Cream Puff: 1989 Buick Reatta Coupe
We’ve met several cars in these pages conceived during corporate turmoil, but perhaps none as unfortunate as the star-crossed Buick Reatta. Its unlikely emergence was a managerial triumph as GM fought to maintain market share against foreign competition. The story began in the late 1970s. Chief engineer Lloyd Reuss believed Buick needed a halo car to transcend its stodgy image, perhaps a two-seater akin to the Mercedes SL. His idea received initial endorsement from management. But over at Cadillac, the Allanté had already received the go-ahead. The Allanté would occupy the luxury sports niche for GM, and to attract foreign-car buyers, GM assigned the design and manufacture of the new car to Italian superstar Pininfarina, demoralizing GM’s style department. Against this backdrop, Roger Smith reorganized GM’s five divisions into three while also shifting manufacturing away from Fisher Body. The Reatta could have been lost in the shuffle. But Reuss returned to Buick as general manager in 1980. Approaching Irv Rybicki, head of styling, with the prospect of a Buick E-body two-seater revived spirits somewhat after the Cadillac fiasco. A contest was held among the design teams; the resulting coupe was attractive but too rounded to match the chassis – it simply would not fit. To add corners to the body, a crease was penned in, flowing around the body’s waistline, reminiscent of the Porsche 944. The Reatta was finally launched in 1988 – an expensive, stylish two-seater from a company that had never produced anything even slightly similar. Whereas management had hoped to make 20,000 copies a year, fewer than 22,000 were made during the Reatta’s entire four years of production. Tony Primo found this rare-ish, low-mileage Buick Reatta for us – thanks, Tony!
To keep costs under control, the Reatta was built with off-the-shelf parts. Its engine is Buick’s 3.8-liter, fuel-injected V6, good for about 165 hp. It is mounted transversely; a four-speed automatic drives the front wheels. Extra reinforcements in the engine bay helped the car handle crisply. But the car is big: long front and rear overhangs give it a length of 183.5″ and despite injection-molded plastic fenders, the car’s curb weight is 3377 lbs. Performance is adequate but not snappy. Today’s example shows only 18,017 miles on the clock, and the sale includes all its original manuals.
The Reatta’s interior offers luxe leather seating; this example is in fine condition, presenting as well as we’d expect for a car with only 18k on the clock. Buick offered only two options: a 16-way adjustable power driver’s seat, and a sunroof. A common complaint referred to the CRT touchscreen display (de rigueur in nearly every car now), technology that was not up to snuff back in the late 1980s. This feature was ditched for model year 1990. In the rear, in place of seating, are two lockable stowage cavities; the trunk offers plenty of space for weekend travel and can be accessed through the cabin.
The tail lights run across the entire rear; while that’s a sexy feature, fourteen bulbs are required to keep them working. In front, pop-up headlamps typify the style trends of the late ’70s/early ’80s. The paint gleams with no evident flaws. This stylish cruiser can be found here on craigslist, with an asking price of $13,500. The new owner can retrieve the Reatta from Bloomfield, Colorado. Though it’s a relic of the shift from the supremacy of the engineer to the reign of the bean counters at GM, the Reatta is headed for collectible status. A few clubs already cater to the nameplate, and low mileage examples sport asking prices closer to $20k than $15k. Would this Reatta be welcome in your garage?
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Comments
Always thought this a good looking design, though it’d look better if they could somehow pull the bumpers a lot closer to the body. Do some engine upgrades and enjoy the drive.
I actually like the look of this car. Almost to the point I’d forgot it’s a FWD, (I’m a Ford man, and would consider a Probe).
Interesting fact the 3.8L (know here in Aus as the BOC motor (Buick, Oldsmobile Caddlic motor), was fitted to our Holden Commodores (GM-H) as a RWD. We even got the factory supercharged version.
Definitely more fun than a FWD, lol.
