Buick Riviera

Author: Norm Mort

Published by: Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-787113-56-5

I’ve had a soft spot for the Buick Riviera since the mid-Seventies. My friend Pete had a 1965 model, with the hideaway ‘eyelid’ headlights and in 1975 I had a 7.0-litre 1966 Riviera GS Sport. Pete’s was immaculate and subtle in dark blue. Mine had been repainted Triumph Magenta and had severely crumpled flanks, both sides; not, I hasten to add, inflicted by me. Despite its appearance I still look back on my various escapades with the car with affection.

I was therefore keen to see this latest book in Veloce’s excellent Those Were the Days... series. I have most of them featuring American cars and trucks and find their generous mix of contemporary photos and illustrations from brochures and advertisements, plus restored examples from today, both informative and entertaining. The Riviera book spans the first three generations from 1963 to 1973 when the cars were presented as luxury alternatives to Ford's more prevalent Thunderbird. While the Riviera name had been associated with Buicks since 1949, the low, sleek, superbly luxurious and surprisingly nimble two-door sporty coupes that debuted in 1963 quickly revised people’s opinions of the previously staid marque.

Originally conceived as a Cadillac – the La Salle II – Buick ultimately assumed responsibility for the car. Well appointed from the outset and both fast and comfortable, they were undeniably successful, though their sales figures never really threatened the T-bird. This year-by-year pictorial retrospective describes the Riviera from initial design concepts, through the purposeful mid-Sixties models to the classically styled boat-tail years of the Seventies. In 1974 major styling changes were introduced and with further revisions the Riviera soldiered on until 1999, but for many, including me, the first three generations are the best. A great read!