Buick Riviera
The Ford Mustang Auto Was Not The First American Pony Muscle Car
Some auto and sports car enthusiasts will insist and swear on their life that the sports car that got it all going in America was the Mustang. After all the Ford Mustang was fast cheap and popular and got the whole "Muscle Car" era going. On top of that they may insist that if there were no mustang there would have never been any Camaro or the other whole host of "Pony Cars" It may well be true that buyer demand in the muscle car market segment had been and was created largely by the Mustang car but actually this had all started long before the Mustang ponycars arrived on the American automotive landscape.
Interest in sporty ,close-coupled compacts that could seat two comfortably as well as four in a pinch goes all the way back to 1956. That was the first year when Studebaker fielded its first "Hawks" - nimble, fast road machines that looked different and performed considerably better than the average family sedan. Then later in 1958, Ford punched out its two-seat Thunderbird out to a four-seat configuration which also introduced a radically new body design that met with overwhelming acceptance. To the response, the dominant American automotive manufacturer replied with the Pontiac Grand Prix in 1962 as well as the stunning four places Buick Riviera the following year.
Similar concepts followed in the wings such as Oldsmobile's Tornado in 1966. The race was now fully on and underway.
Until Mustang however, four seat "personal" cars had been mainly upper-price luxury models which were not affordable by the masses of car buyers. This was especially true for young men just starting out with their work careers or working part time after school. However it was not only Ford that was eyeing and evaluating of what became the Mustang's appreciative and enduring target market. Stylists, engineers and the marketing crew were thinking about some car product in the lower-price segment and class a good six years before the Mustang made its entry and debut in 1964. In the end the fly in the ointment of this project to bring a similar automotive product to market was a lack of real corporate interest. Talk about opportunity lost and not seeing the trees from the forest - or in case the highways and interstates from the roads.
Interestingly enough G.M. had missed the boat when it failed to notice the excitement by the general public of its accidental development of an inexpensive "Sports Car" to the American automotive market. It can be said that the first low priced "personal" car was the Chevrolet Corvair. Chevrolet had subtly introduced bucket seats to its Corvair sports coupe in the 1960 model year. Compared to its other lineups in its stable the Corvair sports coupe sold like hotcakes. The expression regarding the sales of Mustangs was they sold like donuts, Corvair sports coupes sold like hotcakes. The offering was a hot product - a real eye popper. These cars were offered in color-keyed interiors, the trademark comfortable vinyl bucket seats and in the 1961 model year the option of a fast four speed gearbox.
The marketing message may have eluded General Motors and their top executives but it sure was not lost on their competitors. Ford and Chrysler, both taking the cue rushed to equip their similar products in a similar way. For the Ford Motor Company it was time to dress up their "compact "car the Ford Falcon. In the case of Chrysler the Valiant line got the treatment.
The Mustang was not the first of the "Pony "muscle cars. Indeed Ford was even the originator of the concept. The concept and market did not originate overnight. While it took time for fruition it was Ford's fortune of both bringing the product to market. The lessons may have been lost to others but Ford was both focused enough and nimble enough to accomplish the task. In terms of absolute cars sales the Ford Falcon based Mustang cars sold 100,000 units in their first month and a full million cars in their first year. What an auto sales record and accomplishment.
