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Resurrected Buick Riviera Feels Ready to Challenge Bentley, There's One Mystery

Born in 1963, when General Motors was not yet dabbling with personal luxury, its two-door Riviera became the first entry into the affluent segment. Luckily, it was a successful one, so it soldiered on for no less than 35 years.
Buick Riviera reinvention rendering by jlord8 9 photos
Photo: jlord8 / Instagram
Buick Riviera reinvention rendering by jlord8Buick Riviera reinvention rendering by jlord8Buick Riviera reinvention rendering by jlord8Buick RivieraBuick RivieraBuick RivieraBuick RivieraBuick Riviera
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and the Riviera nameplate met its demise back in 1999, after no less than eight generations. However, its legacy continues to endure, so much so that it even touches faraway “imagination lands,” which is the virtual realm of a prolific Americana-focused pixel master.

Jim, the virtual artist better known as jlord8 on social media, has decided to abandon for a while the vintage or modern CGI pickup dreams in favor of a stint across the field of passenger cars. So, after the unobtainable Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Sportback went down the route of Shooting Brakes after narrowly avoiding the pursuit of feisty Audi station wagons, now it is time for something chiller.

Thus, instead of a 650-horsepower three-door muscle car monster, the CGI expert graced us with “a modern-day Rivi.” Naturally, this quick digital project had a hammer effect on the channel’s fans, with the vast majority (there were a few glaring exceptions, though) approving the idea of something from Buick that looks like it would be ready to challenge even a Bentley Continental GT if ever real.

Unfortunately, we all know this Buick Riviera revival is merely wishful thinking – at least as far as the North American market is concerned, where the automaker is dead focused on crossover SUV models. Sure, that does not mean it should not spark polemics regarding the one true mystery: what could power up this stunning virtual revival?

Opinions were naturally divided, with some calling for the use of a classic LS while others asked for a 3.8 – either turbo or supercharged – complete with “variable valve timing on the cam gear, dual-clutch trans and AWD option.” Wow, they like to be specific, don’t they?


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Editor's note: Gallery includes official images of Buick Riviera.

About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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