Buick GNX Can Be All Yours for a Small Fortune
An authentic Buick GNX might not be inexpensive to buy, but you would be getting one of the last true American muscle cars.
If you walk into a Buick showroom today, you would be greeted by an assortment of SUVs and crossovers. They are roomy and comfortable, but about as sporty as a game of chess. For the younger readers out there, it may be hard to believe, but this was not always the case. At one time Buick actually made some legitimate performance cars. Cars that were capable of out accelerating Corvettes. Exhibit A is this 1987 Buick GNX that is currently listed for sale at Top G Auto Center in Huntington Park, California.
Only about 500 of these special Buick GNX coupes were ever made. And once they were gone the Buick Roadmaster with the Chevy small block LT1 was the closest thing to a performance car that Buick ever made again. And calling the Roadmaster a performance car would be a stretch. However, the Buick GNX was legit. It did not have a V8 engine but the turbocharged 3.8L V6 was good for 276 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque.
The GNX was capable of hitting 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds. For the sake of comparison, a 1987 Corvette took nearly 6 seconds. So, the GNX had some serious performance chops. And now you have the chance to put one of these rare machines in your own garage. Assuming you have $127,777 to spend.
Buick GNX Story
The rear-drive Buick Regal was around since the late 1970’s. Buick gave us a performance version known as the Grand National. But in 1987 we were treated to a swan song run of 500 GNX models. The GNX project was handled by Automobile Specialty Company and McLaren Engines.
The engine was tweaked with upgrades such as ported and polished heads and a larger turbo to get up to 276 horsepower. Top speed was limited to 124 mph because that is about as much as the chassis could take. Wheels and tires were larger and fiberglass fender flares were needed to accommodate them. Only the Porsche 911 Turbo was quicker than the GNX to 60 mph and even that much more expensive car only held a one tenth of a second advantage.
Muscle Car
The Buick GNX might be the last true American muscle car. It was very quick in a straight line, but it is not something you would want to turn laps around a road course in. It is a big, blacked out coupe that will hold five people, looks like a bad ass, and goes like hell.
But the ride is rough, it will bounce and shake all over the place. And it sits up high, and is just not built for cornering. They just don’t make cars like this anymore and that is part of the appeal.
GNX #121
The car offered for sale has less than 55,000 miles on it. It looks straight and clean. But the online listing leaves a lot to be desired. There is almost no information included on this car besides basic specs, and even those are wrong. For example, the engine is listed as having 245 horsepower which is the output for the regular Grand National, not the GNX.
We find out a bit more information by looking at the Car Gurus listing. It shows that this car has been for sale for over 100 days. It also started with an outrageous $199,995 asking price, and has been dropping by tens of thousands every month. So, if you are interested you might have some bargaining room. Either way it is an expensive car, but it is an American icon.
Photos: Top G Auto Center
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