Riviera, Toronado owners gather in the suburbs
Buick Rivieras were the talk of the town as dozens of the swanky cruisers gathered at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles June 30 to July 3.
The autos all took part in the Riviera Owners Association car club's 31st annual international meet. The festivities kicked off Tuesday and concluded Friday evening and included such things as trips to the Volo Auto Museum, downtown Chicago walking tours, tech sessions and a judged car show.
A total of 123 Rivieras participated, with all eight of the model's generations represented. The Toronado Owners Association was also invited out and had nearly two-dozen of the unique models on display.
The Toronado was essentially Oldsmobile's version of the Riviera and rode on the same platform; hence it's inclusion in the meet. Vehicles came from around the Midwest and also as far as Kansas and Minnesota.
The Riviera was launched in 1963 as an upscale personal luxury vehicle designed to compete with such rivals as the Ford Thunderbird. Throughout it's run, the Riviera had distinct styling, most notably in the model's third generation. This body style was introduced in 1971 and included a flowing “boat tail” rear end, reminiscent of the iconic 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray coupe.
Riviera production stopped in 1999.