1959 Buick Electra 225 Convertible Coupe

Buick had high hopes for the newly restyled 1959 model lineup, and was looking to reverse a two-year sales slump. The style was low and sleek with the traditional Buick 'portholes' removed. The Buick model names were new with the LeSabre being their entry level vehicle, the Invicta as the middle line, and the Electra 225 at the top.

This particular Electra 225 Convertible is painted white and has a red leather interior. This is the same color combination as the Official Pace Car of the 1959 Indianapolis 500. This car was ordered from the factory with a full complement of extras, including the rare first-year bucket seat option, air conditioning and a Wonderbar foot-operated radio. The car has air-ride rear suspension and Triple Turbine automatic transmission - this was the final year for these complex and sometimes troublesome features.

Buick had high hopes for its brand new 1959 car, but a lack of demand sent U.S. production down again, to 285,089 for the model year. Of these, only 5,493 were Electra 225 Convertibles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2009