Forgot to add, you can’t steer with the throttle on a FWD.
Pity it isn’t RWD.
I remember a Reatta bodied funny car back in the day
If it wasn’t made and sold at the same time as the Alante and if it didn’t have the touch screen tech that was ahead of the era back then it may have stood a chance. I also remember seeing ads for these cars using the animated California Raisins too.
Buick eliminated that wretched touch screen for the ’90 model year, and I noticed that later cars do sell for more.
Nice find! Always liked these and may seriously try to acquire one once I sell my 87 AMC Eagle wagon. I’ve driven a few…a little tight in terms of getting your head under the roof…on par with the retro T-Bird. There’s good support for the 88/89 touch screen stuff. I like to live dangerously and prefer the sans airbag 88/89 steering wheel. There are some interesting web sites that discuss adding the supercharger. There are some interesting details on the early production 88’s. I really regret that buying a lower mileage champagne Reatta with tan leather that was in California.
Saw several at the Golf Course ⛳️ 🏌️♂️
Craigslister is so overenthusiastic it makes me wary.
I own a 88 Reatta and I love that car. Fun to drive, runs great. My touch screen works perfectly. And if you know the tricks that screen will tell you everything that’s going now with the car. Mine was running a little ruff and I looked on my screen and it said cam sensor. Very easy fix.
I bought a 1989 one owner from a old man. CRT screen worked fine,had the sun roof.With 99k miles I sold it at a car show for $ 3,500 10 years ago.
I found one in a garage and was dealing with the daughter to buy it but, they do present some problems getting specific parts. I wouldn’t pay much for a car that is hard or expensive to get parts for.
There is a guy here in Minnesota that has had around 80 Reattas and sells many good parts.
That paint job is outstanding. Is it burgundy is it purple? A little bit of both but the shine is superb. I still see these running around and they seem fine. Yeah, RWD would be more fun.
probe/regatta, not same level (probe was built as econobox).
Local (wrked in close buick dealer now closed) has 2. One for daily, 1 for investment. I think he’s dreaming as they’ll never reach ‘classic’ status. No remarkable redeeming value but “a dinosaur’s last gasps’. I’d own one but not stretch my grasp to acquire. Reminds me of the crossfire, just not as good looking. Still, a modern, drivable car~
“…wants R not needs, wants R not needs (must repeat the mantra).
Also named the mexico:
https://www.maserati.com/us/en/brand/maserati-classic-cars/gran-turismo/mexico
When a Buick was not a buick.
But what about what’s at the Buick dealer today/now?
There is one of these near me, looking rather forlorn sitting in the corner of a small used car lot. It’s like all of the newer cars have shunned it and sent it off to be by itself.
Out of curiosity, I looked up the used car lot’s website.
The Reatta isn’t even listed.
I bet there’s a story there, but not tempting enough to stop in and ask.
“The Hobby” is too hard to get into, but not with this car, and, you can drive it every day, and get parts for the enigne, and, the guy in Minnestoa can get you a fender or a shift knob or the other parts that are not standard GM. The electronic display on my ’93 Allante with about 135,000 miles works just fine, and, I have a spare which came with the car which shows only 79,000 miles
There’s something special about a car that not only survived the curse of being FWD but developed a cult like following with clubs popping up across America. The best thing is you can still get an exquisite example like this car at an affordable price.These cars are some what rare especially in convertible trim with only 2437 made and you don’t see them much because their owners don’t sell them. This car is well worth the ask with less than 20k miles on it. I believe they may become a collector car someday and that’s saying a lot compared to the competition from that era.
I’m surprised Olds & Caddy didn’t have their versions that would look similar to this car.
Ironically, the pop up covers here protect glass headlights that don’t need protection from the sun.
Like with the AMC Pacer, a lower roof on this would probably have resulted in better sales. I would think tho that the R12 a/c is up to the task of keeping it cool in there even with all that glass.
i want it !!!!