1961 Buick Invicta

According to Buick Motor Division sales training materials, the name 'Invicta' was derived from Latin and signified 'unconquerable, invincible, unbeatable, unvanquished.' It was a name that Buick would use from 1959 to 1963 on its full-size performance line, using the chassis of the LeSabre and the engine from the Electra. 1961 represented the second generation of styling for the Invicta, devoid of the prior year tail fins, but continuing the dual round headlights on each side of the updated grille. There were full wheel covers, three ventiports per front fender - which it shared with the LeSabre - and curved windshield pillars. Body styles dwindled down to a two- and four-door hardtop, and a convertible coupe, with prices that ranged from $3,450 to $3,620.

Power was from an overhead valve 401 cubic-inch V8 with five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a four-barrel carburetor, and delivered 325 horsepower at 4,400 RPM. It was backed by a two-speed Turbine Drive automatic transmission.

The LeSabre and Invicta had similar designs, distinguished by nameplates found on the front fender and the rear deck. The list of body styles was much more extensive on the LeSabre, containing the three found on the Invicta and adding a station wagon, and two- and four-door sedan. The double belt moldings were another unique feature of the Invicta line.

Standard features included cloth and vinyl interior trim, except on the convertible, which was all-vinyl. Leather trim was optional, and so was the vinyl with contrasting vertical stripes. There was an electric clock, full wheel covers, license frame, and automatic trunk light. Additional options included Sonotone radio, Wonderbar radio, Twilight Sentinel, Guide-Matic dimmer, heater/defroster, Deluxe Special wheel covers, and front bucket seats with a storage consolex and power two-way seat adjustment.

Buick built 18,398 examples of the Invicta four-door hardtop in 1961, along with 6,382 of the two-door hardtop, and 3,953 of the convertible coupe.

In 2008, Buick used the name 'Invicta' for a concept car that was unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show in 2008. It was a design collaboration between the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan and Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai, China. The design was later used on the second geneartion of the Buick LaCrosse.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2020