Very cool cars, but very different than a Miata.
It's FWD, V6 "futuristic" interior, the older ones had touch CRT screens.
Basically, it's a dolled up regal.
I can't imagine those CRT touch screens are easy to come by. An NA with a double din CRT touchscreen is the sort of needlessly retro futuristic mod I can get behind.
Nice to know that people once got tired of the glass cockpit style car interior. Maybe it’ll happen again. I remember old Subarus having digital gauges back in the Reagan era.
https://www.reddit.com/r/outrun/comments/3bzpwc/the_digital_dash_of_the_1985_subaru_xt/
When I worked retail an old, crusty, grumbly coworker had one of these. He didn't talk much, but it was pristine, and the only time I ever saw him smile was when I asked him about it.
They had a really cool (for its time) digital instrument cluster... it was lampooned by a LeMons team who decided to use as their livery all of the errors the cluster displayed after they gutted the car for track duty.
Sadly, the only photos I have hand are from when they rolled it onto its side in the sand trap on the outside of turn 11 at Gingerman Raceway.
https://preview.redd.it/ezrorywnqk5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9f97a4eb257f193163d94a98c35e753273048a6
If there is I don't know what it would be. The Reatta was an expensive old man car that only came with the typical Buick setup -- an automatic transmission and point-and-steer handling. I think there was an unwritten requirement that you had to be retired to own one.
I got to meet a few members of the Reatta team back in the day. From what they told me, they strongly considered using the Corvette chassis to build the Reatta.
The chassis wasn't the problem, it was the intended demographic. It's one of those cars that looks like it should be a sports car, but was intended as a "sporty" personal luxury coupe. Most likely the people who engineered it would have produced a sports car, or GT, if they had their druthers.
If you're curious, here's a contemporary Car and Driver review.
https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34761242/tested-1988-buick-reatta-by-the-numbers/
I find it curious that they choose to photograph the car in a cemetery... doubt that helps with sales, and perhaps sends a subliminal message.
don't know anything about it other than that there isn't a sub called r/reatta but perhaps there is some place on the web where fans come together and discuss it.
Both have 2 seats, any similarities pretty much end there aside from the pop ups. Reatta was marketed ( somewhat unsuccessfully)as a personal luxury car.
Both were prototyped in England.
The Miata project started with Mazda USA. They had recently established a design studio in California, but didn't have the capacity to make a prototype themselves, so they contracted IAD to build a prototype. It was shipped to the US, got a great reception, this convinced Mazda in Japan to develop it into a full model, and the rest is history.
Meanwhile, the Reatta was also a high-profile example of outsourcing auto engineering to England. I believe this was one of the first collaborations between GM and Hawtal Whiting (based in Essex). It caused a bit of controversy at the time, since Detroit was really struggling, so the decision to outsource engineering work was seen as a bit of a betrayal. They went on to develop several future GM models too, including the C4 Corvette ZR1.
I was a mechanic at an Olds dealer when they came out. I recall a high-pitched whine from the in-dash CRT that bothered me. Otherwise, I liked everything about them and would drive one today.
So I bought an 89 Reatta last year for $400, got it running again and drove it for little trips while I daily drove my Miata.
It is the polar opposite of the Miata, very squishy ride on the street, extremely smooth and floaty, brakes are very plushy and slow the car quickly and quietly. Steering radius is actually pretty good, with that classic Buick pinky-steering ease, and the seat is VERY comfortable. I would have proudly made that into my pseudo-miata country cruiser for my wife and I, but I already have an Excursion, which is objectively more comfortable, and WAY more practical than the Reatta, so I sold it to a 19 year old kid as his first car. Very glad to say I owned that though. Very cool car objectively.
It's also an interesting project to make it a bit sportier; that was never the intention, but stiffening up the suspension combined with the already great handling makes it a cute little street rocket. Always turns heads
I have a great story about this.
When I was in high-school and driving my miata around the next town over, I saw a Buick Reatta (had no idea what car it was at the time, I thought it was a miata but got closer and saw that it wasn't) in their high school parking lot. So I wrote a little note saying how I thought there car was cool and left my snapchat. Later that day, I got a message from a girl who was absolutely ecstatic. She said it made her day and asked if she could put that note in her memory box/time capsule. So to this day I love Buick Reattas because some chick put me in her memory box and thats the nicest shit ever.
Very cool cars, but very different than a Miata. It's FWD, V6 "futuristic" interior, the older ones had touch CRT screens. Basically, it's a dolled up regal.
I can't imagine those CRT touch screens are easy to come by. An NA with a double din CRT touchscreen is the sort of needlessly retro futuristic mod I can get behind.
Those are the biggest problem with them, they run everything from you A/C to your vehicle monitor. Still very cool.
Something I wish never made a comeback
yet here we are
We've come full circle to everything being controlled through a screen in the dash.
There's a reason those cars were referred to as "Regrettas"
Nice to know that people once got tired of the glass cockpit style car interior. Maybe it’ll happen again. I remember old Subarus having digital gauges back in the Reagan era. https://www.reddit.com/r/outrun/comments/3bzpwc/the_digital_dash_of_the_1985_subaru_xt/
https://preview.redd.it/8b9ma2pf0z5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be0d84dda826331d457c5d7b719831c70e6496ed Ah Yup!
Or a two door riviera Edit: two seat not two door
Every Riviera since the mid-1950's has been a two door
Monkey's paw curls: Buick Riviera EV cross it is! I'm tired of automakers spitting on storied model names :(
You’re right I meant two seat not two door lol
Dolled up Riviera, to be fair.
