2006 Buick Rainier CXL

I have a soft spot for the 2006 Buick Rainier, as it shares the name of my hometown: Rainier, Oregon. Alas, in a couple years the Rainier, and its companion, the slightly smaller Rendezvous, would both be replaced by the Enclave, in 2006 still a concept car that apparently the Portland International Auto Show was not worthy of.

For 2006, the Rainier soldiered on, powered by a 195-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 or an optional 242-horsepower 3.6-liter double overhead cam V6 offering not only more power but also better gas mileage than the smaller engine. Front-wheel drive was standard; all-wheel drive was optional.

2006 Buick Lucerne CXL

The brand-new 2006 Buick Lucerne CXL: the car named after a brand of milk! How exciting! Yeah, I wasn't crazy about the name. The CXL was the mid-level trim. The standard engine was a 197-horsepower 3.8-liter V6. A 275-horsepower 4.6-liter Northstar double overhead cam V8 was optional in the CXL and standard in the CXS. This Lucerne had four portholes on its flanks, indicating it was equipped with the V8.

1949 Buick Super Estate Wagon

The Buick Super was redesigned for 1949, sharing a body with the also-new Roadmaster, which was 5-inches longer. The Buick Super Estate Wagon was powered by a 115-horsepower 248-cubic-inch Fireball inline 8-cylinder engine, with the optional Dynaflow automatic transmission bringing an increase to 120 horsepower. Station wagons at the time featured extensive wood trim, and the Buick Super Estate Wagon is no exception, featuring seasoned maple and northern elm on the exterior, though the structure was now largely steel, with all-steel center pillars, steel doors, and a full-length solid steel Turret Top. The interior featured fine-grained Mahogany-veneer wood paneling, carpeted floors, and a rear seat that folds flat and was displayed at the 2001 Chicago Auto Show by the Volo Auto Museum.

1956 Buick Special Riviera Hardtop Coupe

Buick's entry-level model from 1936 to 1958 was called simply the Special. Starting in 1953, the Special was Buick's best-selling model, and one of the most popular Buick Specials was the Buick Special Riviera hardtop coupe. Buick had first introduced the Riviera hardtop coupe in mid-1949 as part of the top Roadmaster line, and expanded it to include the mid-range Super in 1950 and the Special in 1951. In 1955, the Special Riviera hardtop coupe was Buick's top seller, with 155,000 sold.

Pictured here is a 1956 Buick Special Riviera hardtop coupe in Rainier, Oregon, in July 1996. 1956 was the last year for the Buick bodies that had been introduced in 1954, but the 1956 Buicks were the most powerful yet; the 1956 Buick Special's 264-cubic-inch V8 produced 220 horsepower.

1957 Buick Hardtop Estate Wagons

In the 1950s, hardtop styling was all the rage. It started with hardtop coupes, and then spread to sedans. In the late 1950s, even some station wagons gained hardtop styling and lost their B-pillars. Among these were the 1957 & 1958 Buick Special Riviera Estate Wagon and Century Caballero. Buick's were not the only or even the first hardtop wagons. There were also Oldsmobile versions of the GM hardtop wagons, and hardtop wagons were made by Rambler, Mercury, Chrysler and Dodge as well.

This is the Special Riviera Estate Wagon, the lessor of the two Buick hardtop wagons. The Special line was Buick's "entry-level" line, as signified by its having only three portholes instead of four, though since Buick's position in GM's structure placed it below only Cadillac, even the Specials were well appointed. Thus, the Special line was prestigious enough for the hardtop wagon, though a pillared version was also available.

The Special Riviera Estate Wagon featured a 122-inch wheelbase, seating for 6 with a rear seat that folded flat for cargo space, and a 250-horsepower engine. Options included a split rear seat and a third row seat to provide seating for 9.

The higher-model of Buick's hardtop wagon was the Century Caballero Estate Wagon. It had the same wheelbase as the Special Riviera Estate Wagon, but featured a more powerful 300-horsepower V8 engine.

2010 Buick LaCrosse

The all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse is scheduled for release in the summer of 2009 with a 255-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 with 211 foot-pounds of torque with a 6-speed automatic transmission or a 280-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 with 261 foot-pounds of torque. Includes anti-lock brakes, traction control and StabiliTrak stability control. The LaCrosse CXL offers an intelligent all-wheel-drive system. The LaCrosse CXS offers real-time adapted suspension that automatically adjusts to road terrain and driving style.

Options include heated & ventilated leather seats, rear seatback DVD screens, rearview camera, Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist, xenon high-intensity articulating headlights, Side Blind Zone Alert and Head-Up Dusplay.