The Buick Electra and the Buick Electra 225 were full-size premium automobiles built by the Buick division of General Motors. The Electra name (in various manners) was used by Buick between 1959 and 1990.

1959 — 1970

Prior to 1959, the Buick Super, Roadmaster and Limited constituted the upper echelon of Buick's model range. In 1959 all of Buick's models were renamed, with the Electra taking the place of the Super, and the Electra 225 taking the place of the Roadmaster and Limited models.

The Electra 225 nameplate was a nod to the vehicle's overall length of 225 in (5,715 mm), earning it the street name "deuce and a quarter."

The Electra 225 Riviera was the top-of-the-line model and it shared it's 6-window hardtop roofline with the Cadillac Fleetwood. Buick had been using the "Riviera" name to indicate a premium trimmed hardtop body style beginning with the 1949 model year.

Buick discontinued the Electra nameplate in 1963, leaving only the Electra 225. Buick also dropped the Riviera name as a body style designation, shifting the Riviera name to Buick's new personal luxury coupe.

All GM passenger vehicles received major restyling in 1965 dominated by flowing "Coke bottle" lines and fastback roof profiles on its coupe models, and the 6 window-body style was eliminated as GM moved to place more emphasis on the luxury provided by its four-door hardtop bodies. For 1965 Buick changed its marketing strategy and offering the Electra 225 in two trim levels, base and Custom. There was a new "Limited" option package on the Electra 225 Custom 4-door hardtop and later became available on two-door hardtop models as well.

Windshield wiper blades were hidden in 1968 and 1969 saw the elimination of the vent windows on the front doors.

The 1959-1966 Electra models were powered by Buick's 401 ci (6.6L) V8 with an available 425 in version of the same engine in 1964-66. The 1967 model had the new Buick 430ci (7.0L) and a 455 in³ (7.5L) version of the same engine replaced it in 1970.

Automatic transmissions were always standard. The 1959-63 had Twin Turbine DynaFlow (the Triple Turbine was available as an option in 1959) and starting in 1964, they were equipped the Super Turbine 400 / THM 400 transmissions.

1971 — 1976

All Electra 225s were hardtops in the 1971 to 1973 model years, eliminating the previous 4-door pillared sedan variant and the convertible. In 1974 Buick adopted GM's pillared coupe body and fitted it with the "Landau" option on the Electra Limited coupe. Optional driver and passenger air bags were also available in 1974, but unpopular due to their cost; a crude version of traction control called Max Trac was an option as well. In 1975, all Electra 225 coupes had fixed rear side windows and center posts. The 4 door models remained hardtops until the 1977 model. Starting in 1974, the Limited model didn't have any Electra 225 badges on it and there was a new Park Avenue option package available on the "Limited" 4 door hardtop in 1975.

The 1975 Buick Electra 225 Limited was the longest 4-door hardtop car GM ever built. At 233.4 inches it was even longer than the 1975 Cadillac DeVille; its last Fleetwood 4-door hardtop had been in 1964. The model also ushered in a return of the six window configuration that Buick offered between 1959 and 1964.

All Electra's were powered by Buick's 7.5 litre 455 CID engine between 1971 and 1976. The 1971 model had a respectible 315 horsepower, but that was reduced to a mere 190 horsepower by the 1976 model year. Ever increasing government mandated emission controls were the culprit for the drop in performance. The once mighty 455 disappeared after the 1976 model year, in favor of smaller more efficient powerplants.

1977 — 1984

After the downsizing of all GM full size cars in1977, the car went nearer to its original length at 225 in (5,715 mm) but the 1980 model was downsized again and lost the "225" part of its name. The 1977-1979 Buick Electra line was powered with engines from various GM divisions, including starting in 1978 a first ever diesel option. The 1981 model saw very few changes from the 1980 restyle but it got a modified grille, new powertrains (the Buick 350 V8 was dropped in favor of a standard Buick produced 4.1 litre V-6 (252 CID),and an optional Oldsmobile produced 5.0 litre V-8 (307 CID)). A 350 CID Oldsmobile produced diesel was also available, but was known to be troublesome. For the first time since 1959, Electras didn't have 4 portholes in 1981. The top-of-the-line Electra Park Avenue model continued to show 4 small depressions with stickers in the chrome moulding on it's front fenders until they were completely gone in 1985.

1985 — 1990

In 1985, a redesigned front wheel drive Electra debuted on the GM C platform, including a performance-oriented T-Type version. Also in 1985, Park Avenue became an official trim designation within the Electra series, though it had appeared unofficially as early as 1975. In 1989-1990, in addition of the Electra Limited, T/Type and Park Avenue models, there was a new Park Avenue Ultra that featured standard leather trim interior and a padded vinyl top. The name "Ultra" was better known on the next generation Park Avenue as it more or less combined the characteristics of the sportier T/Type and the luxurious Ultra. The Electra Estate station wagon model was an entirely different car that was based upon the 1977 full-size GM station wagon body (revised in 1980). 1990 saw the last of Electra production, making way for the smaller Park Avenue and larger Roadmaster.

Engine: 3.0L Buick V6 in the 1985 Electra Limited 3.8L V6 in the 1985 Electra 380, Park Avenue and T/Type models 4.3L Diesel Oldsmobile V6 in the 1985 Electra 430.

• 3.8 L (231 in³) V6

The Buick 3.8 was the only engine available on the FWD Electra models after 1985

Electras in pop culture

Seattle-based rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot rapped about the love-hate relationship he had with his green 1969 Electra in "My Hooptie", which became a hit single in 1990. (The music video featured his Electra as a loaner car when his Benz was being serviced.) "Hooptie" subsequently became part of hip hop slang for an old car, usually (though not always) in rough condition (the term had long been in use with this meaning, especially by schoolchildren, in many inner-city neighborhoods).

Also, the Electra made an obscure appearance in the video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron as a playable starfighter.