Durant also created a racing team that won
500
racing
trophies in 1909 and 19 10, including successes at
Indianapolis two years before the Indy
500
began.
The success
of
Buick engines was visible not only on
the race track, but in endurance tests across the country
and around the world. Buick was the only car to
complete a 1,000-mile Chicago-to-New York race in
1906.
And a Buick was the first car to travel across
South America, driven from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
over the Andes to Santiago, Chile in 1914.
1911
Model
21
Touring
Car
on
Buickk
Test
Hill
Buick drew plenty
of
attention because it could climb
hills and run through mud like no other car. Buick’s
endurance and reliability were world famous.
During World War I, Buick built Liberty aircraft engines
as well as Red Cross ambulances
so
successful that one
Buick ambulance was awarded the Croix de Guerre by
the French government.
As a builder of premier automobiles, Buick was hard hit
by the Great Depression. However, new General
Manager, Harlow
H.
Curtice created popular new
models including the Special and the Roadmaster. Buick
sales soon flourished.
I
First Buick Factory
V
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