1957 Buick Century Caballero Estate Wagon Was A Prestigious Oddball People Mover
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There was once a time when station wagons were the bee’s knees in the United States. The crossover and sport utility vehicle were nothing but a twinkle in marketers’ eyes. The wagon offered space, seating and practicality some sedans of the time couldn’t match.
Up until the 1940s, however, the vehicle configuration was deemed mostly beneficial for commercial use. Quickly, manufacturers retooled their wagon offerings for consumers, though. Buick arrived late to the game with the introduction of the Special series alongside the Buick Riviera and Century.
But, Buick made a bold move. The brand introduced a top-of-the-line station wagon with a more powerful engine and greater luxury. This was the 1957 Buick Century Caballero Estate Wagon pictured. The 1957 Buick Century Caballero became an instant success, proving to be more popular than any wagon variant offered by the brand.
The 364 cubic-inch V8 offered plenty of power, and the twin-turbine Dynaflow transmission oozed luxury for the time.
According to RM Sotheby’s, who oversaw the sale of the wagon for over $100,000, the car had two previous private owners. The car was then turned over to the George W. Bush Foundation, where it underwent a free restoration by Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage. The door panel was signed by George W. Bush himself, and sold for charity to benefit 9/11 veteran victims.
Will we see another Buick wagon some day? Chances are good if you ask us. But it will never be anything quite like the 1957 Buick Century Caballero.
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The neighbourhood I grew up in back in the ’50s & ’60s, Buick and Oldsmobile wagons were the MomMobiles of choice for most. There seemed to be more GM than Fords or Chryslers, and the men who owned the Ford and Chrysler dealerships both lived within a block of my house. I remember one Buick Wagon in particular, a yellow and white ’58. Beautiful car!