Buick Riviera

About the Buick Riviera

The Riviera was radically redesigned for the 1971 model year with flowing and dramatic "boat-tail" styling. Designed under Bill Mitchell's direction, it was penned by Jerry Hirshberg, future head of design for Nissan, mating the two-piece vee-butted:792 fastback rear window, inspired by the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray split window coupe, to the Riviera's platform.

The design was originally intended for the smaller GM A platform (which Buick eventually assigned to the Century and Regal in 1973), and the use of the Riviera's body—expanded for 1971 by 3 in (76 mm) in wheelbase and more than 120 lb (54 kg) heavier—produced controversial looks, which made it a sharp departure from those of the Toronado and Eldorado. (Collectible Automobile ran an article about 1971–76 full-sized Buicks in which one sketch design for their 2-door coupes which was rejected resembled the 1971–73 Riviera).