# Buick Roadmaster
The **Buick Roadmaster** is a full-size automobile that [Buick](https://www.edgepedia.org/buick), a division of [General Motors](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-motors), built in three eras: from 1936 to 1942, from 1946 to 1958 as the division's largest and most luxurious line, and from 1991 to 1996 as the final rear-wheel-drive V-8 passenger car Buick ever produced.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [2](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/) The name was introduced in 1936 on Buick's biggest series, disappeared after 1958, and returned in 1991 on a body-on-frame wagon and sedan that shared the GM B-body platform with the [Chevrolet Caprice](https://www.edgepedia.org/chevrolet-caprice) and Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [2](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production eras | 1936–1942, 1946–1958, and 1991–1996; the name was not used on a Buick between 1958 and 1991[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) |
| First year, 1936 | Series 80; two body styles, a four-door trunk sedan and a convertible phaeton; 16,049 built; sedan priced at $1,255[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf) |
| 1936 drivetrain | 320.2 cu in straight-eight rated at 120 hp, three-speed manual, 131-inch wheelbase, 4,098 lb[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf) |
| Final generation platform | GM B-body, body-on-frame, front-engine rear-wheel drive, built in Arlington, Texas, shared with the Chevrolet Caprice, Impala, Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, and Cadillac Fleetwood[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/02/07/at-gm-trucks-push-out-some-big-cars/68475254-e687-4d7f-8ba5-f092e865f76b/) |
| Signature engine, 1994–96 | Chevrolet LT1 5.7-liter V-8, a detuned Corvette unit with cast-iron heads, rated 260 hp and 335 lb-ft[5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/) |
| Measured performance, 1994 | 0–60 mph in 6.7 seconds (Motor Trend); quarter mile in 16.0 seconds at 90 mph (Car and Driver); top speed of 108 mph, limited by the tires' rating[6](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/six-seater-sedans-time-machines) • [5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/) • [1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) |
| Sales | Peaked at about 85,000 in 1992, fell by more than half in 1993, and dropped below 23,000 in the final year; production ended December 16, 1996[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) |
## Origins, 1936–1942
Buick introduced the Roadmaster in 1936 as the name for its largest series, the Series 80. A 1936 Buick sales catalog said the car "literally named itself the first time a test model leveled out on the open highway."[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf) Only two body styles were offered that first year, a four-door trunk sedan and a convertible phaeton, and 16,049 were built.[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf)
The car was positioned as a bargain against Cadillac. The sedan sold for $1,255, undercutting the least expensive Cadillac by $440, and the convertible phaeton cost $1,565 against $2,745 to $7,850 for equivalent Cadillacs.[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf) Its 320.2-cubic-inch straight-eight made 120 hp, and the 131-inch wheelbase sat seven inches shorter than the Series 90 Limited but nine inches longer than the Series 60 Century.[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf) 1936 was also the first year Buicks carried a model name alongside a series number, and total Buick sales that year nearly tripled to about 158,000.[3](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf)
## The postwar Roadmaster, 1946–1958
The Roadmaster carried several Buick firsts in this period. The Dynaflow torque-converter automatic transmission was introduced on the 1948 Roadmaster, and Buick's famous portholes, the fender vents later called Ventiports, arrived in 1949.[7](https://manuals.plus/m/249a0347edd257e468fb85463b684a07db55ae679a67c4648e4efb29bb2617ea.pdf) In 1949 the Roadmaster Riviera became one of America's first pillarless hardtops, a body style Buick had pioneered.[8](https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/buick-roadmaster-riviera-history/view-all/)
The 1953 Roadmaster received Buick's first high-compression V-8, the engine later known as the "Nailhead" for its vertical valve arrangement, paired with the Dynaflow automatic.[7](https://manuals.plus/m/249a0347edd257e468fb85463b684a07db55ae679a67c4648e4efb29bb2617ea.pdf) • [9](https://porschecarshistory.com/wp-content/old/lib/magazines/HCC/2018/2018-12.pdf) In 1950, Buick's split-wheelbase strategy let it sell the regular Roadmaster sedan for over $100 less than the 1949 version, and total Buick sales for 1950 swelled to more than 588,000, an increase of nearly 50 percent over 1949.[8](https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/buick-roadmaster-riviera-history/view-all/) The name ran through the 1958 model year and then disappeared from the lineup.[2](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/)
