In 1956 Buick introduced the Centurion Motorama showcar. It was clothed in a fiberglass body and painted in red and white. It had a bubble top roof that was modeled after the aero-industry. In the early 1970s, Buick introduced the Centurion production car and it would remain in production for only a short time, ending in 1973. It was similar in design to the Buick LeSabre but had different badging and different front-end. There was less chrome trim, and no portholes commonly found on the larger series Buicks. The Centurion was offered as a convertible and a four-door hardtop. Mounted under the bonnet was a big-block 455 cubic-inch V8 engine that produced 315 horsepower and 450 ft-lbs. The following year, the industry switched to SAE power measurement, which measured horsepower on the engine alone, which meant it was rated with all accessories and a full exhaust system installed.
For 1972 and 1973, the 455 cubic-inch engine produced 255 hp and 360 ft-lbs of torque. The 350 cubic-inch version produced 195 horsepower and 290 ft-lb of torque.
Production of the Centurion was produced from 1971 through 1973 with 110,539 examples produced. Convertibles accounted for 10,296 examples. It was replaced by the LeSabre Luxus. By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