About the Author
Terry Z. Voster
Fortuna California Muscle Cars
Winnipeg Manitoba North End Autobody Dealer
Winnipeg Manitoba Auto Finance Financing
 |
 Buick Riviera RIVIERA 1964 BUICK RIVIERA $5,200.00 (17 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 7h 15m |
 Buick Riviera 1964 Buick Riviera Custom Low Rider Beautiful Head Turner Great Car $22,500.00 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 48m Buy It Now for only: $22,500.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1964 Buick Riviera Wildcat Original 100 complete $10,200.00 (15 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 13h 28m |
 Buick Riviera 1963 Buick Riviera NO RESERVE $3,250.00 (27 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 2h 43m |
 Buick Riviera Grand Sport 1965 Buick Riviera Grand Sport $5,000.00 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 8h 30m |
 Buick Riviera Collector Clean Beautiful Riviera $2,800.22 (29 Bids) Time Remaining: 11h 57m Buy It Now for only: $4,900.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1979 Buick Riviera $20,000.00 Time Remaining: 5d 2h 19m Buy It Now for only: $20,000.00 |
 Buick Riviera GS 1973 BUICK RIVIERA 2 Door Coupe BOAT TAIL $5,655.00 (16 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 54m Buy It Now for only: $9,900.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1967 Buick Riviera 430 cu in auto Great project car $510.00 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 4d 2h 17m |
 Buick Riviera 1963 buick riviera Hot Rod rat rod lowrider $5,400.00 (20 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 15m Buy It Now for only: $5,900.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1997 SUPER CHARGED BUICK RIVIERA NO RESERVE $1,650.00 Time Remaining: 5d 3h 55m |
 Buick Riviera 1971 Buick Riviera 455 Very Rare Max Trac Edition $4,999.00 Time Remaining: 5d 5h 10m |
 Buick Riviera 1968 BUICK RIVIERA $22,700.00 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 38m Buy It Now for only: $22,700.00 |
 Buick Riviera GS 1965 Buick Riviera GS Nailhead 425 $9,100.00 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 3h 18m |
 Buick Riviera Buick Riviera Blue Used Coupe V8 Super Charged Leather Interior Heated Seats $660.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 9h 46m |
 Buick Riviera 1963 Riviera Bellflower Lowrider Custom Kustom Hot Rat Rod clean dry car 64 65 $7,080.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 9h 9m Buy It Now for only: $13,500.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1990 BUICK RIVIERA COUPE $300.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 4h 43m |
 Buick Riviera Boat Tail 1971 Buick Riviera Boat tail All Original Actual Miles 455 V8 Rare Survivor $27,500.00 Time Remaining: 4d 2h 43m Buy It Now for only: $27,500.00 |
 Buick Riviera Convertible 1983 Buick Riviera Convertible All original Excellent Body Leather All Electric $2,500.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 37m |
 Buick Riviera 1997 BUICK RIVIERA 2 owner car ORIGINAL 48k miles Like new $4,000.00 (22 Bids) Time Remaining: 23h 11m |
 Buick Riviera 1965 BUICK RIVIERA 2DHT BEAUTIFUL WE SHIP WORLDWIDE $7,300.00 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 9d 7h 43m |
 Buick Riviera RIVIERA 1996 BUICK RIVIERA 2DR SUPERCHRGED SUPER CLEAN RUNS PERFECT CHROM WHEELS $2,025.00 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 9h 5m |
 Buick Riviera 90 buick riviera 2 dr coupe $200.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4d 5m |
 Buick Riviera 2DR COUPE EXTRA SHARP FL LOW MI SUPERCHARGED MNRF IMMAC BEAUTY $7,250.00 Time Remaining: 2d 10h 32m Buy It Now for only: $7,250.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1985 Buick Riviera 43Kmi All Original Private Collectors Car $12,000.00 Time Remaining: 2d 11h 56m |
 Buick Riviera 64 buick riviera $4,250.00 Time Remaining: 12h 36m |
 Buick Riviera Buick Riviera $2,000.00 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 42m |
 Buick Riviera 38L 1992 BUICK Riviera Coupe Auto Only 98k miles $2,500.00 Time Remaining: 1d 4h 59m |
 Buick Riviera Classic 1964 Buick Riviera $18,000.00 Time Remaining: 10d 4h 5m Buy It Now for only: $18,000.00 |
 Buick Riviera STUNNING 1965 BUICK RIVIERA 2 Door Hardtop MATCHING 401 325 HP V8 ENGINE $27,770.00 Time Remaining: 7d 3h 26m Buy It Now for only: $29,900.00 |
 Buick Riviera GS 1965 Buick Riviera GS $1,000.00 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 2h 57m Buy It Now for only: $5,432.10 |
 Buick Riviera 96 BUICK RIVIERA BLK EXTOUPE INENGINEALL IN VERY GOOD CON $2,000.00 Time Remaining: 2d 2h 10m Buy It Now for only: $2,750.00 |
