Legendary coachbuilder, designer, and Vice President of General Motors’ Styling Division Harley Earl retired from GM in the late 1950s. His replacement, Bill Mitchell, made one of his first projects the creation of a new personal luxury coupe to compete with Ford’s Thunderbird. Initially intended as a Cadillac offering. As Cadillac already had a personal luxury car in the Eldorado, the new car would become the Buick Riviera.
The Buick Riviera bowed in October of 1962 as a 1963 model. The Riviera moniker, Italian for coastline, had previously been used as a trim level for the 1950s Buick Roadmaster. The new Riviera had an emphasis on fit and finish, to the extent that the doors were installed and windows adjusted before the outer door skins were applied, guaranteeing proper fitment. Riviera production was limited to ensure exclusivity.
At seventeen feet long, the Buick Riviera rode a modified Buick Electra frame. It was more than seven inches shorter than a Buick LeSabre, but longer than the Ford Thunderbird. Tipping the scales right at 4,000 pounds, the Riviera undercut the T-Bird’s weight by nearly 400 pounds.
As a personal luxury car, the Buick Riviera was available with a considerable list of luxury appointments and options. Upholstery could be vinyl or a combination of vinyl and leather. The capacious interior was able to comfortably accommodate four passengers. The center dash cascade was home to the radio and separate heat and air conditioning controls. The console extended down and back, dividing the front seats, and housing the shifter and storage compartment. The console stretched to the rear seats, making the Riviera a strictly four-passenger car. Each door panel had two door release handles, one for the front-seat passenger and one for the rear. This allowed back-seat passengers the ability to exit the car without having to trouble the front-seat passenger. Available options included an automatic trunk release, AM-FM radio, power door locks, cruise control, air conditioning, tilt steering column, power seats, and power windows.
A true luxury car needs true power, and the Buick Riviera delivered in fine fashion with a standard 401 cubic-inch Nailhead V8 that produced 325 horsepower and an impressive 445 pound-feet of torque. An optional 425 cubic-inch Wildcat 465 made 345 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque.
For the 1965 model year, the Buick Riviera received a facelift. The previously horizontal headlights were now stacked vertically and hidden in clamshell enclosures that would open when the headlights were in use. The faux side scoops located in the rear fenders were eliminated, and the tail lights moved to the bumper. An optional vinyl roof was available, and the tilt steering wheel became standard equipment. A freer flowing 2.25-inch dual exhaust aided performance, and the standard transmission was the Super Turbine 400 three-speed automatic. Introduced for the 1965 model year, the Gran Sport option included the Super Wildcat 425 engine. Induction was through dual four-barrel carbs. A higher 3.42 axle ratio and heavy-duty suspension rounded out the performance package.
Our feature 1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport is one of just 3,354 built that year. It has received a frame-off restoration. The Riviera Gran Sport retains its numbers-matching Super Wildcat 425 V8, Super Turbine transmission and rear differential. It has been refinished in its factory hue of Seafoam Green, and the interior is dark green. Equipment includes factory air conditioning, four-way power driver’s seat, remote mirror, cruise control, power vent windows, remote trunk release, Guide-Matic automatic headlight dimmer, power antenna, and an aftermarket AM-FM stereo that is similar in appearance to the factory unit. Included in the sale are the original purchase paperwork, Protect-O-Plate, and an unopened copy of Buick Magazine.
This 1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Glendale, Arizona event taking place March 28th through April 1st.
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Comments
GM at its peak. A gorgeous relic of a vanished America.
One of my all-time favorites. Wish I could own it.
Would love to try 1 of these zippered boots but you never have it in my size (11EE). You also never have them in the stores by me, it would be nice to try on for fit.
Those 1st few years of Rivs are rolling art. Loved my ’69 Wildcat, but it sure was thirsty.
Another classic beauty with muscle!
I grew up in this car. My Mom LOVED this car so much, and my Dad being the neurotic maintenance man of the vehicle allowed this beauty to stay in the family until 1981 aluminum Caddy Coupe de Villa caught my Mom’s eye.
I would steal the Riv at night at 12 and drive around until I got busted by my Dad.