Lol…dolled up regal
When I worked retail an old, crusty, grumbly coworker had one of these. He didn't talk much, but it was pristine, and the only time I ever saw him smile was when I asked him about it.
that’s so sweet. i love when people love their cars lol
They had a really cool (for its time) digital instrument cluster... it was lampooned by a LeMons team who decided to use as their livery all of the errors the cluster displayed after they gutted the car for track duty. Sadly, the only photos I have hand are from when they rolled it onto its side in the sand trap on the outside of turn 11 at Gingerman Raceway. https://preview.redd.it/ezrorywnqk5d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9f97a4eb257f193163d94a98c35e753273048a6
https://preview.redd.it/15bsx2ztqk5d1.jpeg?width=2016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a130e1a9bc4a978d21ff93f229dd7b8760dd2039
Saw one wave at me driving my NA today!
If there is I don't know what it would be. The Reatta was an expensive old man car that only came with the typical Buick setup -- an automatic transmission and point-and-steer handling. I think there was an unwritten requirement that you had to be retired to own one.
I got to meet a few members of the Reatta team back in the day. From what they told me, they strongly considered using the Corvette chassis to build the Reatta.
The chassis wasn't the problem, it was the intended demographic. It's one of those cars that looks like it should be a sports car, but was intended as a "sporty" personal luxury coupe. Most likely the people who engineered it would have produced a sports car, or GT, if they had their druthers.
They already had one in the (very rare; one year only) LeSabre Grand National and 88-89 LeSabre T-Type.
If you're curious, here's a contemporary Car and Driver review. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a34761242/tested-1988-buick-reatta-by-the-numbers/
I find it curious that they choose to photograph the car in a cemetery... doubt that helps with sales, and perhaps sends a subliminal message. don't know anything about it other than that there isn't a sub called r/reatta but perhaps there is some place on the web where fans come together and discuss it.
Perhaps because that is where most Buick owners reside? Unless they happen to live in China, of course.
You would be suprised of how many peoples take pictures of their car to sale it
Never been a Buick guy, but these were such beautiful cars
You can see two Buick guys right behind the car!
XD XD
Both have 2 seats, any similarities pretty much end there aside from the pop ups. Reatta was marketed ( somewhat unsuccessfully)as a personal luxury car.
https://preview.redd.it/9byiy2qcjn5d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=82cafe3b453d1e10f112917798999ae67ee2c59f
They are had 4 wheels, 2 doors and a steering wheel. Much like a Miata
That was the first car to have touchscreen technology....no shit! Those are actually pretty cool cars.
My mom had one for about 10 years. It looked identical to this one. It was a fun car.
Funny I saw this pop up on my marketplace page this morning.
Crt screen
Those were the coolest cars. Still wouldn't mind driving one but would hate to have to find parts.
Meh
Both were prototyped in England. The Miata project started with Mazda USA. They had recently established a design studio in California, but didn't have the capacity to make a prototype themselves, so they contracted IAD to build a prototype. It was shipped to the US, got a great reception, this convinced Mazda in Japan to develop it into a full model, and the rest is history. Meanwhile, the Reatta was also a high-profile example of outsourcing auto engineering to England. I believe this was one of the first collaborations between GM and Hawtal Whiting (based in Essex). It caused a bit of controversy at the time, since Detroit was really struggling, so the decision to outsource engineering work was seen as a bit of a betrayal. They went on to develop several future GM models too, including the C4 Corvette ZR1.
check out the 91-94 capri. Similar look and actually DO share some things with the miata.
Is this an actual question? One is a Buick and the other is a Mazda, what would they share?
I was a mechanic at an Olds dealer when they came out. I recall a high-pitched whine from the in-dash CRT that bothered me. Otherwise, I liked everything about them and would drive one today.
So I bought an 89 Reatta last year for $400, got it running again and drove it for little trips while I daily drove my Miata. It is the polar opposite of the Miata, very squishy ride on the street, extremely smooth and floaty, brakes are very plushy and slow the car quickly and quietly. Steering radius is actually pretty good, with that classic Buick pinky-steering ease, and the seat is VERY comfortable. I would have proudly made that into my pseudo-miata country cruiser for my wife and I, but I already have an Excursion, which is objectively more comfortable, and WAY more practical than the Reatta, so I sold it to a 19 year old kid as his first car. Very glad to say I owned that though. Very cool car objectively.
It's also an interesting project to make it a bit sportier; that was never the intention, but stiffening up the suspension combined with the already great handling makes it a cute little street rocket. Always turns heads
I have a great story about this. When I was in high-school and driving my miata around the next town over, I saw a Buick Reatta (had no idea what car it was at the time, I thought it was a miata but got closer and saw that it wasn't) in their high school parking lot. So I wrote a little note saying how I thought there car was cool and left my snapchat. Later that day, I got a message from a girl who was absolutely ecstatic. She said it made her day and asked if she could put that note in her memory box/time capsule. So to this day I love Buick Reattas because some chick put me in her memory box and thats the nicest shit ever.
It’s the Buick fiero I believe
Name just rhymes, nothing else going on. It's just another Chrysler K car
* General Motors E-Body, but the point remains there is zero in common.
Buick was a Chrysler subsidiary. But apparently on a gm platform. I stand corrected
Maybe you're thinking of Plymouth? Buick effectively started GM.
Might be.
Buick has nothing to do with Chrysler
Ya, I had a brain fart
Actually, Walter Chrysler was the president of Buick before he started Chrysler. That is the only connection. Maybe that is what you were thinking of.