1991 Buick Reatta

Description

Designed as a halo vehicle for the entire Buick lineup, the Reatta is one of the most interesting American cars entering into classic car status. With a strong and reliable powertrain borrowed from the Riviera, an agile all-independent suspension, and a sporty two-seat body full of every luxury option Buick could come up with, it really is a terrific driver's car. This 1991 example is a highly documented and rare coupe from the Reatta's final year.

Workmanship is very good, because it was built at a factory specially set up by GM to build these low volume personal luxury cars. In fact, while General Motors is known for mass production, this Reatta can almost be considered hand-crafted. The claret red metallic paint really helps to highlight the unique curves of the car. The swoopy design with folding headlights and a very cool wrap-around greenhouse is still handsome today. It's so unique that people will guess a value several times the asking price - a tribute to the car's styling and presence. Of course what really helps on this coupe is that it has been treated as a special car since day one. Averaging less than 2,400 miles a year, it shows signs of being enjoyed, but never seeing the wrong side of a curb.

Low mileage means less seat time, and so the saddle leather interior shows far less wear than you'd expect for its age. The great-looking bucket seats are power adjustable so you can make them armchair comfortable. Almost everything was standard in the Reatta, including A/C (now converted to modern R134a), a tilt column, power windows, power locks, and cruise control. But this one went even further and had expensive options like a sunroof and CD player. Later models like this one did not get the touchscreen controls for the climate control and stereo. This technology might have sounded like a nifty idea, but the traditional setup featured here means a lot less maintenance and a more pleasurable ownership experience. Plus, you get a very cool electro-luminescent gauge panel that still maintains this car's cool futuristic style but proved to be far more reliable over the years. More subtle updates in the later Reattas included receiving the modern safety of ABS and a driver's airbag.

One of Buick's most durable and well-developed engines, the fuel-injected 3.8-liter V6 is torquey, efficient, and reliable. The motor in this Reatta is original and unmodified, so it starts instantly, idles easily, and drives as it should. It shows all signs of proper maintenance, so you have a true gem under the hood. The Reatta was meant to be Buick's Mercedes SL competitor, so on the road it feel confident with even a little hint of a sporty exhaust. The four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, fully independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes makes this a great car for long hauls or fun weekends on the backroads.

This Reatta is a true collectable that comes with documentation such as the original driver's literature and original window sticker. It's a rare Buick with less than 22,000 produced in total, and only around 1,200 coupes like this were built in 1991. So for those looking for a complete classic on a budget, your extraordinary Buick awaits. Call today!!!