1982 Buick Riviera: The First Convertible

Riviera production for 1982 totaled 44,071, this record's own overview states, a figure the Riviera Owners Association's own table and Wikipedia's own reproduction of James Flammang's Standard Catalog of Buick table agree on; the turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 was again rated 180 horsepower in the T Type, this record's own engines section states, sourced to the same production row as the rest of the year's headline figures. This record's own dek describes 1982 as the year of the first Riviera convertible, of which 1,248 were built, alongside 529 turbo T Types.^1,2

This record's own production section breaks the year's drivetrains out by row: 4,363 Rivieras, or 9.9 percent of production, carried the 350-cubic-inch diesel V-8, its own note adding that the 307-cubic-inch gasoline V-8 went into almost three-quarters of 1982 Rivieras and that the year's two V-6 engines together accounted for 16.6 percent. The convertible and T Type rows are both reported without a paired conflict in this record's own production section, at 1,248 and 529 respectively, each sourced to the Owners Association's own 1982 production row.^3,1

This record's own prices section carries three figures for 1982: $14,272.25 for the sport coupe, $23,994 for the new convertible, and $14,940 for the T-Type, the last of these carrying its own basis note that the options page states the T-Type price was not released until after January 1982. This record's own conflicts section separately flags the convertible price, giving $23,994 from the options-and-prices transcription against $23,944 from the Evolution article, with its own treatment note calling the discrepancy likely a transposition in one ROA page.^4,3

This record's own key facts section is empty for 1982; the production notes and prices section carry the year's narrative detail instead. This record's own options section itemizes 66 entries in total, including a two-position memory power driver's seat under code AG3 at $178 and a 45/45 leather-with-vinyl seat under code AS7 at $405, an Electric Trunk Release under code A90 at $32, and an Electric Trunk Lock under code A91 at $72 that this record's own text notes requires that A90 release be ordered alongside it.⁴

This record's own paint table carries 16 colours from the Owners Association's 1982 chart, its own note describing two-tone treatments that pair Dark Redwood or Dark Blue with Light Sandstone, and Dark Redwood with Light Redwood. Its interiors section carries 9 trims, a notably shorter list than the paint table for the same year: a standard 45/45 velour-cloth seat in Blue, Jadestone, Gray, Doeskin, Maple or Redwood, and an extra-cost 45/55 leather seat repeating three of those same colourways, Gray, Doeskin and Maple.⁵

This record's own specifications section carries seven 1982 figures from the Owners Association's weights-and-measures table: a 3,708-pound curb weight, a 114.0-inch wheelbase, front and rear track of 59.3 and 60.0 inches, a 206.0-inch overall length, a 72.8-inch width, a 54.3-inch height, and a P205/75-15 tire size. This record's own identification and unpublished-leads sections are both empty for the year, and its own performance and transmissions sections carry no entries either, leaving the production, prices and conflicts sections as this record's own richest sources for the year.⁶