Buick has the lone distinction of being the oldest, still-running American car company, having now reached its 110th anniversary. For a company with such a long and storied history, few reports we’ve seen mention that over the years it has built a multitude of classic, niche, mass-appeal, or flopped designs. Yet the Buick Heritage Alliance, a club based out of Ohio, is dedicated to acknowledging, collecting and sharing Buick’s indelible mark upon American history. 

Buick was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick, a son of Scottish immigrant parents. He developed the first overhead valve engine, an invention which forever changed the way engines were built and is arguably the ancestor of all modern-day engines. Although the man died in ignominy, his company thrived with its purchase by James Whiting in 1903 and eventual management by the automotive tycoon William Durant. Now under the GM umbrella and hierarchy, Buick was proffered toward customers who couldn’t afford the price of a Cadillac but still wanted a finer car than a Chevrolet or Ford. 

M18 Hellcat GMC (gun motor carriage)

Hitting its stride quickly, Durant was able to turn Buick into the fastest-growing car company of its day, selling cars and winning awards the world over. A shrewd decision to add a sales office in China in 1929 laid the foundation for great successes in the up-and-coming Asian market. When World War II began, Buick did its part for the war effort by manufacturing airplane engines, ammunition and tanks. Most notably, Buick was responsible for the M18 Hellcat: a tank destroyer as agile as it was fast, maxing out at 65 mph while ventilating panzers with its 76mm cannon.

1963 Buick Riviera

Buick continued to thrive post-war with its restyled Roadmaster model, complete with the signature “Venti-Ports” meant to recall the flaming exhaust pipes of a fighter plane; in 1955, the company hit its high-water mark when it sold well over 700,000 cars. The introduction of the Riviera in 1963 proved to be a big hit, rejuvenating declining sales and leveling the playing field with Ford’s Thunderbird sedan. The luxurious Riviera boasted options including walnut inserts in the doors and below the rear-seat side windows, leather seating, and much more.

1987 GNX

The second-gen’ Regal (’78-’87) was another boon to Buick, especially when Richard Petty raced the 1981 model in the NASCAR circuit, ultimately winning the Daytona 500. The legendary GNX debuted in ’87, with 276 hp and a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds, and was one of the most awesome street cars out there. 

On to today, the company has had its ups and downs, but is still producing signature models and fulfilling its role as a high-end American luxury brand with its Lacrosse and Regal, both of which have a 2014 model on the way. 

The BHA carries the torch of Buick while remaining a non-affiliated, non-profit corporation. It draws its funding from charitable donation and sales of classic reproduction (and in some cases, original) materials such as brochures and manuals for yesteryear’s models. Support them today and rediscover the greatness, ingenuity, and strength of the brand that promises: “When better cars are built, Buick will build them.”