The Buick LeSabre was a full-size car made by the Buick division of General Motors from 1959 until 2005. Prior to 1959, this position had been retained by the full-size Buick Special model (1936–58). The "LeSabre", which is French for "the sabre", was Buick's entry-level full-size car throughout all eight of its generations. The LeSabre was available as a 2-door convertible, sedan or hardtop, a 4-door sedan or hardtop and station wagon throughout its production.
History of model
The LeSabre nameplate made its first appearance on the 1951 Le Sabre show car, which introduced the world to aircraft-inspired design elements such as the wrap-around windshield and tail fins. In 1959 LeSabre became the new moniker for what had previously been known as the Buick Special. The Buick LeSabre was offered in a full line of body styles except between 1965 and 1969 when its station wagon variant was dropped from Buick's full-size offerings. In 1977, the LeSabre was downsized along with other GM full-size models, and was available only in pillared coupe, sedan and wagon body styles.
In addition to being Buick's entry level vehicle, the LeSabre was consistently Buick's best selling full-size car. Of the four nameplates introduced in 1959 (LeSabre, Invicta, Electra, Electra 225), the LeSabre nameplate lasted the longest.
thumb|1959 Buick LeSabre, formerly owned by the late king of [[Swaziland, Sobhuza II. Photographed at the Sobhuza II Memorial Park in Lobamba.]]
From 1959 to 1961, the LeSabre was powered by a 364 cubic-inch V8, which was smaller than the 401 cubic-inch V8 used in the more expensive Invicta and Electra models. The 364, which was previously used in all Buicks in 1957 and 1958, was rated at in standard form with an "economy" version offered as a "no cost" option in 1960-61 and an optional power-pack version with four-barrel carburetor and dual exhausts that was rated at . For 1962–63, the LeSabre came standard with a two-barrel carbureted version of the 401 V8 rated at , or a no-cost "economy" low-compression version rated at . Starting in 1964, all LeSabre models except the Estate Wagon shared their drivetrains with the midsize Buick models by switching to those models' smaller-displacement V8s at least as standard equipment for the next few years with cubic-inch displacements of 300 (1964–65), 340 (1966–67) and 350 (1968–76). A large-displacement would not reappear in a LeSabre until 1970 when a 455 cubic-inch V8 was introduced as an option and was offered through 1976. Beginning with the downsized 1977 models and continuing through three subsequent generations of front-drive LeSabres introduced in 1986, 1992 and 2000, Buick's 3.8-liter (231 cubic-inch) V6 would become the standard engine for most LeSabre models and V8 engines were dropped (except in station wagons) after the last of the rear-drive LeSabre sedans and coupes came off the line in 1985.
For most years from 1959 to 1971, a three-speed manual transmission was standard equipment on all LeSabres but rarely ordered. Far more popular was the Turbine Drive automatic transmission (previously known as Dynaflow) along with power steering and power brakes. For 1961 and 1962, the automatic transmission was standard on the LeSabre and all other full-sized Buicks but in 1963 was moved back to the option list on LeSabres. For 1964, the Dynaflow-based Turbine Drive was replaced by two new automatic transmissions, the two-speed Super Turbine 300 and the three-speed Super Turbine 400. A four-speed manual transmission was offered as a LeSabre option from 1963 to 1965 but only a small number of cars were so equipped. Automatic transmissions would once again reappear as standard equipment on LeSabres in mid-1971 and continue in such form until the model line's demise after 2005.
LeSabres were rear-drive six-passenger vehicles from 1959 to 1985 (station wagons through 1990) featuring separate body-on-frame construction along with a longitudinally mounted front engine. The first downsized generation of LeSabres introduced in 1977 retained the rear-drive and body-on-frame construction, while the later-generation models introduced in 1986 switched to front-wheel-drive, unit-body construction and transversely mounted engine. Convertibles were offered each year through 1975 while two- and four-door hardtops were dropped after 1976 and only pillared body styles were offered from 1977 to 2005. Station wagons were offered through 1964 and then dropped for several years until being reintroduced in 1970 and continued until 1990 after which year they were moved to the revived Roadmaster series. LeSabres come in two versions: Custom and Limited.
