Buick does not build many cars like the Buick Limited: a 4-door limousine (1931–1942) / 4-door hardtop (1958) / 2-door hardtop (1958) / 2-door convertible (1958) with 344.8 cuin Buick Straight-8 engine OHV I8, made in small numbers.
The story
The Buick Limited was Buick's flagship model line between 1936 and 1942, and, in celebration of General Motors' 50th anniversary, a single-year halo car for the division in the 1958 model year.
Since the 1960s, Buick has intermittently used the term "Limited" as a designation denoting its highest level of trim and standard features in its various model ranges. The original line given the Limited nameplate, topped by an extended-wheelbase limousine, was in direct competition with Cadillac senior sedans for clientele, which wanted a GM luxury car but regarded Cadillac as "ostentatious" or "flamboyant" in contrast to Buick's reputation for durable, reliable, and staid premium vehicles.
What is underneath
Under the skin sits 344.8 cuin Buick Straight-8 engine OHV I8. The gearbox is a 3-speed synchromesh manual. The layout matters: a front engine drives the rear wheels, the classic proportion — long bonnet, cabin set back — that most people picture when they picture a sports saloon or a grand tourer. The wheelbase is 132 in / 134 in / 138 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Its place in the line
Where it sits in Buick's history is not in doubt: the Buick Master Six came before it; it was built at Buick City, Flint, Michigan, United States. Nearby in the Buick catalogue sit the Buick First Call and the Buick Funeral Car.