The 1971 Buick Riviera offered an all-new design for that model year. It featured a bold new look with its long-tapered hood front-end and boattail rear design.

Despite a dismal economic outlook at the beginning of 1971, Buick went ahead with an expansion program to sell more automobiles. During the 1970s, Buick was a top brand in the American market, and they still had the reputation of making some of the best family cars in the country.