Buick Celebrates 110 Years

As the 20th century arrived, the very first motorcars were making rare appearances on the streets of America. It was still an era primarily of horses and railroads. Yet, on May 19, 1903, the Buick Motor Company was incorporated. David Dunbar Buick was an early engine innovator that developed the overhead valve engine. In 1904, William C. Durant came on board at Buick to navigate this new type of motorized buggy through truly uncharted waters. The automotive assembly line was still decades away. That first year of actual Buick production, 37 Model Bs were produced. Yes, just 37 Buicks were built, and none have survived.

Longest Automotive Brand History

What has survived, and even thrived, is Buick, the brand. From those inauspicious beginnings, Buick has gone on to sell in excess of 43 million vehicles over the 110 years hence. Buick is the oldest automotive brand in America, and now it is one of the most luxurious and technologically advanced as well.

Mr. Durant would be proud. He would also be startled if he was sitting behind the wheel of a Verano and started thinking out loud, only to have “Siri” respond in that resonate, authoritative voice.

Those first Model Bs sported a wheelbase of 88-inches. Today, the shortest Buick, the Encore, is more than a foot longer than that. Buick’s growth accelerated from those humble beginnings. By 1908, Buicks were appearing in auto races. In the years to follow, Buick was named the Official Pace Car at the Inidanapolis 500 no less than six times.

The First Concept Car

Buick’s lineage was further advanced by the creative genius of Harvey Earl, who designed the Y-job, a concept car that appeared when there was no such thing. In the 1930s, the Y-job was in fact the very first concept car in the United States. Among other innovations that it featured was power windows. Yes, power windows three-quarters of a century ago.

When Century Stood For Speed

From the raceway to the roadways, Buicks rapidly evolved. In 1936, a Buick went 100 miles per hour for the first time. That automobile became the Buick Century. Centurys were made and marketed for decades thereafter, and few ever understood the real origins of the name. Over the years, Buick embraced power as well. In 1970, in an era of 40-cent gas, and with no psychic around to predict the oil embargo that lay just ahead, Buick debuted a 7.5 L massive V-8. Today, thanks to aerodynamics, low-friction transmissions, and turbochargers, 2-liter four-cylinder engines leave nary a complaint about power among today’s Buick enthusiasts.

And, if speed is a question, consider that the 2013 Buick Regal GS has attained a top speed of 162 mph. Thanks to vehicles like the sports performance Regal and the compact luxury Verano, Buick’s appeal is perhaps broader than ever before. The technologies offered are certainly more advanced than ever. Now, there are myriad ways to alert a driver of pending dangers that may be lurking alongside or behind his/her Buick.

In fact, NFL star Peyton Manning touts the Cross Traffic Alert System as he avoids getting “blindsided” by a truck passing behind his Verano. At the same time, his 6-ft 5-in frame fits convincingly into the compact luxury sedan.

The Next Chapter In A Storied History

In the early 1900s, the big question was simply how to burn fuel to turn wheels. Today, Buick offers a gas-electric hybrid LaCrosse that can travel 36 miles on a gallon of gasoline. Back then, horsepower was measured in double-digits, and it was directly inspired by actual horses. Today, one can select a 300 horsepower engine for a LaCrosse, and only six cylinders are needed to generate that kind of power.

There may not be any V-8s displacing more than 7-liters today, but the Enclave is one large Buick. The use of second-row captains chairs or a bench seat determines whether an Enclave can transport either seven or eight adults. Or, with just two up front, and the other seats folded flat, over 113 cu ft of cargo space appears. Now, the Buick division has added the two-row crossover, the Encore, that is capable of 32 mpg on the highway.

At 110 years young, Buick’s renaissance is in full swing, and the tradition of innovation extends forward.