the Roadmaster. By 1949, it had become Buick’s flagship, loaded with every luxury feature available. Chrome “teeth” dominated the front grille, VentiPorts lined the fenders, and a Dynaflow automatic transmission made cruising effortless. A 320 cubic inch straight-eight provided smooth, reliable power. As a convertible, the Roadmaster became a symbol of postwar optimism, showing up in movies and driveways nationwide. Every old Buick car owes something to the Roadmaster, because it set the template for what the brand would stand for: comfort, style, and a little flash.

Why These Five Still Matter

All five grabbed something special about their era and ran with it. American cars could hang with European styling thanks to the Riviera. Buick’s engineers built a quarter-mile monster with the GSX. A turbocharged V6 became legend in the GNX. The Gran Sport threw Buick into the muscle car conversation earlier than anyone expected. And none of it would’ve happened without the Roadmaster laying the groundwork. If you love older Buick models or classic American metal, these five are the ones worth knowing.

See the Buick Lineup at Ray Skillman Auto Center

At Ray Skillman Auto Center in Indianapolis, we’ve been proud Buick representatives for years. You probably won’t find a 1987 GNX on our lot, but we carry today’s full Buick SUV lineup that carries on the tradition of comfort and style these classics started. Whether you’re shopping for a new Buick or a quality pre-owned vehicle, our team is ready to help. Browse our inventory at www.rayskillmanautocenter.com or stop by for a test drive.