Buick Century 0–60 Times
The Buick Century 0–60 times and quarter-mile times below are from 3 verified production tests sourced from reputable automotive resources such as Car and Driver, Motor Trend and MotorWeek and more.
The fastest tested production Buick Century is the 1979 Buick Century Turbo Coupe, which went from 0 to 60 mph in 9.10 seconds, reaching the ¼ mile in 17.40 seconds at 83.0 mph, according to Car and Driver.
The slowest tested production Buick Century is the 1986 Buick Century T-Type Sedan, which took 11.50 seconds to reach 60 mph, running the ¼ mile in 17.60 seconds at 73.0 mph, according to MotorWeek.
Across the 3 verified production tests of the Buick Century, the average 0–60 mph time is 10.13 seconds. The average quarter-mile time is 17.50 seconds at 78.00 mph.
Fastest 0–60 9.10sec 1979 Turbo Coupe · stock
Average 0–60 10.13sec Across 3 production runs
Avg ¼ Mile 17.50sec @ 78.0 mph trap
Slowest 0–60 11.50sec 1986 T-Type Sedan
Across 3 verified production runs, the Buick Century ranges from 9.10 to 11.50 seconds 0–60, with a 10.13-second average.
The Buick Century is ranked in these lists
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Buick Century Performance Overview
Buick’s Century combined mainstream midsize packaging with periodic performance-oriented variants across 1954 to 1986, and the available record here spans 3 verified tests from 1954, 1979, and 1986. Early on, the Second Generation (1954–1958) was represented by a 1954 Sedan that reached 60 mph in 9.8 seconds, using the 188-hp Nailhead V8. That established the Century’s initial benchmark before the nameplate went through a long gap in the tested record.
Performance peaked in the sampled data during the GM A-body era (1973–1981), when the 165-hp 1979 Turbo Coupe cut the model’s best 0-60 to 9.1 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 17.4 seconds at 83 mph. By the Fourth Generation (1982–1996), represented here within the model’s listed production run by the 1986 T-Type Sedan, Buick kept turbocharged gasoline power in the mix with the LC2 engine family, but acceleration eased to 11.5 seconds to 60 mph. As covered by these tests, the Century remained exclusively gasoline-powered, evolving from naturally aspirated V8 power to turbocharged four-cylinder performance, with the current-generation sample standing at 11.5 seconds for 0-60.
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Buick Century 0–60 Times by Generation: Second Generation to Fourth Generation
3 generations| Generation | Years | Avg 0–60 | Fastest 0–60 | Production Tests | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth Generation | 1982–1996 | 11.50s | 11.50s — 1986 T-Type Sedan | 1 | The Fourth Generation generation (1982–1996) averaged 11.50 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1986 T-Type Sedan at 11.50 seconds. Output was 150 hp across 3.8L V6 configurations. |
| A-body | 1973–1981 | 9.10s | 9.10s — 1979 Turbo Coupe | 1 | The A-body generation (1973–1981) averaged 9.10 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1979 Turbo Coupe at 9.10 seconds. Output was 165 hp across 3.8L Turbo V6 configurations. |
| Second Generation | 1954–1958 | 9.80s | 9.80s — 1954 Sedan | 1 | The Second Generation generation (1954–1958) averaged 9.80 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1954 Sedan at 9.80 seconds. Output was 188 hp across 5.3L V8 configurations. |
Fourth Generation 1982–1996
Avg 0–60 11.50s
Fastest 11.50s
Tests 1
1986 T-Type Sedan
The Fourth Generation generation (1982–1996) averaged 11.50 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1986 T-Type Sedan at 11.50 seconds. Output was 150 hp across 3.8L V6 configurations.
A-body 1973–1981
Avg 0–60 9.10s
Fastest 9.10s
Tests 1
1979 Turbo Coupe
The A-body generation (1973–1981) averaged 9.10 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1979 Turbo Coupe at 9.10 seconds. Output was 165 hp across 3.8L Turbo V6 configurations.
Second Generation 1954–1958
Avg 0–60 9.80s
Fastest 9.80s
Tests 1
1954 Sedan
The Second Generation generation (1954–1958) averaged 9.80 seconds to 60 mph across 1 production tests, led by the 1954 Sedan at 9.80 seconds. Output was 188 hp across 5.3L V8 configurations.
