Buick has the honor and distinction of being the oldest active American marque of automobile, first founded in the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company in 1899 before its incorporation into the Buick Motor Company in May 1903. Along the way, Buick has been marketed as a premium brand that sold affordable luxury vehicles. Buick has survived General Motors’ brand discontinuations, including Oldsmobile and Saturn, and drastic changes in the economy, while continuing to innovate when times were tough.
Bought by David Dunbar Buick in 1903, William Durant was brought in to manage Buick in 1904. The first Buick made for public sale was the 1904 Model B. A total of 37 Buicks were made that year and none of the originals have survived to see 2015. A natural promoter, Durant made sure Buick became the largest automaker in America. With the profits, Durant began acquiring other automakers, calling the corporation General Motors. Each make was to target a particular audience. Buick was near the top.
In 1939, while the world was engulfed in World War II, Buick became the first automaker to introduce turn signals, something no other brand would include for another decade. Over the next 75 years, Buick would go on to break its own sales records and add and drop models and segments that were not profitable.
In 2005, Buick consolidated its lineup to just the LaCrosse/Allure, Lucerne, and Enclave. While small compared to other General Motors brands, the profitability of the lineup meant Buick wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Soon enough, the Regal made its debut. Shortly after tying Jaguar for most dependable brand in the United States, Buick discontinued the Lucerne. In 2012, the Verano sedan and Encore mini crossover broke into the lineup.
Today, Buick stands between Chevrolet and Cadillac, selling entry-level luxury vehicles at modest prices. In 2016, the all-new Cascada convertible will go on sale, and be added to the
Pitre Buick GMC inventory! 2014 was a record year for the brand, with over 1,170,000 vehicles sold worldwide. With sales like that, it looks like Buick will continue to build its legacy as one of the best entry-level luxury brands on the market.
