The Buick Riviera nameplate dates back to the ‘60s, with eight generations coming and going over the years. Framed as GM’s first step into the “personal luxury car” segment, the Riviera saw significant redesigns and changes over the years, including a move to unibody construction with the debut of the seventh generation in the mid-‘80s. This particular example hails from the latter half of the seventh-gen models, and sports a surprisingly well-maintained exterior and interior.
Outside, this Buick Riviera is draped in deep red paint, which is complemented by chrome trim running from tip to tail. The corners boast wire wheels, which are wrapped in whitewall tires.
This Buick Riviera also comes with a host of comfort features, just as a luxury machine ought to. Highlights include air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power windows, power mirrors, power seats, power locks, power steering, and power brakes – all the goodies one would expect from a ‘90s-era cruiser.
Under the hood, we find a 3.8L V6 gas engine, which was the only engine offered at the time. Output when new was rated at 170 horsepower. The ‘six mates to a four-speed automatic transmission.
“This car has been meticulously maintained throughout its 28 years on the road,” reads the vehicle listing description. “With only 56,000 miles on the odometer, there is surely a lot more life to give.”
Of course, we have to at least mention that the pictures do reveal a good amount of fluid dripping from the underbody. What that fluid might be is unclear, and could be totally benign, but it’s at least worth mentioning.
Now, this slick 1992 Buick Riviera is offered by Gateway Classic Cars in Indianapolis, and is listed at $10,000.
What are your thoughts on this old-school Buick? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Buick Riviera news, Buick news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Source: Gateway Classic Cars
Comments
What a great car. I was selling them when this model was brought out. History: 1985 was the last of the bigger old-style Rivs and they were popular. Then in 1986, the much down-sized model came out with the computer screen. People didn’t care much for that one as it was too short and just didn’t have the style the old one had. Sales were never that good and it lasted 3 model years till this style came out in 1989. Although sales never took off again and never seemed to get back to the 79-85 model, this one was much more accepted.
As for the car? It had some of the most comfortable seats that I can recall in any car ever. It was super quiet, plenty of power (for back then), great MPG’s and they held up very well. This car offered at $10 grand seems a tad high, but if great condition and with such low miles, it will find a good home and a happy buyer.
Dan,
To put some numbers to your comment. Here are the sales figures for the Buick Riviera:
1985: 65,305 (pre-redesign)
1986: 22,138 (first year of all-new, downsized Riv)
1987: 15,223
1988: 8,625
1989: 21,189 (first year of extended length but still smaller Riv)
1990: 22,526
1991: 13,168
1992: 12,585
1993: 4,555 (last year of the E-Body Riviera)
The 1986 GM redesign of the E/K luxury cars was one of the biggest blunders in Automotive history. The E/K cars were GMs Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/Escalade at one time. They were the cash cows that raked in money for General Motors and the money they made kept the company humming.
For 1986, the E/Ks were redesigned and dramatically resized. All of them, the E-Body Buick Riviera, Oldsmobile Toronado, Cadillac Eldorado, and the K-Body Cadillac Seville saw similarly dramatic sales declines of 60 percent or so. What’s more GM demolished an entire town in Detroit to build the massive and highly automated Hamtramck facility to build these new cars. The plant was fraught with problems, the new cars didn’t sell and GM suffered tremendous financial losses as a result.
They took emergency action to add length back to the drastically downsized cars but that was only partially successful. The downsized cars never sold in the numbers GM previously moved nor did they generate the profits or have the same marketplace prestige. It can be argued that GM ceded the luxury car market to Germany once and for all as a result of these cars.
While the featured Riviera might not be a bad car to some, it was part of a program, championed by Roger B. Smith, that proved to be an unmitigated disaster for GM that they’ve never fully recovered from.
Thanks. Great info.
You said it!!! The 1986 redesigns were a total abomination! Total and complete clueless and out of touch on behalf of GM Management The cars road and handled nicely and the FI 3.8 electronic 4 speed worked well. The 4.1 Cadillac V8 was a disappointment.
They didn’t have the classic Rivera styling but they like the Eldorado of this era were decent for the times.
For anybody that’s interested in reading more about the 1986 E-Body Riviera redesign, check this out:
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/06/curbside-classic-gms-deadly-sin-1-1986-buick-riviera/
I was a high school senior in 1986/87 and my mom rented me a newly designed Buick Riviera to drive my prom date to our hotel for the big dance. It was brand new and had that new car smell with that new little computer screen. It was really slick for its time but I do vividly recall the blowback GM was getting for suddenly downsizing its vehicles.
Clearly, it was a financial disaster based on the sales numbers quoted above.
BUT
If you think about it, the GM management at the time was trying to compete with those smaller, faster European vehicles. So I get why they took such drastic action.
I think we were all just so used to those big long Cadillacs and Buicks from the 70s/80s.
Ah, good ol’ days!
Sorry but the passage of time has not altered my opinion – It was ugly when new and remains so in 2020. Unfortunately for Buick a treasured and valued nameplate never recovered.
Completely agree… but GM cars from about 86-99 FWD were junk and styling was a joke…
10 times more interesting than any of there frumpmobile Korean or Chinese imported cute utes but not my favorite Riviera. I actually like the 1995-1999 version better
I think you meant the box like Japanese cars.
I didn’t mention this in my other post above, but how many people have noticed how they branded the car? Notice any Buick emblems anywhere? Nope. If I recall, the only place Buick can be seen is on the grille where it says Riviera, by Buick.
I’ve always liked when they did that. To me it gives the car it’s own image and lets others know it’s by Buick. Cadillac did this, although with no success, on the Cimarron. Remember how the referred to it as Cimarron by Cadillac? I’d love to see them go back to branding like that. Escalade, by Cadillac. Sounds good. lol. Yes, a slow day at work.
You know it was less work turning the 99′ Yukon Denali into the Escalade than the Cavalier into the Cimmaron but the Escalade is a wild success. Just wish the CT4/5 will turn into Chevies
I always thought these Rivieras were a disaster! Looked way too much like the Somerset–small and chintzy.
It is worth $5000 max unless you have a special love for it
I remember that you could not give those models away.
I’m getting very good information from these comments. We also have a 92 Buick Riviera in mint condition approximately 32000 miles on it. It has been stored for many years. Was wondering what we should put it up for sale for.
Great looking car. I am curious what the under side looked like. Indiana and all. Biggest problem for me is that it was supposedly SOLD about 4 months ago. At least that is what I was told when I tried to buy it. Maybe it is back on the market!!!!! Why are they still advertising it????