BUICK ESTATE WAGON

uick Estate is a nameplate that was used by the Buick division of General Motors, denoting its luxury full-size station wagon from 1940 to 1964 and from 1970 to 1996. The Estate nameplate was derived from the term country estate in wealthy suburban areas and estate car, the British term for a station wagon.

For much of its model life the Buick Estate was produced using GM B platform as the station wagon counterpart of Buick sedans; it was offered on the GM C platform from 1949–1953, then again from 1971–1976. With the exception of the prewar Buick Limited limousine, the Estate was the largest vehicle of the Buick line, combining the luxury features of Buick sedans with cargo-carrying capabilities. In line with other brands having a wagon-associated moniker, Estate became adopted by other Buick wagons (regardless of size), with the exceptions of the 1964–1972 Buick Sport Wagon and the 1982–1989 Buick Skyhawk station wagon.

The 1971 to 1976 Estates were the first Buick station wagons to be built on GM longest chassis since the Roadmaster Estates of 1947–53. The Estate shared its 127.0-inch (3,230 mm) C-body wheelbase with the Electra 225, while all 1971–76 GM wagons were B-body-based per model numbers.[16] The 1971–76 GM full-size bodies, at 64.3-inch (1,630 mm) front shoulder room and 63.4-inch (1,610 mm) rear shoulder room set a record for interior width that would not be matched by any car until the full-size GM rear-wheel drive models of the early to mid 1990s. The Estate also shared the Electra 225's interior and exterior styling from 1971 to 1974 (complete with the prerequisite four VentiPorts). Door trim and seats were not as plush in 1971–74 wagons and no door pull strap was included as it was on the Electra.[3]