The Buick Roadmaster has been synonymous with luxury motoring for nearly a century. Its origins can be traced back to the Series 80 from 1931; the Roadmaster name itself was coined in 1936 along with Special, Super, Century, and Limited. The car went on to serve as a high-end flagship for Buick for many years, although there were gaps in production, including a three-decade-plus hiatus after 1958.
The most recent Roadmaster debuted in model year 1991 in “Estate Wagon” form; a four-door Sedan was added to the lineup the following year. Both versions shared the full-sized, rear-wheel-drive GM B-body platform with the Chevrolet Caprice and Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. I recently came across a remarkably well-kept Roadmaster deserving of some appreciation. I hope you enjoy checking it out as much as I did.
The Adriatic Blue Metallic (code 30) exterior featured a chrome grille, hood ornament, body side molding, power antenna, skirted rear wheels, 15-inch alloy wheels, and whitewall tires.
Standard interior features, according to a 1994-model-year window sticker, included AM/FM cassette stereo, cruise control, automatic climate control, delayed-entry illumination, lighted visor vanity mirrors, power steering, tilt steering column, remote trunk release, and power windows. Pricing ranged from about $23,130 to $27,159, depending on options.
The Roadmaster’s real magic happened under the hood, where 1994-on Roadmasters boasted a 5.7-liter LT1 V-8 that was introduced two years earlier in the C4 Corvette. A 4L60E four-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential sent power to the rear wheels.
The 1994 Buick full-line brochure talked about the powertrain: “The most spacious Buick sedan. Buick Roadmaster is a sterling example of the traditional luxury automobile. For 1994, Roadmaster features a new 260-horsepower V-8 engine, making it the most powerful American car of its kind and one of the most satisfying vehicles you can own.”
Following the 1996 model year, the Arlington, Texas assembly plant was retooled for building trucks and sport-utility vehicles. In total, just over 200,000 Roadmasters were produced for the 1991-96 run. And 30 years later, well-kept examples have become quite uncommon. I was thrilled to see one still cruising the streets in style. One day, I hope to experience the car’s LT1 power and signature “Dynaride” suspension.
