Buick Somerset
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| Buick Somerset | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | General Motors |
| Production | 1985–1987 |
| Successor | Buick Skylark |
| Class | Compact |
| Body style | 2-door coupe 4-door sedan (1985 only) |
| Platform | FF N-body |
| Engine | 2.5 L Tech IV I4 3.0 L V6 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic 125 automatic |
| Related | Buick Skylark Oldsmobile Calais Pontiac Grand Am |
| Similar | Chrysler Laser Honda Prelude Mercury Capri |
The Buick Somerset was a compact car produced by the Buick division of General Motors between 1985 and 1987. Buick had previously used the "Somerset" name as a trim-level package on the Buick Regal in the early 1980s.
The Somerset was one of a number of down-sized cars built on GM's N platform. Destined to replace the Buick Skylark, the Somerset name badge failed to resonate with the buying public. Initially launched as the Somerset Regal in 1985, the name was shortened to Somerset in 1986, when a sedan version of the car was added under the Skylark name (Buick's strategy of using the Skylark badge is not new — this trend occurred in 1975 when the 2-door coupe based on the Chevrolet Nova was badged the Skylark while the 4-door sedans were known as the Apollo).
Starting in 1988, the Somerset name was discontinued, and all models were called Skylark.
The Somerset did not do as well in the marketplace as the Pontiac Grand Am which was based on the same platform. The Somerset did have some interesting features such as an all-digital instrument cluster and a surprisingly luxurious interior despite its small size.
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| Subcompact | Skyhawk | Skyhawk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Somerset | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Skylark | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Century | LaCrosse/Allure | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Minivan | Terraza | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal coupe | Riviera | Riviera | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports coupe | Reatta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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