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Buick Century 0–60 Times by Year and Trim
3 production tests · 3 years ▾
1986 Buick Century
1 production run Avg 0–60 11.50 sec
Avg ¼ Mile 17.60 sec
Production Tests 1
#03
1986 Buick Century T-Type Sedan
11.50sec 0–60
17.60s ¼ mi @ 73.0 mph
▾
- 0–60 mph
- 11.50 sec
- ¼ Mile ET
- 17.60 sec
- Trap Speed
- 73.0 mph
- Engine
- 3.8L V6
- Drivetrain
- FWD
- Transmission
- 4A
- Horsepower
- 150 hp
- Torque
- 210 lb-ft
- Curb Weight
- 3,200 lbs
- Power-to-Weight
- 21.3 lbs/hp
- MPG EPA
- 17 C / 26 H
- Production Vehicle
- Body Type
- Sedan
- Powertrain
- Gasoline
- Test Source
- MotorWeek
- Overall Rank
- #3 of 3 production runs
How we verify Buick Century performance data
Records and averages on this page cover verified production runs only; modified and prototype results are listed by year but never folded into them. We include only independently published road-test results from automotive publications. Manufacturer-claimed 0–60 times are excluded unless clearly labeled. When multiple publications test the same Buick Century trim, each run is listed separately — weather, tires, surface, rollout, and instrumentation all affect results.
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Buick Century 0–60 and quarter-mile distribution
0–60 vs ¼ mile · lower-left is fasterEach dot is a verified production test run
0–60 → ¼ mile →
Fastest Recorded run Slowest
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Buick Century performance FAQs
9 questions The 1986 Buick Century T-Type Sedan does 0-60 mph in 11.5 seconds. Its recorded quarter-mile time is 17.6 seconds at 73 mph. That test car used the turbocharged 3.8-liter LC2 V6 rated at 150 hp and 210 lb-ft, with front-wheel drive and a curb weight of 3,200 pounds.
The quickest Buick Century on record is the 1979 Buick Century Turbo Coupe, which reaches 60 mph in 9.1 seconds. It also owns the best quarter-mile result among Century tests at 17.4 seconds with an 83 mph trap speed. That run is a stock test, so it is also the fastest stock Century.
The fastest stock Buick Century is the 1979 Turbo Coupe at 9.1 seconds from 0-60 mph. It is also the quickest Century overall, since there are no modified examples in the recorded test set. Its quarter-mile result is 17.4 seconds at 83 mph, which is also the model’s best quarter-mile pass.
The Fourth Generation Buick Century, covering 1982 to 1996, records 0-60 mph in 11.5 seconds on average across verified runs. The quickest example from that generation is the 1986 T-Type Sedan at 11.5 seconds. That generation’s tested setup is turbocharged and gasoline-powered, with output recorded at 150 hp.
The GM A-body Buick Century, built from 1973 to 1981, posts a 9.1-second 0-60 mph time in recorded testing. The quickest example is the 1979 Turbo Coupe, which also stands as the fastest Buick Century overall. Its tested configuration is a turbocharged gasoline model with 165 hp.
The Second Generation Buick Century, produced from 1954 to 1958, has a recorded 0-60 mph time of 9.8 seconds. The quickest tested version is the 1954 Sedan at the same 9.8-second mark. That generation’s recorded setup is naturally aspirated, gasoline-powered, and rated at 188 hp.
The Buick Century Turbo Coupe is quicker than the T-Type Sedan in recorded testing. The 1979 Turbo Coupe reaches 60 mph in 9.1 seconds, while the 1986 T-Type Sedan takes 11.5 seconds. The Turbo Coupe is ahead by 2.4 seconds to 60 mph and also leads in quarter-mile performance, 17.4 seconds versus 17.6 seconds.
Across all 3 Buick Century tests on record, the average 0-60 mph time is 10.13 seconds. The average quarter-mile result is 17.5 seconds at 78 mph. Results range from a quickest 9.1-second 0-60 run by the 1979 Turbo Coupe to an 11.5-second run by the 1986 T-Type Sedan.
The quickest quarter-mile Buick Century on record is the 1979 Turbo Coupe, with a 17.4-second pass at 83 mph. That same car is also the fastest Century to 60 mph, posting 9.1 seconds. Among all Century tests, the average quarter-mile stands at 17.5 seconds at 78 mph.
Sources
Car and Driver
Motor Trend
MotorWeek
0–60 and quarter-mile times vary with driver, weather, tire temperature, and wear. We collect every verified run we can find — so you see the range of what a Buick Century can do, not a single marketing claim.
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Other Buick 0–60 times
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