 Buick Riviera Rivera 1964 original Buick Rivera 70k miles loaded with all options clean much rebuilt $12,000.00 Time Remaining: 4h 57m |
 Buick Riviera NO RESERVE CLEAN INTERIOR LIKE NEW EXTREMELY WELL KEPT ICE COLD A C LOADED $1,299.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 4h 22m |
 Buick Riviera S MATCHING MOTOR POWER STEERING AND BRAKES A C CLEAN $21,995.00 Time Remaining: 4d 17h 27m Buy It Now for only: $21,995.00 |
 Buick Riviera 1963 Buick Riviera $1,500.00 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 7d 8h 4m |
 Buick Century 66R 1955 Buick Century 322 CID 236HP 2DR RIVIERA Hard Top $3,750.00 (27 Bids) Time Remaining: 10h 47m |
 Buick Rivera Super 56R 56R 1957 Buick Super Riviera Two Door Hardtop 56R Long Roadmaster Wheelbase Model $19,100.00 (14 Bids) Time Remaining: 14h 44m Buy It Now for only: $34,000.00 |
 Buick Riviera convertible 1983 buick riviera convertible one owner origanal 87000 miles $5,000.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 8d 8h 54m |
| Account limit of 2039 requests per hour exceeded. |
|
|
Gm Cadillac El Dorado, Seville, Deville, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado, 1986-1993 (Paperback) $19.47 Covers Cadillac Eldorado, Seville, Deville FWD, Buick Riviera, Cadillac Fleetwood FWD, and Olds Toronado. |
|
|
General Motors Automotive Repair Manual $23.76 Haynes disassembles every subject vehicle and documents every step with thorough instructions and clear photos. Haynes repair ma |
|
|
Riviera Espresso 5-piece Dining Set $229.99 A rich espresso finish highlights this Riviera dining set. This furniture set features beige upholstered seats and a wave-back design. |
|
|
Cadogan Italian Riviera & Piedmont (Paperback) $17.88 Steps back into ancient Rome on a visit to the Forum and Colosseum • takes a boat ride on Lake Como and a walk through the rolling Tuscan hills • soaks up the sun along the Italian Riviera and sinks into ... |
|
|
On the Riviera $8.17 On the Riviera |
|
|
Buick Riviera 1963-78 Performance Portfolio $18.63 The Riviera was always sold as a hardtop model with two doors. Power and performance gradually increased over the years. From 1966 it became bigger and heavier. For 1970 the new 455ci V8 became available but emissions regulations began to take their toll |
|
|
Gm Cadillac El Dorado, Seville, Deville, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado, 1986-1993 (Paperback) $20.28 Covers Cadillac Eldorado, Seville, Deville FWD, Buick Riviera, Cadillac Fleetwood FWD, and Olds Toronado. |
|
|
Gm Cadillac El Dorado, Seville, Deville, Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado, 19861993 By Maddox, Robert/ Haynes, John Harold $32.37 Author: Maddox, Robert/ Haynes, John Harold Series Title: Haynes Manuals Subtitle: Cadillac Eldorado, Seville, Deville, Fleetwood (Fwd), Oldsmobile Toronado, Buick Riviera : Automotive Repair Manual Publication Date: 1999/08/27 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 1.00 Width: 8.50 Height: 11.00 |
|
|
Walker 45037 $60.99 Walker 45037 45037 EXT PIPE BUICK RIVIERA |
|
|
The English Riviera $8.49 The English Riviera |
|
|
Riviera Cocktail $4.99 Riviera Cocktail |
|
|
Redneck Riviera $4.11 Redneck Riviera |
|
|
Riviera $14.78 The Riviera has inspired countless novelists and artists, attracted as much by its visitors as by its location (Somerset Maugham called it a sunny place for shady people'). But for the majority of the English, the Riviera was made famous by rumour and report: it was the scene of the romance of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson; and, post-war, became the vacation spot of Hollywood starlets. But the Cte d'Azur has a long history of attracting foreign celebrities and royalty, since the seventeenth century, when it was a stopping point on the route south for aristocratic Grand Tourists. Later, English and Scottish invalids, among them Robert Louis Stevenson, followed doctors' orders and holidayed on the Riviera for their health. Jim Ring explores these origins and the developments that took place on the coast the impact of rail travel, of war, of celebrity and of the English. An entertaining survey . . . It is the ideal book to hide your smirk behind on the Promenade des Anglais as yet another roller-blading granny glides past in a leopard-sking thong.' Sunday Telegraph Jim Ring's Riviera corrals an array of vignettes of the Cte d'Azur's most famous habitus from the Romans to the Rolling Stones . . . a stylish and pleasingly gossipy overview of the region's fluctuating fortunes.' Time Out A highly readable history.' Guardian |
