Successful Upper-Class Solidarity

The 1937 Buick Roadmaster Convertible Sedan Exemplifies Buick’s Grand Legacy

Ford market researchers, in the mid-1950s, sampled new car buyers in Peoria, Illinois, and San Bernardino, California, in an attempt to identify the image their cars and those of their competitors projected to those buyers. Beverly Rae Kimes reported on their results in Automobile Quarterly: “While the Ford’s image was that of ‘rugged masculinity,’ the Plymouth’s of ‘plain respectability,’ the Oldsmobile’s of ‘smart dashing flair,’ the Mercury’s ‘showy flash,’ the Pontiac’s ‘mixed gentility,’ the Buick evoked the formidable aura of ‘successful upper-class solidarity.’ (sic) It was the car for one who had made it, but didn’t wish the ostentatious display of that fact.” So, Buick had a “formidable aura.” How did it get there?