Buick Electra

The Buick Electra is a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Buick from 1959 to 1990, over six generations. Introduced as the replacement for the Roadmaster lines, the Electra served as the flagship Buick sedan line through its entire production and was offered as a two-door sedan, two-door convertible, four-door sedan, and five-door station wagon.

The Electra initially used GM's rear-drive C Platform, undergoing a significant downsizing for 1977.

For its sixth generation, introduced for model year 1985, the Electra underwent another significant downsizing, and adopted unibody construction as well as GM's new front wheel drive C Platform — becoming along with its rebadged variants, the Oldsmobile 98 and Cadillac Deville and Fleetwood, the company's first full-size, unibody, transverse engine, front-drive cars.

For 1991, Buick retired the Electra nameplate, migrating its front-drive premium sedan to the Buick Park Avenue nameplate, previously used as an upper trim level of the Electra itself. The Electra Estate was redesigned, becoming the Roadmaster Estate for 1991.

In late 2022, Buick announced plans to revive the Electra nameplate for its forthcoming 2024 electric models.

The Buick Electra was named after Texas socialite and sculptor Electra Waggoner Biggs, sister-in-law of GM President Harlow H. Curtice. Also namesake of the Lockheed L-188 Electra airliner, Biggs owned a portion of the Waggoner Ranch (one of the largest ranches in Texas) and as a sculptor created busts of two US presidents and other American figures.

Following World War II, the Roadmaster constituted the upper echelon of Buick's lineup. For 1958, Buick returned the Limited nameplate (dormant since 1942), slotted between the Roadmaster and the Cadillac Series 62.

For 1959, the Super was renamed the Invicta, the Roadmaster was renamed the Electra and Electra 225, and the unsuccessful Limited model was discontinued. The appearance was shared with two other Buick models, the mid-level Invicta and the entry level LeSabre. The Electra 225 nameplate was a nod to the car's overall length of over 225 in (5,715 mm), earning it the street name "deuce and a quarter."