Buick GS 400 1968

Bulbous and styled something like a prewar speed boat, the '68 GS 400 boasts a 400 cu. in. engine, which, in moderate state of tune, produces 340 horsepower. That may not make it a 100-mph car in the quarter, but does make it quick. All the more reason to order the optional front disc brakes that will snub the car down in a smoothly-controlled manner.

As in the case with most of the Buick line, handling is very good in spite of the suspension's soft feel, and the GS 400 isn't going to disabuse anyone about that. The ride is comfortable enough for the frailest of grandmothers, but the car manages to handle well enough to suit a grandson on his way to the local dragstrip.

Despite its 400 cu. in. engine (or for the tight-fisted, there's a GS 350 available as a sort of semi-Super Car), Buick's GS 400 lacks the hell-for-leather feel of, say, Pontiac's GTO. But for dusting off most cars, the GS 400 is plenty sufficient.

Its interior is more plush than most cars of this breed. All of which adds up to a Super Car for the middle-of-the-roader the guy who wants dramatic performance when he calls for it, but who doesn't want to risk his license at every stoplight.