The name Wildcat has been used on five occasions by Buick for concept cars. During the 1950s, Buick used the name three times, then one in 1985, and then one in 1997. The 1985 Buick Wildcat made its debut at the SEMA show in Vegas. Two examples were built with the first one being brought to SEMA. The first car was a non-functioning concept while the second example was a fully working model and used by engineers to perform testing. The test bed car still remains with GM.

The 1985 Buick Wildcat had a modern, attractive, and aerodynamic design with a glass canopy style roof that lifted upwards to allow entry and exit. As the canopy lifted, so did the steering wheel, allowing extra room for the driver to easily get in.

The streamlined body was made from carbon fiber and its design was similar to other GM concepts of the era, including the Corvette Indy, Pontiac Banshee, and the Oldsmobile Aerotech Concept. The futuristic features continued to the inside, where the high-tech cockpit had a center console that displayed information such as g-force, torque, oil pressure, and even a compass. There was a 'HUD' - a Heads Up Display that reported information onto the glass canopy. The information included the car's speed, gear selection, and odometer. The steering wheel was 'spokeless'.

Power was sourced from a McLaren built 3.8-liter V6, based on the Buick 3800, tuned to produce 360 horsepower. The mid-mounted engine and uncovered - fully exposed to the elements. Power was sent to all four wheels with a 33/66 split to the front and rear wheels. The engine was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission that had the option to be shifted manually. Its top speed was governed to just 70 mph and there was an ECU rev limiter which kept the revs in check.

Despite its futuristic design and powerful engine, its zero-to-sixty mph time took 8.4 seconds.

by Dan Vaughan