Throughout its history, the Skylark has been many things to Buick and to its fans. In more recent times the nameplate was drafted to confer prestige to Buick’s entry-level compact car, but that is a far cry from its original role. The Skylark name first appeared as a range-topping trim level on Buick’s flagship Roadmaster convertible specifically to commemorate the marque’s 50th anniversary in 1953, and it was available for just two seasons. For ’53 it shared the Roadmaster’s chassis and most of its sheetmetal, differing mainly in the use of full cutouts for the rear wheels—a first for Buick. In place of Ventiports, the Skylark took Buick’s other signature styling element—the “Sweepspear”— and extended it from above the front wheel down to the rocker panel just before the rear wheel and then back up over the rear wheel opening, running nearly the full length of the vehicle. The limited-edition convertible was positioned as Buick’s ultimate personal luxury vehicle, blending every aspect of luxury and sportiness in the brand’s repertoire and including every option available on the Roadmaster (except air conditioning), making standard features like power steering, power brakes, power windows, power-adjustable seats, and a power-operated top. The Skylark was extravagant even by Roadmaster standards and it was priced accordingly; its $5,000 sticker was more than 40-percent higher than the standard Roadmaster convertible’s!

But for 1954 the Skylark got even more exclusive. The Roadmaster had been redesigned and upsized, and its mammoth new 127-inch wheelbase was deemed too bulky for the svelte image Buick wished to convey with the Skylark. So the 1954 Skylark was built on the Buick Century convertible platform which was five inches shorter. The Century also had a lower, more modern cowl and hood, but the Skylark received bespoke bodywork with a rounded rear deck and even more dramatic wheel treatment, with teardrop-shaped cutouts that allowed the inner wheel wells to be painted a contrasting color! Filling those flashy wheel wells were gorgeous 15-inch Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels with faux knock-offs wrapped in a set of wide whitewall tires.

The ’53 Skylark had helped introduce Buick's first-ever V8 engine, and the 1954 edition received even more power. There was just one powertrain—Buick’s top-spec 322-cubic-inch “Nailhead” V8 with 200hp (12 more than the previous year) backed by the buttery smooth Dynaflow transmission. The extra power, coupled with the slightly lower weight of the smaller dimensions, made the '54 model the stronger performer. The ’54 model was also the rarest Skylark, with just 836 built—less than half the number made in 1953. The Skylark would disappear at the end of 1954—not to be seen again until 1961 where it would be reborn as a luxury option on the entry-level Buick Special. That makes the 1954 model the final Skylark to hold the prestigious position as Buick’s flagship, and the perfect subject for Automodello’s latest ONE24™ creation. Up to 199 Standard Edition in Lido Green with a two-tone green interior have been produced, while the exclusive Encomium Edition Skylarks have been rendered in Arctic White and Matador Red in numbers of up to 54 each. Each car features a removable CanvasTouch™ convertible top to better showcase the highly detailed interior. All Skylarks are hand-numbered and come mounted to a decorative plinth that you will be proud to display next to your finest 1:24 models.