Buick is the oldest American car brand still in production today, and it’s one of the most popular marques in China, but what or who is it named after?
Like so many automotive brands, Buick is named after its founder David Dunbar Buick.
Buick was founded in 1898 as Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, and the company initially concentrated on making engines. In 1902 the company was awarded a patent for an automotive overhead valve engine.
Production vehicles bearing the Buick name began rolling down the production line 1904. By 1908, and under the control of William Durant, Buick became the top selling automotive brand in the US.
Buick, along with the McLaughlin car company of Canada, become of the founding pegs upon which General Motors was founded by Durant in 1908.
Despite Buick’s important place in automotive history, David Buick never really amassed a fortune from the brand that still bears his name. He sold out all of his shares at a modest price before GM became an car making behemoth.
