Buick was founded by David Dunbar Buick who first began as a successful plumbing inventor. In the 1890s Buick became very interested in the research that was going on with gas powered engines and in 1899 he sold his successful plumbing business to begin work on what would later become the Buick Motor Company. Nowadays Buick is not really regarded as a sports car maker and there are rumors of GM ditching the Buick brand altogether.