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2026 Volkswagen Tiguan ReviewThis ‘71 Buick Gran Sport is a Fire Red Rarity
This rare 1971 Buick Gran Sport convertible features a 350 V8 with Ram Air, factory Fire Red paint, and Pearl White interior.
When GM Made Buick Cool
Prior to 1965, Buick was in a similar position as the present day. That being perceived as building fine cars for drivers looking for a bit of comfort. But the General Motors brand made a valiant attempt to change all that when it unveiled the Skylark Gran Sport.
Aimed at the Pontiac GTO, Buick’s entry to the muscle car game was unusual for its relatively high level of luxury, as it sat below only Cadillac on the GM opulence org chart. These initial Gran Sports were packing the must-have V8 required of any true muscle car at the time. A V8 that would only get better with the second-gen Gran Sport, which arrived in 1968 and ran until 1972.
Today’s cool car find, a 1971 model, comes from this Gran Sport series and is said to be 1 of just 665 convertible versions made that year. It’s finished in Fire Red over a Pearl White interior, both of which were factory colors in 1971. Featuring a 350 CID V8 with Ram Air injection and a 4-barrel carb, this Gran Sport was rated for 260 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque when new. Perhaps the more coveted 1971 engine was the 455 V8 brute in Stage 2 spec, making 360 hp and 510 torques. However, the car up for sale today looks to be in fairly original condition, making it highly desirable in its own right. Along with new tires, power steering, and power brakes, it comes with a power-operated soft top and only shows about 69,000 miles, though true mileage is unknown.
Buick’s High Performing Models
Buick’s Gran Sport brand, used to denote the high-performance models, may not have the name recognition of a Chevelle SS or Pontiac GTO, but they are still very cool classic muscle cars. Those dual hood scoops are fully functional, while the wheels on this car appear to be the original 14” units. For 1971, Buick combined the previous GS 350 and GS 455 trim lines into a single GS Series and fitted them with standard content like blacked-out grilles, bright accents, and the GS badging you can see on today’s example.
Though Buick has historically struggled to shed its image as a car for older buyers, it has had plenty of interesting cars over the years that have sought to break that mold. And the Gran Sport series was one of the best.
This 1971 Buick Gran Sport is a Classic Cruiser
Sure, the pavement-rippling 455 V8 models get the most press thanks to the massive engines Buick stuffed into them. However, there is something to be said for relatively subdued variants like our cool car find and its 350 V8. it runs less risk of having been abused by prior owners, as it is less likely to rile up muscle car aficionados at a stoplight.
More importantly, it is just plain cool that Buick saw fit to transform its mid-size Skylark into a hard-charging muscle car in the vein of a Pontiac GTO. Looking to be in very nice condition inside, outside, and underneath, this 1971 Buick Gran Sport would be the perfect classic convertible for an autumn road trip, not to mention an ideal gateway into vintage American muscle.
