Buick borrowed the Centurion name and its Roman-soldier emblem from a 1956 Motorama show car, not a production model.
Lead trim: Centurion 350 cu in V8 four-barrel (175 hp net, 1973) · up to 315 hp
Buick Centurion1971–1973
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Buick Centurion yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactBuick borrowed the Centurion name and its Roman-soldier emblem from a 1956 Motorama show car, not a production model.
The Buick Centurion is a full-size car built from the 1971 through 1973 model years, replacing the Wildcat as the mid-line full-size Buick between the LeSabre and the larger C-body Electra 225, promoted more as a mid-level luxury car than the sporty Wildcat (the name inspired by the 1956 Motorama concept car; its emblem a side profile of a Roman centurion rather than the tri-shield). It was nearly identical to the LeSabre apart from badging, grillework, minimal chrome and no VentiPorts, as a two-door hardtop (with semi-fastback roofline and standard vinyl roof), four-door hardtop and convertible (no pillared sedans), on a 124 in wheelbase, 224.2 in long, 4,260–4,329 lb. The 1971 Centurion had only the 455 cubic-inch V8 in two output ranges (single or dual exhaust), producing 315 hp at 4400 rpm and 510 lb-ft at 2800 rpm in the base 455 (a 455 Stage 1 and manual were offered early in 1971, shared with the GSX); total 1971 sales were 29,398, exceeding the Wildcat by nearly 25%. For 1972 the standard and only 455 was rated 250 net horsepower, the "on-paper" decrease from 315 gross caused by the switch in rating methods (36,165 sold), and for 1973 the standard engine was downgraded to a four-barrel 350 V8 rated 175 net horsepower with the 250 hp 455 four-barrel optional; 1973 was the final year and the Centurion was Buick's only convertible that year. Total production was 110,539 including 10,296 convertibles; it was replaced for 1974 by the LeSabre Luxus.
Collectors Spotted in the Buick Centurion Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Buick Centurion yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centurion 350 cu in V8 four-barrel (175 hp net, 1973) | 1973–1973 | 5.7 L V8 | 175 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Centurion 455 cu in Buick V8 (250 hp net, 1972) | 1972–1972 | 7.5 L V8 | 250 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Centurion 455 cu in Buick V8 (315 hp gross at 4400 rpm, 510 lb-ft, 1971) | 1971–1971 | 7.5 L V8 | 315 hp | 510 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Centurion 455 cu in V8 four-barrel (250 hp, 1973 option) | 1973–1973 | 7.5 L V8 | 250 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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