1971 Buick Riviera

The Buick Riviera was redesigned for the 1971 model year, receiving elegant lines, new 'Coke bottle styling,' and flowing and dramatic 'boat-tail' features. Jerry Hirshberg, the future head of design for Nissan, was working under the design direction of Bill Mitchell when he penned the 1971 Riviera. The two-piece vee-butted fastback rear window was inspired by the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split window coupe, a louvered boot lid, large quarter panels, the middle of the body tapered in, and there were sharp angles at the front and rear.

The wheelbase of the 1971 Riviera grew by three inches, gaining approximately 120 pounds, but equipped with the same power as the bigger Buicks (but with a lower overall weight), the Riviera had impressive performance and could sprint from zero-to-sixty mph in about eight seconds. The 455 engine had a lower compression ratio to meet EPA emissions requirements, reducing power to 255 hp, with 265 hp in the Gran Sport. Among the mechanical improvements bestowed upon the Riviera was Buick's Max Trac, a traction control system that prevented wheelspin during acceleration on slippery surfaces. The 'Full-Flo' ventilation system (which was shared with other 1971 Buick models) and two large deck lid louvers on the trunk lid, under certain conditions, would create a vacuum that would suck rain and exhaust back into the car. Engineers redesigned the system for the 1972 model year, removing the louvers from the trunk lid, for the 1972 model year.

Standard Amenities
The 1971 Buick Riviera came standard with the Full-Flo ventilation, custom padded contoured seats, head restraints, a new seat belt system, heater and defroster, deep pile carpeting, inside hood lock release, smoking set, and an electric clock. Being equipped with nearly every available option, the options list was limited. Among the list included Strato bucket seats ($187), tilt steering wheel, air conditioning, and a performance-oriented Grans Sport package.

Pricing and Production
The 1971 Buick Riviera two-door sport coupe was priced at $5,250, making it the most expensive automobile in the lineup. In second place was the Electra 225 Custom four-door hardtop priced at $5,100. The least expensive model was the Skylark with a price of $2,850. Despite its range-topping price, sales reached 33,810 units, representing approximately six percent of the company's production. This was the lowest production to date, falling slightly further to 33,728 the following year.

Specification
The 1971 Buick Riviera rested atop a 112-inch wheelbase platform (the same size as the two-door Skylark, Skylark Custom, and GS/GS455) and had an overall length of 218.3 inches. It had power front disc brakes, variable ratio power steering, a Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, and dual exhaust. The 455 cubic-inch V8 engine had overhead valves, a cast iron block, hydraulic valve lifters, five main bearings, a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, and delivered 315 horsepower at 4,600 RPM. The Gran Sport option had a 330 horsepower version of the 455 CID V8 with chrome air cleaner and a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmission. Additionally, the Riviera GS gained a heavy-duty suspension, H78x15 bias-belted whitewall tires, a positive traction differential, and Riviera GS identification on the instrument panel and front fenders.

The Buick Riviera
Buick introduced the Riviera model in 1963 and it would remain in production through 1999 (not 1994; production of the seventh generation lasted from 1986 to 1993; following a brief hiatus, the all-new eighth-generation arrived in 1995). Buick had used the 'Riviera' name prior to this, in 1949, first with the Buick Roadmaster (Riviera Coupe), followed by the Super (two-door Riviera hardtop), the Special in 1951, and the Century in 1954.

Evoking the allure of the French Riviera, it was designed for the personal luxury car market, the Riviera arrived atop GM's E-body platform, but unlike the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado (also on the E platform), it used rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive. It made the switch to front-wheel drive in 1979.

Throughout its lifespan, the Riviera would undergo eight major styling revisions, growing in size yet retaining the two-door coupe configuration. By the time the final Riviera rolled off the assembly line, a total of 1,127,261 examples had been produced, including several concept cars.

The Third Generation Riviera
Buick built the third generation of the Riviera from 1971 through 1973. A total of 33,810 were built in 1971, 33,728 in 1972, and 34,080 in 1973. Total third generation production was 101,618 units.

The fourth generation of the Riviera arrived in 1974 retaining the same platform, mechancial components,a dn several body panels of the previous generation, but the unique 'boat tail' roofline styling was replaced with a 'Colonnade' treatment. The forward-jutting grille remained with slight modifications.

The third generation Riviera was a hardtop coupe, but became of the wide B pillars and fixed quarter opera windows, the fourth generation was a pillared coupe.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2023