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A black-painted grille, headlamp trim, and window moldings also contributed to the car’s sporty profile. A “Turbo Coupe” labeled deck lid panel and wide rocker treatment were additional hints that this was no ordinary Century. Though the brand is known for its reserved styling, the Turbo Coupe was an exception. With hawk decals adorning each fender, Buick wanted you to know this Century could fly.
With a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust as standard equipment, the Turbo Coupe made an astounding 175 horsepower and 275 pounds-feet of torque. Amazingly, the Turbo Coupe fell just shy of the 1979 Corvette’s performance specs of 195 horsepower and 285 pounds-feet with a V8 at the helm.
Sporting a paltry 3,051-pound curb weight, the Century Turbo Coupe was 430 pounds lighter than the Corvette too — making the performance comparison between the two much closer than General Motors would care to admit. It’s also worth noting that the Century was much lighter than its sibling Regal — making the Turbo Coupe the most potent offering in Buick’s lineup.
Only an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 models were made until production halted in 1980. But the Century Turbo Coupe proved that Buick’s innovative methods had the potential to succeed. A six-cylinder engine could be both fuel-efficient and powerful in spite of widespread disbelief.
Even though the Century Turbo Coupe wasn’t a sales success, its innovative performance architecture helped pave the way for one of the greatest muscle cars in automotive history.
