Tech & Auto
5 Underrated Muscle Cars By Buick Every Car Lover Should Know
By JOE CAPRARO
Roadmaster
The Buick Roadmaster first appeared in 1936, and new generations of the model were released throughout the ’40s and ’50s. The model stayed dormant until its revival from 1991-1996.
Early Roadmasters were powered by an inline or V8 5.2 eight-cylinder engine. However, the 1957 and 1958 models got a 6.0 liter V8 capable of over 300 horsepower.
Special
Like the Roadmaster, the Buick Special debuted in 1936. Its first generation stayed in production until its engine was upgraded to new inline 8 and V8 options in 1949.
Changes to the Special came throughout its run until the late ’60s. The final generation came in either a 250 cubic inch I6 or a 350 cubic inch V8 engine.
Wildcat
Buick used the Wildcat’s nameplate on a series of 1950s concept cars and later applied it to a production model coupe version of the Invicta in 1962.
The Wildcat was split off into its own model the following year. Buick offered a convertible and a four-door sedan variation with either a 401 or 425 cubic inch V8 engine.
Invicta
The Invicta was introduced in 1959 as a replacement for the Century. The car featured stylish fins and came with a 401 cubic inch V8 that produced 325 horsepower.
The model stayed in production until 1963, but Buick brought the name back in 2007 and applied it to a concept car it displayed at the Beijing Auto Show.
Electra
Buick’s Electra debuted in 1959 and featured Space Age lines and dramatic body-length fins. The car ultimately spelled the end for the Roadmaster’s original design.
The Electra’s engine improved over the generations. While the ’70s oil crisis saw the engine downsized, the ’80s models returned to motors as big as the first generation’s.