Buick is re-introducing a famous name from a glamorous era - a designation that evokes memories of the elegance of travel in premium automobiles and locomotives in the United States, just before World War II.

The title is "Super," and Buick is bringing back the historical moniker after 50 years. Beginning in the 2008 model year with LaCrosse and, later, with the 2008 Lucerne, Buick will emphasize its premium and powerful sedans with the Super badge.

"The Super name emphasizes Buick luxury, power and performance," said Buick General Manager Steve Shannon. "We're taking a great name from our heritage to designate the most premium cars we have ever offered."

In 1939, when Buick introduced the Super line for the 1940 model year, it was the latest example of a new pattern for naming Buicks. Under General Manager Harlow H. Curtice - later chief executive of General Motors and recipient of Time magazine's 1955 "Man of the Year" award - Buick had returned to its traditional position as a brand of great elegance, style and premium value after the Great Depression.

To emphasize its recovery, Curtice announced interesting names for the new Buicks. Designations such as Model F and Model 10 and Master 26 were shelved. In the 1936 model year, a new, high-value car was unveiled as the "Special," instead of the Model 41. All models in the powerful 60 Series became "Century." An upscale Model 81 became "Roadmaster." Models in the elegant 90 Series were badged "Limited." It is not recorded who originated the names, but historians presume they were dreamed up by Curtice, GM design chief Harley Earl or Buick advertising genius Art Kudner.

Buick didn't emphasize a link between its new model names and those of the great passenger trains of the 1930s, but clearly the luster of the 20th Century Limited locomotive rubbed off on the new Century and Limited models at Buick. (An added advantage of the Century name was a rumor that it signified the car could reach 100 miles per hour - impressive performance for the time. By 1938, the Century could reach that speed, but historians still generally link the name with the train.)

When the 50 Series cars were introduced for the 1940 model year and designated Super, it was likely no coincidence that one of the most famous American trains of the time was the Super Chief. It was the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, and delivered an upscale ride between Chicago and Los Angeles. The Super Chief drew Hollywood stars and other celebrities. Not incidentally, it was also favored by Curtice. The energetic Buick leader often traveled by rail to California to negotiate appearances for Buicks in movies - and to visit Buick's powerful West Coast distributor, Charles Howard (owner of the legendary race horse, Seabiscuit).

As one Buick historian put it, "The name Super, evoking the glamour and elegance of rail travel of the late '30s, harks back to a time when America was on the upswing, having weathered the trials of the Great Depression, but had not seen the horrors of a second world war that was on the horizon."