Buick Century

Buick Century
Overview
Manufacturer	Buick (General Motors)
Also called	Buick Regal (in Japan)
Model years	1936–1942 1954–1958 1973–2005
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size car (1936–1958) Mid-size car (1973–2005)
Body style	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Chronology
Predecessor	Buick Master Six
Successor	Buick LaCrosse (2005–2009)

First generation full-size Century
1937 Buick Century
Overview
Model years	1936–1942
Assembly	Buick City, Flint, Michigan South Gate Assembly, South Gate, California
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size car
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FR layout
Platform	B-body
Related	Cadillac Series 60 Cadillac Series 61 LaSalle Series 50 Buick Special Oldsmobile Series L Oldsmobile Series 70 Pontiac Streamliner Torpedo Pontiac Streamliner
Powertrain
Engine	320.2 in³ at 120 hp (89 kW) I8

Second generation full-size Century
1956 Buick Century 4-Door Riviera
Overview
Model years	1954–1958
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size car
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 4-door hardtop station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Platform	B-body
Powertrain
Engine	322 ci 4-bbl. 255hp V8 364 ci V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	122"
Length	206.3"(1954) 206.7"(1955) 205.1"(1956) 208.4"(1957) 211.8"(1958)
Width	76"(1954–55)
Height	60.5(1954) 59.8"(1956)
Chronology
Successor	Buick Invicta

Third generation
1973 Buick Century Gran Sport Colonnade Hardtop Coupe
Overview
Model years	1973–1977
Assembly	Flint, Michigan, United States Framingham, Massachusetts, United States Lakewood Heights, Georgia, United States
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Platform	A-body
Related	Buick Regal Oldsmobile Cutlass Pontiac Grand Prix Chevrolet Malibu
Powertrain
Engine	231 in³ V6 350 in³ V8 455 in³ V8 403 in³ V8 (1977 wagons only)

Fourth generation
Overview
Model years	1978–1981
Assembly	Framingham, Massachusetts, United States Lakewood Heights, Georgia, United States
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Platform	A-body
Related	Buick Regal Oldsmobile Cutlass Pontiac Bonneville Chevrolet Malibu
Powertrain
Engine	196 cu in (3.2 L) Buick V6 231 cu in (3.8 L) Buick V6 265 cu in (4.3 L) Pontiac V8 301 cu in (4.9 L) Pontiac V8 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile diesel V8
Transmission	3-speed THM200, 250, 350 automatic 3-speed manual 4-speed Saginaw manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	108.1 in (2,746 mm)
Length	196 in (4,978 mm)
Curb weight	3130-3425 lb

Fifth generation
Overview
Model years	1982–1996
Assembly	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States Lakewood Heights, Georgia, United States Framingham, Massachusetts, United States Tarrytown, New York, United States Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, Valencia, Venezuela
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	A-body
Related	Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Pontiac 6000 Chevrolet Celebrity
Powertrain
Engine	2.2 L LN2 I4 2.5 L Tech IV I4 2.8 L LE2/LB6 V6 3.0 L Buick V6 3.1 L L82 V6 3.3 L LG7 V6 3.8 L LG3 V6 4.3 L LT7 diesel V6
Transmission	GM TH-125C 3-speed automatic GM 440-T4 4-speed automatic GM 4T60-E 4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	104.8 in (2,662 mm) (1982–1990) 104.9 in (2,664 mm) (1991–96)
Length	189.1 in (4,803 mm) (sedan & coupe) 190.9 in (4,849 mm) (wagon)
Width	69.4 in (1,763 mm)
Height	53.7 in (1,364 mm) (sedan & coupe) 54.1 in (1,374 mm) (wagon)

Sixth generation
Overview
Model years	1997–2005
Assembly	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	W-body 2nd Gen
Related	Buick Regal Oldsmobile Intrigue Pontiac Grand Prix Chevrolet Impala Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Powertrain
Engine	3.1 L L82 V6 3.1 L LG8 V6
Transmission	4-speed 4T60-E automatic 4-speed 4T65-E automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	109.0 in (2,769 mm)
Length	194.6 in (4,943 mm)
Width	72.7 in (1,847 mm)
Height	56.6 in (1,438 mm)

Buick Century is the model name used by Buick for a line of upscale performance cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, and from 1973 to 2005 for a mid-size car.

The model name Century came about when Buick was designing its first production automobile capable of reaching a speed of 100 mph. The division needed to come up with a name. One of the Buick executives had returned from a recent trip to Britain, and told the other executives that the British referred to going 100 mph as "doing the century". The executives liked the Century name and it stuck.

The Century was sold as the Buick Regal in Japan, as Toyota owns the right to the name Century.

Originally the Series 60 had a six-cylinder 331.4 cu in (5,431 cc) engine, developing 99 bhp at 2,800 rpm. It had, at the beginning of the generation, a full length running board denoting the top model for Buick at the time. In 1930, GM built 38,180 cars. The bodystyles available were torpedo, sedan, coupe, and roadster convertible, using GM's "B-body" platform.

In 1931 the running board was reduced and a new straight eight-cylinder 272.6 cu in (4,467 cc) engine and 90 bhp. Aesthetically, the Series 60 remained almost unchanged and the same fact occurred also in the following year. In 1931 and 1932 they were produced 55,135 examples.

In 1933 the length of the body increased. The engine power increased to 97 hp. In 1934 the appearance was discontinued to a more rounded appearance, with a new 278.1 cu in (4,557 cc) eight-cylinder engine and 100 hp. In 1935 the model remained almost unchanged. From 1933 to 1935 the car were produced 31,385 copies. In 1936 the model changed its name to "Century".

Buick renamed its entire model lineup for the 1936 model year to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models, introducing a "streamlined" appearance. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Series 80 became the Roadmaster and the Series 90—Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles, became the Limited. The Century took the place of the Series 60.