After a hiatus in 1994 during which no cars were produced, the Riviera was back from ’95-’99 for its 8th and final generation. The beluga-bodied 8th-gen Riv was a great sleeper car: despite its demure looks, the ’95 Buick packed an optional supercharged 3.8L V6 that made 225 hp, upgraded the following year to a 240 hp "Series II" version which became the standard powerplant in 1998. This quick and attractive Riviera was well-liked, but sales remained slack, and as a result Buick discontinued the Riv in the middle of the 1999 model-year run with only about 2000 cars produced. The last Riv rolled off the line on November 25, 1998.  Popular mods on CarDomain’s late-model Rivs seem to include huge wheels and smaller supercharger pulleys for increased boost.  Matthew’s ’96 has some smart engine and suspension mods and glistens in its factory White Diamond paint. Deven’s ’96 looks awesome in custom Sunburst Blue sitting on 20′s, and he’s got some great pics on his page of other tricked-out Rivs as well. Still, Cody’s is probably the only true high-riser Riviera on the site. Matt’s Buick has a PS2—what is it with Riv owners and in-dash video games?—and Aaron has done some serious tuning to get over 300hp out of his Riv.  Stef’s two-tone ’97 has some interesting paint details, including both pinstriping and flames; and Mike’s ’95 Riv is decked out as a freeway cruiser, with fog lights, a CB radio, and a tow hitch for his jet skis. While it’s unlikely that there will be another Riv, a gull-winged Buick concept car bearing the Riviera name appeared at the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show. In light of the current trend toward recycling classic names for retro-styled vehicles, there may yet be some hope for a comeback version of the Riviera.

The incredible shrinking Riviera became even more diminutive for the 1986 redesign, losing 19 inches and 500 lbs. The reduced weight made for better handling, as did the strut-based independent front suspension that replaced the torsion-bar setup of previous years. Futuristic (for the time) standard interior features included the "Graphic Control Center," the auto industry’s first production in-dash touchscreen controller. The only available engine was now a non-turbocharged 3.8L V6. Consumers were not overwhelmingly impressed by the Riviera’s advances, and sales declined steeply from the records set in 1985. The 7th-gen’s lack of popularity has not deterred our faithful members, however. Christopher has a beautiful set of wheels on his ’89, Drew runs spinner hubs on his ’93, and Dan has built a killer sound system for his ’92. Ryan’s two-tone ’91 looks slick in its suburban desert landscape. John’s ’88 is the second Riv we’ve featured that goes by name "Banana Boat." Derek got around the 7th-gen’s limited horsepower by installing a turbo from a Grand National in his Riv. Pegasis’s ’89 is super-clean inside and out, and Lace has some cool shots of the Graphic Control Center on her Riviera’s page. Check them out!
 

The sixth generation brought big changes: the smallest Riviera to date was now a front-wheel drive car, and a convertible version was offered for the first time. Engines offered during this era included the 350 V8, the very popular 307 V8, the diesel, and the turbocharged V6. Sales soared, and production hit an all-time high in 1985, with 65,305 cars made. The Riv was honored with Motor Trend’s "Car of the Year" award in 1979, and a turbo convertible was the official Pace Car for the 1983 Indy 500. Though the ’79-’85 Rivs were initially ignored by collectors, interest in these cars has been positively snowballing in recent years. Check out the sweet soon-to-be classic Rivs on CarDomain! Merrill is the original owner of this beautiful ’83 convertible, and his page contains an interesting story about 6th-gen Rivs that were shipped to Kuwait. Bryan’s got some big plans for a two-tone paint scheme on his ’83.  Jayson’s slick black ’84 has the turbocharged SFI, and on his other page he’s got a cool pic of his ’85 daily driver sitting in front of an oil rig.  Mike’s Riv is in beautiful original condition, with plenty of NOS goodies.  Manuel’s Riv rolls on flashy 24′s, while Nick’s has been "modestly turning heads since 1985." Enjoy!

The 1977-78 run marked the beginning of a comeback for the Riv, whose new, relatively petite stature was welcomed by a public weary of high gas prices. Both wheelbase and width were reduced, and the Riviera was over 1000 lbs lighter than the previous generation. Three V8 engine options replaced the 455: a Buick 350, a "California option" Olds 350, and an Olds 403. Though horsepower took a hit (155, 170, and 185 respectively), performance in the quarter-mile and 0-60 actually increased because the new littler Riviera had so much less weight to haul around. Check out the 5th-gens on CarDomain: Kyle swapped the 403 into his Riv, along with a pretty decent sound system. Thomas’s super-clean ’77 was a gift from his great-grandma. James calls his ’78 a "big comfy couch," though in addition to being cozy it also does a great job of looking sharp at the gas pumps. Craig’s ’77 has been lowered and has some engine mods, though clearly you guys have to help me get on his case to build out his ride page so we can learn more!

