Buick Riviera
Every Buick Riviera generation in the Burbles catalogue — complete specs, rarity tiers, interactive 3D cards, and the collectors who have spotted them on the street.
- Lineage Span
- 1963–1999 11 generations · 36 published trims
- Power Evolution
- 105 → 360 hp Base lead-trim output across eras
- Catalogue Rarity
- 2 Legendary 2 Legendary · 6 Epic · 3 Rare/Common
All 11 Buick Riviera Generations
Each generation deals in its rarity tier’s alloy with its engine disc, lead specs, and first spotter record. Click into any generation for full trims and market figures.
Buick skipped the 1994 model year entirely before bringing the Riviera back redesigned for 1995.
GM shrank the Riviera to a 108-inch wheelbase for 1986, then had to stretch it back out again by 1989.
The special grille from the limited 1983 "Riviera XX" 20th-anniversary edition - with 24-karat gold badging - became a standard part of the 1984 facelift.
A twin-turbo Riviera convertible tuned to 410 hp paced the 1983 Indianapolis 500, more than double the production S-Type's output.
The Riviera had ridden on the same E-body platform since 1963, but for 1977 and 1978 only, Buick shrank it onto GM's new, smaller B platform.
This Riviera introduced two high-mounted taillights above the trunk, below the rear window — a quirk shared with its Toronado platform twin that anticipated a feature later made a federal mandate.
Buyers found the Riviera's boat-tail look too radical, so for 1973 GM blunted the deck lid and shortened it — the Stage One cars that followed wore the toned-down tail.
The dramatic boat-tail Riviera wasn't designed for the big body it got. GM's stylists built it to fit the smaller A-body platform; management decided late to stretch it onto the full-size B-body instead.
Both the Riviera's E-body siblings, the Toronado and Eldorado, switched to front-wheel drive — Buick alone kept the Riviera rear-wheel drive.
1965 was the year the Riviera's Gran Sport debuted — its Super Wildcat V8 ran twin four-barrel carburetors just to hit 360 horsepower.
Buick deliberately capped first-gen Riviera production at 40,000 a year — in a year it sold 440,000 cars overall — just to keep the Riviera feeling exclusive.
Collectors Who Spotted the Buick Riviera
No member has published a public street spot of the Buick Riviera yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Buick Riviera Generation-by-Generation Comparison
Lead figures across every published generation, newest to oldest. Select any generation to inspect all trims and engine options.
| Generation | Years | Tier & Rarity | Engine | Power & Torque | 0–60 mph | Weight | Trims | First Spotter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riviera eighth generation (1995–1999)G II-body | 1995–1999 | Rare | 3.8L V6 | 205 hp | — | 3,788 lb | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera seventh generation (1986–1993)E-body | 1986–1993 | Rare | 3.8L V6 | 140 hp · 200 lb-ft | — | 3,309 lb | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| 6th Gen Riviera6th Gen | 1984–1986 | Rare | 4.1L I6 | 125 hp · 205 lb-ft | — | — | 13 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1979–1985) | 1979–1985 | Epic | 5.7L V8 | 105 hp · 205 lb-ft | — | — | 4 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1977–1978) | 1977–1978 | Epic | 5.7L V8 | 155 hp | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1974–1976) | 1974–1976 | Epic | 7.5L V8 | 205 hp · 345 lb-ft | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera Stage One (1973–1974) | 1973–1974 | Legendary | 7.5L V8 | 245 hp | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1971–1973) | 1971–1973 | Epic | 7.5L V8 | 250 hp | — | 4,247 lb | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1966–1970) | 1966–1970 | Epic | 7.0L V8 | 340 hp · 465 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera Gran Sport (1965) | 1965–1965 | Legendary | V8 | 360 hp · 465 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| Riviera (1963–1965) | 1963–1965 | Epic112,244 built | 6.6L V8 | 325 hp · 445 lb-ft | — | 3,998 lb | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
See a Buick Riviera on the street, point Burbles at it, and that generation’s card goes in your binder with your own photo and serial number. Own one? Add it to your garage in the app.