The Buick Reatta: A Forgotten Gem
The Buick Reatta was a two-seater luxury sports car produced by General Motors from 1988 to 1991. It was designed to compete with the Mercedes-Benz R107, but it never quite achieved the same level of success. Despite this, the Reatta remains a unique and interesting car that is worth remembering.
Design and Features
The Reatta was built on a modified version of the front-wheel-drive Cadillac Eldorado/Oldsmobile Toronado/Buick Riviera chassis. It was powered by a 3.8-liter pushrod Buick V6 engine that offered 165 horsepower. While not particularly sporty, this engine was known for its reliability. The only transmission available was a four-speed automatic.
One of the Reatta’s most notable features was its Electronic Control Center (ECC), which featured a touchscreen computer display. This was decades before such screens became commonplace in vehicles. Unfortunately, the ECC and digital dash have been pulled from many Reattas over the years, and it’s likely that they weren’t in working order.
Junkyard Find
Just over 20,000 Buick Reattas were made during the model’s production run for the 1988 through 1991 model years. However, many of these cars have ended up in junkyards over the years. The author of this article had documented seven Reattas in car graveyards prior to finding today’s Junkyard Find.
This particular Reatta is an example of a car that was loved to death by its final owner. It endured some rough handling during its final years, including a spray-painted flat black interior and a rattle-can/Plasti-Dip two-tone paint job. The multi-bolt-pattern aftermarket wheels aren’t what the Reatta’s designers had in mind, but they give the car an East Bay style that is fitting for its location just outside Denver.
Sticker Collection
One of the most interesting things about this particular Reatta is its sticker collection. There are cannabis-themed stickers in and on the car, which is not surprising given that Colorado is ahead of California when it comes to legal cannabis. There’s also an oil pressure gauge under the hood, which is a good place to put it if you don’t like hot motor oil spraying all over your legs while you’re driving.
The car’s sticker collection includes a de rigueur “Hellastock” decal on the rear glass, as well as dispensary stickers and a Buick Club of America sticker that seems older than the others. There are also some culturally questionable stickers, such as one that goes back to 1980s-style misogyny and another that goes back to the 1970s.
Conclusion
The Buick Reatta may not have been a huge success, but it remains a unique and interesting car. Its Electronic Control Center was ahead of its time, and its reliable engine made it a practical choice for those who wanted a luxury sports car. While many Reattas have ended up in junkyards over the years, they are still worth remembering for their unique design and features.
