“Peaceful” 1963 Buick has some good Karma, too

The 1960s Buick Electra 225 sedan sits in an uncomfortably unpopular place these days. It’s not prestigious or rare enough to command the pricing of vintage German luxury sedans, or be on par with its counterparts from Cadillac and Lincoln.

But mid-century Buicks had quality materials and luxurious proportioning with understated styling worthy of stealth-wealth enthusiasts. Just look at the space between the front axle and the front door (albeit accentuated in this sales brochure) and the subtle integration of Buick’s famous four portholes in the fender.

Clearly, Buick’s famous Deuce and a Quarter deserves more recognition.

Because it ain’t easy being a luxury sedan, and the Karma Revero feels the Electra’s pain. The former luxury flagship of the fledgling Fisker brand saw new life under Chinese ownership, including a superior in-car entertainment package (one with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) and the option of moving from the GM-infused hybrid powertrain for one derived from the BMW i8. The parts shuffling is not unlike what Buick does on a daily basis with frames, powertrains, and technology available from the GM parts bin.

Such hardware isn’t enough to make Karma play on the same field as Tesla, but what if you took the strengths of both and made something absolutely astounding? That’s what celebrity car builder/presenter Ant Anstead made for actor James Marsden in season 1, episode 2 of Celebrity IOU: Joyride.

The mission was clear, as Marsden wanted to thank his brother-in-law Will for everything by giving him a Buick much like the one from his past. Once they found a suitable candidate, they hatched a plan to electrify the Electra.

Well, partially electrify.

The Karma donor car had both a BMW gasoline engine and electric motors, with a blending of the Buick’s X-frame and the Karma’s battery-infused chassis. The blending is most obvious in the Electra’s rocker panels, as they are lowered significantly to (presumably) accommodate the Karma’s floorpan with its massively tall center spine. The end result was given a name worthy of Buick’s mid-century comfort and Karma’s effortless hybrid powertrain: Peaceful.

And “Peaceful” is now on full display, as it will be auctioned later this month at Mecum Glendale. Finished in Aston Martin’s California Sage Green paint, the Electra features a “copper weave carbon fiber hood” and a carbon fiber trunk lid that’s painted to match the body. Most of the Buick’s exterior body panels and trim remain unmodified, including the chrome bumpers and grille. The custom wheels are made by HRE, and have a mid-century Chrysler Turbine vibe about them.

The interior is a mix of old and new, with period-correct door panels facing the interior of the Karma Revero, complete with its unique 2+2 seating layout. The rear seats face a 6 point roll bar finished in the exterior color, while burnt orange and black leather cover most of the repurposed Revero interior. A suede-like headliner also finished in burnt orange finishes off the package.

The builders even took the time to integrate the charging port into the Buick’s factory gas filler, which shows impressive attention to detail. No word on how the BMW range extender gets its fuel, but perhaps watching Season 1, Episode 2 of Celebrity IOU would shed light on that part of the build. No matter, the seller states there are receipts totaling $250,000 for the build, and that doesn’t surprise us one bit: the cost of these parts combined with the value of skilled fabricators doesn’t come cheap. Let’s hope the winner of the Mecum Auction for this “Peaceful” Buick Electra relishes this unique creation and hits the street frequently so everyone can enjoy the style and craftsmanship.

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