First generation (1959–1960)
left|thumb|1959 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon
left|thumb|1959 Buick LeSabre convertible
LeSabre and all other 1959 Buicks not only got new names, but all-new styling as well, adopting the new GM B- and C-body used on all of the corporation's full-sized cars (the larger C-body used in the Electra as well as the Oldsmobile 98 and all Cadillacs was basically a stretched out B-body rather than a distinct body and chassis for 1959–60). Wheelbases increased by one inch on all models. The new styling included slanted headlights in front along with a chrome square grille somewhat similar to the 1958 Buick and "Delta-wing" fins back along with round taillights. The appearance was shared with two other Buick models, the mid-level Invicta and the top model Electra. Engines were unchanged from previous years including the standard 250-horsepower 364-cubic-inch V8, no-cost regular fuel 235-horsepower 364 or the four-barrel 300-horsepower option of same engine available at extra cost. The two-speed Turbine Drive Dynaflow automatic transmission was standard equipment on LeSabres and all other full-sized Buicks this year, although a manual transmission was also available. Under the hood, the 401-cubic-inch V8 was replaced in LeSabre sedans and coupes by a smaller 300-cubic-inch V8 designed for the upsized Special/Skylark intermediates that replaced the aluminum V8 in those vehicles. In standard form, the 300 was rated at 210 horsepower with two-barrel carburetor and 9 to 1 compression ratio for use of regular fuel. Optionally available was a 250-horsepower version of the same engine with four-barrel carburetor and higher 11 to 1 compression ratio mandating the use of premium fuel. The LeSabre Estate Wagon came standard with the larger 325-horsepower 401 V8 from the Wildcat and Electra 225 models. Replacing the old Dynaflow-based two-speed automatic transmission were two new Super Turbine automatics. The two-speed Super Turbine 300 (shared with the intermediate-sized cars) was available with the standard two-barrel 300 V8 while the three-speed Super Turbine 400 (shared with other big Buicks and Rivieras) was standard with the 300 four-barrel and optional with the standard engine as well as the 401 in the Estate Wagon. The standard transmission with the base 300 two-barrel V8 was a three-speed column shift manual and a four-speed manual was available as an option with either engine. The new ST300 transmission carried over the variable pitch torque converter from the Dynaflow that had been used since the mid-1950s, while the first year for the ST400 featured a fixed-pitch converter. Inside, only minor trim/upholstery revisions were made.
1987: 1987 models received composite headlamps with exchangeable bulbs. In compliance with U.S. passive restraint standards, front seat belts were door-mounted for the front outboard positions and three-point at the rear outboard positions — for coupe models with the start of 1987 production (September 1986) and for sedans beginning with December 1986 production.
Superseding the 1986 Grand National, for 1987 Buick introduced the LeSabre T-Type (1987-1989). The package included 15-inch aluminum wheels, blackwall tires, heavy duty engine and transmission cooling, revised suspension (marketed as Gran Touring), 2.97 Final Drive Ratio, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift handle, tilt steering column, wipers with delay feature, electronic cruise control, red and amber tail lamps, dual exhaust outlets, black trim (side, belt, roof drip, wheel openings, tail lamps, door handles, lock cylinders and grille), flush hood ornament, black cloth 45/45 Seats, carpet savers, T-Type identification, rear deck spoiler, front air dam, stereo radio (with graphic equalizer, cassette tape and red backlighting), console with red backlighting, black-trimmed operation controls (e.g., heating, air conditioning and steering column), analog gauge cluster with red backlighting, voltmeter, oil pressure, tachometer, and coolant temperature gauges. Available exterior colors included silver, white, black and red.
1988: For 1988, the optional 3.8 engine was replaced with the much-modified, balance shaft-equipped LN3 3800 (vin code C, aka pre-series I 3800).
1989: In the engine bay, 1989 models received revised positions for the battery, washer fluid tank, and coolant overflow tank.
1990: 1990 models received a revised tail light design and front bumper/grille, where the center grill element dropped slightly relative to the outboard grill elements. For 1990, the T-Type trim package was dropped.
1991: 1991 models were largely identical to the 1990 model cars aside from a small power increase.
In 1993, a special edition LeSabre was sold to commemorate Buick's 90th anniversary. In addition to Custom trim level standard equipment, this model included "90th Anniversary" badging, cassette player, cruise control, rear window defogger, power driver's seat, carpeted floor mats, exterior pinstripes, and choice of wire or aluminum wheel covers.
Production Figures:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Buick LeSabre Production Figures
!
!Yearly Total
|-
|1992
|161,736
|-
|1993
|143,466
|-
|1994
|159,250
|-
|1995
|163,524
|-
|1996
|52,061
|-
|1997
|211,651
|-
|1998
|143,251
|-
|1999
|n/a
|}
Eighth generation (2000–2005)<span class="anchor" id="8"></span><span class="anchor" id="2000"></span>
The eighth generation LeSabre was introduced in March 1999 using the GM's G platform; which GM continued to call the H platform.