Should have bought another Riv Mom.
Back when there was style in automobiles…
A friend in HS drove a Riviera we called it the racin’ rivvy.
Why can’t GM beautiful cars anymore??? Absolutely stunning design!
Rolling sculpture. In the early 21st century, this car is a beautiful anachronism. What would it take to build such a car with an electric power train? Silent running of a gorgeous car.
The Riviera, ’66 Toronado and ’67 Eldorado placed GM at the forefront in automotive styling.
I have both a ’66 Toro and a ’65 Riv GS. When I took them both to a large car show in Canada (about 1,200 cars) I was actually surprised that over 90% of the people (yep, I kept track) thought the Toro was by far the cooler and better looking car.
My Dad had a 63 with every option, silver blue with white interior. Stunning!
I was just 12 years old in 1965 and even at that age, I knew that this was a beautiful car. I still do. I consider it to be much more pleasing to the eye than the Olds Toronado or the Cadillac Eldorado of that era. Just a classy, classy car.
Fast forward to now…consider this: The Riv was a thirsty car and the “Wildcat” engine generated 345 hp. My base 2017 C7 Corvette Stingray puts out 455 hp and easily gets 30 mpg on the interstate at 75 mph when I set it on the Eco setting. On the Sport setting, it would smoke this Riviera. Hopefully, years down the road, when I am gone, my C7 will also be considered a classy car too.
Most likely it will go for North of$150k ,maybe on a Good Day $200k or more. What a nice Ride!!! Got room in my garage ,but that’s Insane!!! And Newer Corvettes are getting to be bellie buttons cars ,Every one Has One!!
What a beautiful car… This comes from a time in America and the world for that matter when cars where works of art! People back then put pride in their design and the factory workers did a damn good job at putting cars together! Not like cars nowadays… Everything car built now is just a money making machine built the fastest the car companies can build them all for PROFIT AND GREED. Just talk to someone who lived back then they will tell you how it was… That level of design, beauty, function, and craftsmanship will never be seen again… Not in our make the shareholders happy economy system!
With apologies to Brett Hatfield – The car that became the Buick Riviera was initially offered to Cadillac as a new LaSalle II. Thus, the twin narrow, LaSalle-like grilles on the front of the car. Cadillac was selling everything they could build from their one plant on Clark street and were not interested. The Eldorado at that time was just a trimmed out version of the DeVille convertible – not really a personal luxury car like a Thunderbird. The other GM divisions did presentations to get the car as their own and Buick won. The name, “Riviera” is taken from the French coastline – not Italy – and had been a high-line trim package at Buick after being initially used on their first hardtop coupe, the 1949 Roadmaster Riviera. The first actual Eldorado personal luxury car came a generation later, in 1967, when it shared bodies with Riviera and Toronado.
This may be true, but I am limited in the number of words I am allowed. I had to suffice with saying it was a Cadillac offering. As LaSalle was sold in Cadillac dealers as a cheaper Cadillac, my assertion the Riviera was initially intended to be another Cadillac offering was not inaccurate.
It’s time for a new Riviera! The boat tail was a style leader.
JR how about a new Riviera and a new Regale… Just this time give us a 21st century GNX… If GM can build HIGH PERFORMANCE Cadillac’s then why not a high performance Buick! For to long Buick seems to always take a back seat to Cadillac and even Chevy for that matter.
Save yourself the shock and disappointment and DO NOT Google pictures of the 1986 Riviera!
2002tii while 1986 was an off year for the Riviera the 1989 models where much better looking…. Hey man it was the 80s after all! 👍
When I was a teenager, my friend was very rebellious. His mom had a 69 Buick Riviera. It was like a rocket and he came over one day and he picked me up and he was taking me to the liquor store to buy a pack of cigarettes he was at his foot to the floor Driving like a maniac just missing everything on the road and I looked at him and said Jim I didn’t know you had a license he said I don’t. He had stolen his mom‘s car she was at work. He would leave it on empty that’s how I got caught , funny memories
I had a ’63 Riv. 2nd to none. The ’65 GS was a true factory custom with performance to prove it. Nothing like a nailhead with dual 4s.