According to the book The French Connection, the 1960 Invicta's body had such ideal hiding spots in its fenders and undercarriage that it became a favorite of international heroin smugglers.
Lead trim: Invicta 401 cu in Fireball V8
Buick Invicta1959–1960
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 0sets it belongs to
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Buick Invicta 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.
FactAccording to the book The French Connection, the 1960 Invicta's body had such ideal hiding spots in its fenders and undercarriage that it became a favorite of international heroin smugglers.
The Buick Invicta is a full-size automobile produced by Buick from 1959 to 1963 (the name, from Latin, signified "unconquerable, invincible, unbeatable, unvanquished" per Buick sales training materials), a continuation of the mid-range Buick Century that mated the standard-size Buick LeSabre (pre-1959, Buick Special) body with Buick's larger 401 cubic-inch Fireball V8. The Invicta series was introduced as a full line for 1959 (2-door convertible, 2-door hardtop, 4-door hardtop and the Invicta Estate station wagon) on a 123.0 in wheelbase, 217.4 in long (217.9 in in 1960) and 80.7 in wide (80.0 in in 1960), 4,255–4,679 lb, with a 2-speed Twin Turbine or 3-speed Triple Turbine automatic. Sales never approached those of the LeSabre or Electra but matched the traditional penetration of Buick's sporty mid-priced models; from 1960 an Invicta Custom trim package offered bucket seats and a "consolette". The engine list also includes a 364 cu in (6.0 L) Fireball V8.
Collectors Spotted in the Buick Invicta Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Buick Invicta yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invicta 401 cu in Fireball V8 | 1959–1960 | 6.6 L V8 | 325 hp | 445 lb-ft | — | 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
The 1962 Invicta Wildcat swapped in a long center console with a full tachometer in place of the regular Invicta's short console — a clear signal Buick was aiming it at enthusiasts.
According to the book that inspired The French Connection, this era’s Invicta had body cavities so well hidden that heroin smugglers used them as nearly undetectable traps.
According to the book The French Connection, the 1960 Invicta's body had such ideal hiding spots in its fenders and undercarriage that it became a favorite of international heroin smugglers.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
It briefly served as senior sibling to Marquette, a GM companion brand cancelled after just one year.
Nissan hired former BMW engineers to help develop the 510's suspension, which is why period reviewers frequently compared its handling to the BMW 1600/2002.
A Trabant 601 won its class at the 1970 Monte Carlo Rally, with a second 601 right behind it in second.
The 600 was a stopgap: the P50's body over the 601's mechanicals, and for a while its estate was built alongside the new 601 saloon.
The G80 Sport brought a 370 PS twin-turbo 3.3 V6, a mesh grille and copper-tinted chrome with copper stitching to match.
The Vigor was sold only with a five-cylinder engine, an unusual configuration Honda used to fit a longer engine transversely under a short hood.
The GS/E coupe earned the nickname "German Charger" for its long hood, short deck stance borrowed from Detroit muscle cars.
This DeVille/Fleetwood was the first production car anywhere to mount its V8 sideways, Cadillac's front-drive gamble on the new C-body.