1949–1958
Halfway into the 1949 model year, the Specials received all-new bodywork to include a dramatically styled grille where nine grille bars also served as bumper guards and extended over the front bumper, and the first fully postwar design for the series. New was also the 40D-series, a better equipped version called the Special DeLuxe.[13] The engine remained the 248 cid which had been used since 1937, but for 1951 this was replaced by the larger "Fireball" straight-eight.
The Special was available in both fastback Jetback and new notchback Tourback configurations. The Jetback was available as a 2-door Sedanet, 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan, whilst the Tourback was available only as a 4-door sedan. In 1950, overall 195,072 Jetbacks and 142,537 Tourbacks were produced, but just 72,735 Jetbacks were 4-door sedans, bit more than half of the Tourbacks. The fastback design, dating back to GM's pre-war streamliners, was quickly becoming outdated by the turn of the decade and by 1951, Special was no longer available in the Jetback style.[14]
A two-door hardtop coupe was also new for 1951, but the unusual grille was revised with the grill bars shortened.[15] The 1954 Specials had an all-new body and chassis, much wider and lower, and were now equipped with the all-new, more powerful "Fireball" V8 engines.[16] In 1953 The Buick-Berle Show introduced product placement commercials on TV, and later in 1955 The Honeymooners was one of the sponsors.
Introduced in the middle of the 1955 model year the four-door Buick Special Riviera (along with the Century Riviera, the Oldsmobile 98 Holiday, and the 88 Holiday) were the first four-door pillarless hardtops ever produced. By then, the Buick Special was one of America's best selling automotive series, and is credited with helping Buick rise to #3 in sales, overtaking Chrysler's volume-seller Plymouth.[17] For 1956 the larger 322 cid V8 engine was shared with the rest of the range, although it was replaced by the bigger, 250 hp 364 V8 for 1957. This year also brought all-new bodywork, as well as a four-door hardtop station wagon called the Buick Riviera Estate.[18] The 1957 wheelbase remained 122 inches.[19] In the June, 1957 issue of Popular Mechanics, the Special was rated with a 0-60 mph time of 11.6 seconds, fuel economy of 17.4 mpgus at 50 mi/h, and ground clearance of 6.9 in.[20] 1958 brought the most chrome yet and twin headlights, as the car grew longer and wider, albeit on an unchanged chassis.
1949-1957 Buick Specials had three VentiPorts on each side while more senior Buicks (with the partial exception of the Buick Super, which switched from three to four in 1955) had four. Earlier versions had a "Sweepspear" inspired character line alongside the body, while later versions had the "Sweepspear" moulding attached to the side of all models. GM renamed the Buick Special the LeSabre for the 1959 model year, taking the name from the 1951 Le Sabre concept car.[21]