For ’74-’76, Buick continued its move away from ‘"sport" and toward luxury: horsepower for the now smogged 455 was declining, and the ’74 model was more plush inside and about 85 pounds heavier overall.  While the design from the fenders forward remained similar to the previous generation, the rear was reworked in a manner intended to appeal to a more conventional audience, replacing the radical boat-tail with a more innocuous notch-back. Also, for the first time in the Riviera’s history, a B-pillar appeared, meaning it was no longer a true hardtop. 1975 brought square headlights, and a more upright grille replaced the forward-slanting nose of previous years. Since I run underappreciated cars myself, I have nothing but respect for the handful of CarDomain members who cherish these rare gramp-tastic rides. Evan is the defiant owner of the only ’74 on the site, recently emerged from long-term storage: "The beast has now been unleashed on the world once again!" Rob, a Buick nut in the Netherlands, owns not only this cherry ’75 GS but also a sweet boat-tail and a super-tough ’72 Estate Wagon. Donald just started building a page for his new ’75, and James has the ultra-rare factory red wheels on his mint ride.  Steve rightly calls his ’76 "the pinnacle of excess," and Bob and Kimberlee have theirs up on 22-inch wheels!

From 1971-73, the Riviera featured an unforgettable "boat-tail" body style and aggressively-raked front clip, representing overall a huge design risk for GM. It’s a risk I’m glad they took, because the boat-tail Rivs are, at least in my opinion, some of the most gorgeous cars ever made. The 455 V8 continued to be the standard engine, and while the ’71 and ’72 were very similar in appearance, the 1973 Riviera can be distinguished by a decidedly more massive-looking front bumper assembly, redesigned in response to new government crash-safety standards. Check out Rob’s encyclopedic page on his restored ’71, including some sweet video of the big 455 revving up. While Lee’s Riv is original right down to the 8-track player, Mike’s done some great custom bodywork on his ’71 that flows nicely with the car’s lines. Jon’s original ’72 looks slick in green with a tan interior, and Akie’s Riv is rolling on some pretty huge rims!  Emerson has done some great mods on his ’73, and clearly put a ton of work into the body; and don’t forget to check out Jay’s chopped-top ’73 on 20′s.  Sadly, the boat-tail Rivieras are a popular choice for being wrecked in action films, since they always make for a dramatic visual and they can still be had pretty cheaply: I tend to get pretty tense whenever a boat-tail shows up on screen, because I just know it’s going to be completely destroyed before the film is over. There oughtta be a law.

In addition to the sweeping lines of a redesigned body, the ’66-’70 Riviera featured a reconfigured rear suspension, slightly longer wheelbase, and wider stance for improved handling and ride quality. The clamshell headlights of the ’65 were replaced with headlights that swiveled down from above the grille like a pair of spectacles. In 1967, a larger 430 cu. in. V8 with a single 4-barrel carb became standard, replacing the old "nailhead" 425, and Bendix 4-piston disc brakes were offered as an option. 1970 was the year that the hidden headlights came permanently back into view; other developments in this year included a standard 370hp, 455 cu. in. engine. Check out the 2nd-gen Rivs on CarDomain: Thomas over in Switzerland calls his custom pearl-yellow Riviera the "Banana Boat," while Art’s barn-find ’66 Gran Sport now rocks a gorgeous orange metallic paint job. Cody is in the process of restoring his ’67, which already runs some nice engine mods and a set of 22" rims, and Mark’s ’67 drag car has a custom hood scoop and a 455 from a 1976 Buick. Jean’s factory-beautiful "Ruby Riv" came with every option available in ’68, and we’re assuming that includes the rare disc brakes. Andrew’s page includes some video of him playing with the air-ride on his ’68. Big Detox’s Riv is rolling on Dubs, and features three-stage paint from a Cadillac Escalade. The complete custom job on David’s Riv by Project Two Customs must’ve set him back a good chunk of change, whereas Zach got his sweet daily-driver ’70 Riv from a kindly friend for free!

Buick originally used the term "Riviera" to designate a particular body style on a variety of its models from 1949 through 1962. It wasn’t until 1963 that the Buick Riviera made its debut as a model in its own right, intended as a sport-luxury two-door hardtop that could compete with the likes of the Ford Thunderbird. It came with a standard 401 cu. in. V8 that made 325 hp from the factory, or an optional 425 cu. in. for an extra 15 hp. In 1964, the dual-carbed "Super Wildcat" engine was introduced as an option, brining the factory horsepower count up to 360. Rawr! 1965 marked the first major restyle for the Riv: changes included vertical headlights hidden in the fenders behind motorized clamshells, and an optional Gran Sport package. Needless to say, there are a lot of beautiful examples of the 1st-generation Riviera on CarDomain. Check out Steve’s ’63, painted in Mercedes Astral Silver and decked out with some awesome audio. Mario’s ’63 has a freshly-rebuilt 401. Chris’s striking two-toned lowrider is pretty impressive, and Brock’s slammed ’64 is already a show-winner, even though its major mods are still in the works. Mike’s Riv, with lakes pipes and wire wheels, somehow found its way all the way over to the UK. And I sure wish I could learn more about Bea’s flame-throwing ’63! Mark’s page on his ’65 includes pics of the clamshell headlights in action, Brett’s ’65 rolls on 20" rims, and BobbyUNO’s low-miles, unrestored ’65 is a virtual time capsule!