|
|
MimoUSA mimo0981a6 Wood Dash Trim Kits 95 Buick Riviera Brushed Aluminum $185.71 MimoUSA Wood Dash Trim Kits Buick Riviera (1995) w/ Heated Seats Set 1 / Color: Brushed Aluminum MimoUSA dash trim kits are the most beautiful dash kits on the market today. The quality is simply astonishing. Every kit is custom made to perfectly fit your car. There are tons of reasons why a dash kit is a great purchase and a fun modification. We are consistently asked by customers What should be my next car project. A dash kit is always on the top of list because of the great change it makes in your cars appearance while being very affordable and easy to install. There is no doubt that a it is one of the most demanded products from tuners and modifiers in the aftermarket industry. MimoUSA has manufactured this popular dash kit for customers since 2001. Each dash kit is durable affordable and easy to install. It is the answer to your search for great value and an exciting modifications. You no longer have to worry about paying a professional to install your parts because the installation is easy and can be done by anyone. Just peel the and stick it your existing dash board. Not only is it a perfect modification but you can be confident with your purchase. Each one is laser cut with great precision and fit 100 percent to OEM specifications. Each dash kit looks clean and factory made; Unlike their competitors. Each kit will fit your ride perfectly. They are laser cut with precise OEM templates. This dash kit completely transforms your interior to look however you like. Prepare to astonish your passengers and onlookers. Feel confident that your kit will look like new forever. We offer a lifetime warranty against fading cracking or delaminating during the lifetime of the car on every dash kit. Every dash kit is extremely easy to install. Just peel and stick the kit to your dash |
|
|
MimoUSA mimo0982b8 Wood Dash Trim Kits 95 Buick Riviera English Burlwood $199.87 MimoUSA Wood Dash Trim Kits Buick Riviera (1995) w/o Heated Seats Set 2 / Color: English Burlwood MimoUSA dash trim kits are the most beautiful dash kits on the market today. The quality is simply astonishing. Every kit is custom made to perfectly fit your car. There are tons of reasons why a dash kit is a great purchase and a fun modification. We are consistently asked by customers What should be my next car project. A dash kit is always on the top of list because of the great change it makes in your cars appearance while being very affordable and easy to install. There is no doubt that a it is one of the most demanded products from tuners and modifiers in the aftermarket industry. MimoUSA has manufactured this popular dash kit for customers since 2001. Each dash kit is durable affordable and easy to install. It is the answer to your search for great value and an exciting modifications. You no longer have to worry about paying a professional to install your parts because the installation is easy and can be done by anyone. Just peel the and stick it your existing dash board. Not only is it a perfect modification but you can be confident with your purchase. Each one is laser cut with great precision and fit 100 percent to OEM specifications. Each dash kit looks clean and factory made; Unlike their competitors. Each kit will fit your ride perfectly. They are laser cut with precise OEM templates. This dash kit completely transforms your interior to look however you like. Prepare to astonish your passengers and onlookers. Feel confident that your kit will look like new forever. We offer a lifetime warranty against fading cracking or delaminating during the lifetime of the car on every dash kit. Every dash kit is extremely easy to install. Just peel and stick the kit to your dash |
|
|
On The Riviera $12.99 Synopsis: A U.S. entertainer doubles for a French aviator at a party and confuses his look-alike's wife. Format: DVD Color: Color Rating: Not Rated Genre: Musical Runtime: 90 Year: 1951 Director: Walter Lang |
|
|
The Riviera $31.11 This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. |
|
|
Sunshine Blanket-Riviera Collection $15.49 Sunshine Blanket-Riviera Collection |
|
|
Riviera Deck Chair $1643.4 Riviera Deck Chair |
|
|
Riviera Red Leather Chair $1143 Riviera Red Leather Chair |
|
|
Riviera Black Leather Loveseat $1219 Riviera Black Leather Loveseat |
|
|
Riviera Red Leather Loveseat $1615 Riviera Red Leather Loveseat |
|
|
Dizzy On The French Riviera $7.99 Dizzy On The French Riviera |
|
|
Morecambe & Wise - That Riviera Touch $7.99 Morecambe & Wise - That Riviera Touch |
Buick Riviera Concept