## The 1991 revival
Buick revived the Roadmaster for 1991 on the rear-wheel-drive GM B-body, its last V-8, rear-drive passenger car. The launch order was unusual: the Estate station wagon reached dealers in the autumn of 1990 as a 1991 model, and the four-door sedan followed in March 1991, listed as a 1992 model.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [10](https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/roadmaster-hit-a-road-block-in-1990s) By 1990s standards the car was deliberately old-fashioned: body-on-frame construction, a longitudinally mounted V-8 driving the rear wheels, skirted rear fenders on the wagon, and three rows of seats, at a time when almost all new cars were downsized unibody designs.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [11](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a39721793/buick-roadmaster-roadmonster-remembered/)
**Engines by year.** The 1991 wagon used a 170 hp 5.0-liter V-8 with throttle-body fuel injection.[12](https://driventowrite.com/2021/08/28/1991-1996-buick-roadmaster-profile/) For 1992 the 5.7-liter (350 cubic-inch) small-block became standard, rated at 180 bhp with improved torque.[13](https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/Buick/Roadmaster/1994/1994-Buick-Roadmaster) In 1994 the Corvette-derived LT1 replaced it across the board, a decision GM made to reduce platform complexity, and it made 260 hp and 335 lb-ft of torque.[5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/) The B-body version differed from the Corvette's engine in several ways: cast-iron heads instead of aluminum, a softened cam profile for a smoother idle, more restrictive intake and exhaust for quietness, and calibration for regular unleaded fuel.[5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/)
**Performance and equipment.** [Motor Trend](https://www.edgepedia.org/motor-trend)'s comparison test recorded a tire-burning 0–60 mph run of 6.7 seconds for the Roadmaster Limited, dead even with a contemporary Mustang GT and more than a second quicker than the next fastest six-passenger sedan in the group, from a 4,244-pound car.[6](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/six-seater-sedans-time-machines) [Car and Driver](https://www.edgepedia.org/car-and-driver)'s 1994 test ran the quarter mile in 16.0 seconds at 90 mph, against 17.5 seconds at 79 mph for the 1993 model, and noted a tire-rating-limited 108-mph top speed.[5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/) EPA fuel economy for 1994 was 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, a 1-mpg city improvement over the previous engine.[5](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/) With the optional trailer towing package the wagon was rated to tow 5,000 pounds.[6](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/six-seater-sedans-time-machines) The cabin offered power everything and pillow-topped upholstery in cloth or leather, in two trim levels, Sedan and Limited Sedan; the dash was restyled in 1994 for dual airbags, and electronic climate control became standard in 1996.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/)
**Pricing.** When the sedan line was priced for 1992, the Roadmaster sedan listed at $20,890, the Roadmaster Limited sedan at $23,245, and the Estate Wagon at $21,445.[14](https://usautohistory.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/1991-1992-buick-roadmaster/)
## Sales and cancellation
The Roadmaster sold about 85,500 units in 1992, its first full year, then declined by more than 50 percent in 1993 as initial demand was exhausted; fewer than 23,000 found buyers in the final year, and the total run approached but did not reach one million.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/) • [14](https://usautohistory.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/1991-1992-buick-roadmaster/) The Estate Wagon, not the sedan, connected with the public and represented a significant proportion of sales throughout the run.[15](https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/buick/roadmaster/1996/1996-buick-roadmaster-estate_wagon) It was also the only one of the three B-body wagons, alongside the Caprice and Custom Cruiser, available with the simulated wood "woodie" look.[2](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/)
