Buick

Buick is a brand used in the USA by automobile maker General Motors.

Table of contents
1 History
2 Distinguishing Features
3 Geographical distribution
4 Buick cars
5 See also
6 External links and references

History

Buick originated as an independent motor car manufacturer, the Buick Motor Company, incorporated on May 19, 1903 by David Dunbar Buick in Flint, Michgian. In 1904 the struggling company was taken over by James Whiting, who brought in William C. Durant to manage his new acquisition.


Buick Y-Job, 1938
Durant was a natural, and Buick soon became the largest car maker in America. Using the profits from this, Durant embarked on a series of several dozen corporate acquisitions, calling his new mega-corporation General Motors.

At first, the different manufacturers who comprised General Motors competed against each other, but Durant put a stop to that. He wanted each General Motors division to target one class of buyer, and in his new scheme Buick was near the top -- only the luxurious Cadillac brand had more prestige. Even today, Buick retains that position in the GM lineup. The ideal Buick customer was comfortably off; not rich enough to afford a Cadillac nor want the ostentation, but definitely desiring a car a cut above the norm.

Distinguishing Features

Buick's emblem is three shields arranged touching on a diagonal, within a ring.

A traditional Buick styling cue is three portholes or (later) vents on the front fender behind the front wheels.

Geographical distribution

Unlike some of GM's other brands, Buicks are largely restricted to the United States and Canada.

Buick cars are now also produced in China.

Buick cars

See also

External links and references