The series began in 1962 with Buick's 198 in³ engine, the first V6 in an American car. Because it was derived from Buick's 215 in³ V8, it has a 90° bank between cylinders.

1 Series I

1.1 198

The cast-iron 198 in³ Fireball Buick V6 was derived from their innovative aluminum 215 in³ V8. It debuted in the 1962 Buick Special.

1.2 225

The bore was increased to match the 340 in³ V8 for 1963, increasing displacement to 225 in³. Since the engine was similar to the popular small-block V8, the engine was made cheaply at the same factory with much of the same tooling.

1.3 Dauntless

In 1965, Kaiser began using the Buick 225 in Jeep CJs. It was known as the Dauntless 225 and used a much heavier flywheel than the Buick version for increased torque. Buick sold the tooling for this engine to Kaiser in 1967, as the demand for the little engine was waning steadily in an era of V8s and muscle cars. When American Motors bought Jeep, they began replacing the earlier engines with AMC designs, so the V6 was no longer needed.

1.4 231

The fuel crisis of the early 1970sMillennia: 1st millennium 2nd millennium 3rd millennium Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Years: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Events and trends prompted Buick to buy back the design in 1974 and re-introduce the V6 in certain 1975Events January January 1 Watergate scandal: John N. Mitchell, H. Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman are found guilty of the Watergate cover-up and are sentenced to 30 months to 8 years in jail on February 21 January 5 The Tasman Bridge in Tasmania, Australia, i models. The bore was enlarged to 3.8 in (thus the 3800 name) to match Buick's 350 in³ V8 for a total of 231 in³ displacement. The engine, as it had since its creation, had problems with roughness due to the uneven firing pattern inherent in this engine's design. In 1977For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). Events January 1 First woman Episcopal priest ordained January 6 EMI sacks the Sex Pistols January 18 Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious " legionnaire's disease" Januar, Buick devised an innovative redesign of the crankshaft, flywheel, and distributor which greatly alleviated the problem, creating a new even-firing version of the engine. Due to difficulties with the new fuel economy and emissions standards, the engine produced just 110 hp.

1.5 LD5

In 1978, GM began to market the 231 as the 3.8 liter as metric engine sizes became common in the United States. The RPO Code was LD5, though California-emissions versions were called LC6. Starting in 1979, the engine was used in the front wheel drive Buick Riviera, though still with a longitundinal mounting. Larger valves and better intake and exhaust boosted the power output for 1979. Port fuel injection was added in 1984 and improved to sequential for 1986. A turbocharged version was introduced as the pace car at the 1976 Indianapolis 500, and a production turbo arrived in the 1979 Buick Riviera S Type.

The turbo 3.8 was used in the following vehicles:

1979-1985 Buick Riviera S Type
1980-1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1980-1987 Buick Regal and Grand National
1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

1.6 3.0

A small 3.0 L version was produced for Buick's 1980s front wheel drive cars. Introduced in 1982, it was designed for transverse application in the new GM X platform cars like the Buick Skylark.

1.7 4.1

In response to rising gas prices, a larger 4.1 L version of the 3800 was briefly produced. This was found in many large rear wheel drive Buicks and even some Cadillacs.

1.8 3800

A supercharged 3800 installed in a Buick Riviera for 1995, the last year of Series I production. Power is 225 hp for this version.

In 1986, the engine was modified for transverse-mounting in smaller, FWD vehicles. About this same time, the 3800 designation was introduced, and these engines would later be considered the Series I. This generation continued in use in several GM products, including Australian Holdens, into the 1990s. It produced 170 hp when it was replaced by the L36 in 1995.

The turbocharged 1986 Buick Regal Grand National was called America's quickest automobile, and the model continues to be collected and appreciated today.

The supercharged version appeared in 1992 on the Buick Park Avenue Ultra.

1.9 3300

A smaller 3.3 L 3300 was introduced in 1989.

2 Series II

Introduced in 1995, the Series II is quite a different engine. Although the stroke for the 3.8 L engine remained at 3.4 in (86.36 mm), and the bore remained at the eponymous 3.8 in (96.52 mm), the engine architecture was vastly changed. The piston connecting rods were 1 in (25.4 mm) shorter, so the crankshaft was redesigned. A new intake manifold improved breathing, and a new cylinder head had larger valves. The result was 205 hp and 230 ft.lbf, better fuel economy, and 26 lbs lighter overall weight.

2.1 L36

The L36 was the first Series II version of the 3800. It has a 96.52 mm bore and 86.36 mm stroke for 3.8 L (3791 cc) of displacement. Power is 200 hp (150 kW) and torque is 230 ft.lb (312 Nm). It was first introduced in 1995.

This engine is or was used in the following vehicles:

2.2 L67

The L67 is the supercharged version of the Series II L36 and appeared in 1996. Power is up to 240 hp (180 kW) and 280 ft.lb (380 Nm) of torque. The engine is built in Flint, Michigan. The engine was certified LEV in 2001.

This engine is or was used in the following cars:

News reports have indicated that it will also be added to the SS versions of:

3 Series III

The Series III motors include many changes. The intake manifold is all-aluminum. Electronic throttle control is added, as is returnless fuel injection. Emissions are also reduced.

3.1 L26

The L26 is the Series III version of the 3800. It is still a 3.8 L design.

This engine is used in the following vehicles:

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
Buick LaCrosse

3.2 L32

The L32 is a supercharged Series III.