GM's decision to end the car was reported in February 1995: the automaker would drop its big rear-drive cars, including the Caprice, Impala, Roadmaster, and [Cadillac Fleetwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/cadillac-fleetwood), all built at the [Arlington, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/arlington-texas) assembly plant, and convert that plant to pickup and utility-vehicle production to meet demand for trucks.[4](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/02/07/at-gm-trucks-push-out-some-big-cars/68475254-e687-4d7f-8ba5-f092e865f76b/) The line was shut down on December 16, 1996, and the Roadmaster name has not been used on a Buick since.[1](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/)
## Legacy
The final Roadmaster wagon has been reassessed as a collector car. Ed Welburn, who worked on GM's final rear-drive wagon before becoming head of GM global design, said people respected the wagon even though it arrived when wagons were on their way out, displaced by minivans and the [Ford Explorer](https://www.edgepedia.org/ford-explorer).[11](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a39721793/buick-roadmaster-roadmonster-remembered/) Post-1994 LT1-engined cars are the most sought after by buyers, and the 1996 wagon, with its wood-grained plastic sheet and fiberglass simulated wood trim, is regarded as the last of the American wood-sided wagons.[2](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/) • [16](https://digitize.gp.lib.mi.us/history/newspapers/grossePointeNews/year_ranges/1990s/1996/pdf/1996-05-09.pdf) The 1994–96 LT1 Roadmasters also outpaced the contemporary Ford Panther-platform cars in straight-line performance, a contrast reviewers noted at the time and owners still cite.[6](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/six-seater-sedans-time-machines)
## References
1. [Last of the Big Buicks: The 1991-96 Roadmaster, Mac's Motor City Garage (2021)](https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/last-of-the-big-buicks-the-1991-96-roadmaster/)
2. [Buick Roadmaster Wagon buying guide, history and review, Octane Magazine](https://www.octane-magazine.com/articles/buying-guides/buick-roadmaster-wagon/)
3. [1936 Buick Roadmaster Series 80, Steffes auction lot sheet](https://steffesproduction.blob.core.windows.net/files/eeda55ac-69bd-418d-9ee8-7f33b12d6be4/Lot/42d9885d-0483-4987-accd-756876c147fb/1936%20Buick%20Series%2080%20Roadmaster%20-%20Lot%2022.pdf)
4. [At GM, Trucks Push Out Some Big Cars, The Washington Post (February 6, 1995)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/02/07/at-gm-trucks-push-out-some-big-cars/68475254-e687-4d7f-8ba5-f092e865f76b/)
5. [Tested: 1994 Buick Roadmaster Gains Real Firepower, Car and Driver (October 1993)](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a33498771/tested-1994-buick-roadmaster/)
6. [Six Seater Sedans, Time Machines Road Test, Motor Trend](https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/six-seater-sedans-time-machines)
7. [Buick owner's manual historical notes (Dynaflow, portholes, 1953 V-8)](https://manuals.plus/m/249a0347edd257e468fb85463b684a07db55ae679a67c4648e4efb29bb2617ea.pdf)
8. [Pillarless Pioneer: The 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Ate Up With Motor](https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/buick-roadmaster-riviera-history/view-all/)
9. [Hemmings Classic Car, December 2018 (Buick straight-eight and Nailhead history)](https://porschecarshistory.com/wp-content/old/lib/magazines/HCC/2018/2018-12.pdf)
10. [Roadmaster hit a road block in '90s, Old Cars Weekly](https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/roadmaster-hit-a-road-block-in-1990s)
11. [The Buick Roadmaster Is a Beautiful, Memorable Roadmonster, Car and Driver (2022)](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a39721793/buick-roadmaster-roadmonster-remembered/)
12. [One for the Road: 1991-1996 Buick Roadmaster profile, Driven to Write](https://driventowrite.com/2021/08/28/1991-1996-buick-roadmaster-profile/)
13. [1994 Buick Roadmaster, Hagerty Valuation Tools](https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/Buick/Roadmaster/1994/1994-Buick-Roadmaster)
14. [1991-1992 Buick Roadmaster, usautohistory](https://usautohistory.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/1991-1992-buick-roadmaster/)
15. [1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, Hagerty Valuation Tools](https://www.hagerty.com/valuation-tools/buick/roadmaster/1996/1996-buick-roadmaster-estate_wagon)
16. [The last Buick Roadmaster wagon, Grosse Pointe News (May 9, 1996)](https://digitize.gp.lib.mi.us/history/newspapers/grossePointeNews/year_ranges/1990s/1996/pdf/1996-05-09.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Transport and spaceflight › Road transport › Automobiles › American automobile models › Luxury and personal luxury cars*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 15, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Oct 15, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license