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.
Lead trim: Wildcat 445 401 cu in Nailhead V8 (325 hp, 445 lb-ft)
Buick Invicta Wildcat1962–1962
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Buick Invicta Wildcat 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.
FactThe 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.
In 1962 the Wildcat was a Buick Invicta subseries, mating the Invicta's longer full-size two-door hardtop Buick body (the "sport coupe", body production code 4647, hardtop only) with a high-performance 325 hp version of the 401 cu in (6.6 L) Nailhead V8, known as the "Wildcat 445" for producing 445 lb-ft of torque. To further distance itself from the Invicta it had Electra 225-like taillights, a bucket-seat interior and a center console with tachometer and transmission shifter, with the Dynaflow transmission shared by all full-size Buicks, special exterior side trim, a vinyl-covered roof (new for 1962) and its own unique stylized wild cat head emblem on each C-pillar; it did share the LeSabre's and Invicta's three VentiPorts on the front fenders, a design cue lasting only through 1963. The listed retail price was $3,927.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat 445 401 cu in Nailhead V8 (325 hp, 445 lb-ft) | 1962–1962 | 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.
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