You won't find a Century in your Buick showroom these days. That model name has been consigned to history, which is probably just as well since "century" is no longer a word anyone uses to connect with the dynamics of modern living. In 1957, however, in the midst of huge technological changes and many more to come, a car called Century would be full of promise.
And Buick didn't let anyone down. With its sporty lines and powerful engine the Century was both fast and beautiful. Although many cars of the 50s tended to be overstyled and overchromed, Buick's style showed considerable restraint. The cut-down door line, reminiscent of European sports cars, harmonised with the "checkmark" trim that suggested speed and nicely separated the two-tone paint. The waterfall grille was superbly framed by the front bumper. And the familiar portholes looked as though they were bent by the wind to form slender raindrops.
Even so, the '57s carried over design themes to retain continuity, although the bodies were actually longer and lower. In case prospective buyers became confused, Buick placed a badge in the center of the grille that read: "1957." When was the last time a manufacturer promoted a model with the year of manufacture proudly mounted up front?
Fortunately Buick matched its styling with a promise of performance. The 1957 Century shared a 122-inch wheelbase with the entry-level Special but under the hood was a powerful 364-cid ohv V-8 taken from the Super and Roadmaster series. It came with a 4-barrel carb and 10.0:1 compression ratio, producing 300 hp. The Dynaflow automatic transmission, formerly a bit of a slug, was improved for '57; Motor Trend magazine's test of the Century revealed a 0-60 time of 10.1 seconds. Handling was what you'd expect from a boulevard cruiser although a lower ride height and Buick's first ball-joint front suspension offered a moderate improvement over the previous model.
Buick has given us several great cars since 1957 but for my taste the Century hardtop and convertible belong at the head of the parade. Incidentally the model name first appeared in 1936 when Buick dropped its biggest straight-8 into its smallest, lightest chassis. In its second season the car could top 100 mph, a much desired number in those years. So what's in the name? Now you know.
[Photo: 57heaven.com]
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