Autoblog

SLP says it is developing new GNX and Grand National Buicks

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:14:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Buick, Rumormill

As you might remember, we were left unfulfilled by the 2012 Buick Regal GS. Buick just didn't go far enough, in our estimation, which is why when we read about the possibility of a tuner version of the GS from SLP Performance Parts on Inside Line, we got on the phone posthaste.

SLP is best known for building the Firehawk and SS versions of fourth-generation F-body Pontiac Firebirds and Chevrolet Camaros for General Motors, and owning the "ZL" trademark that both it and GM have used on the current-gen Camaro. But the company is also the rights holder of fabled Buick monikers "Grand National" and "GNX," names that it intends to put back into play.

An SLP spokesman confirmed the report that a 300-plus-horsepower Buick GNX based on the GS is in development, saying that it should have a final mock-up based on the above sketch by the middle of this month. But SLP also told us that it has plans to revive the Grand National name, which would presumably fall somewhere between the GS and the GNX on the performance scale.

But before we get too lathered up about this, remember that SLP has dipped its toes in the performance Buick game before, with middling results. The company rolled out a Buick GSX back in the early part of last decade, based on the supercharged, 3800 V6-powered Regal GS. This dealer-installed kit was a good idea applied to the wrong car, as the front-drive, fourth-generation Regal just wasn't enough of a performance machine out of the box to bother with.

The current GS, on the other hand, offers a much more intriguing proposition for a little bit of aftermarket improvement. As long as SLP does the full-blackout treatment that was a hallmark of the original GNX, we'd be willing to take it for a spin.

SLP says it is developing new GNX and Grand National Buicks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1979 Lotus Esprit Turbo w/Buick Regal GNX power is inky hotness

Zach Bowman — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Buick, Lotus, Luxury

1979 Lotus Esprit with Buick GNX turbo V6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

What happens when you're head over heels for the lethal wedge styling and superb handling of the 1979 Lotus Esprit, but find yourself smitten with the all-out grunt of the turbo 3.8-liter V6 in the Buick GNX? If you're the intrepid creator of the particular car you see above, you mate the two, forging your very own take on the Esprit Turbo. On paper, the mashup seems like a match made in the lofty spires of the Lotus engineering department. Whereas General Motors' conservatively rated 276-horsepower six pot tended to suffer by being bolted into the heavy GNX platform, the lithe Esprit could have always used a bump in power over its smaller four-cylinder. At least one creative soul has opted for a sexier looking Yamaha SHO swap to solve the Esprit's power woes, but we're big fans of this particular recipe.

If your mouth is already watering at the thought of a mid-engine turbo V6 terror, we're about to sweeten the deal. The car is currently for sale, and looks about as mint as mint can be. The engine bay is clean, the paint spotless and the attention to detail unmatched for a Frankenstein creation of this caliber. Perfection? Thy name just might be GNEsprit. The running bid is a shave over $16,000 at the time of writing with the reserve not met, so get to bidding. You just might take this sucker home. Thanks for the tip, Al!

Gallery: 1979 Lotus Esprit with Buick GNX turbo V6

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1979 Lotus Esprit Turbo w/Buick Regal GNX power is inky hotness originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM President Mark Reuss: Chevrolet Cruze Coupe "may show up"

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Chevrolet, GM

Chevrolet Cruze - click above for high-res image gallery

Check out this little nugget General Motor's North American president Mark Reuss let slip during a recent web chat:

"[...] 2 door cruze is a nice idea, and it may show up in the global market. As we have 2 door Cobalts currently, [North America] would naturally look at a Cruze 2 door, but I believe our small car portfolio will be WAY beyond what it is now, so a 2 door something still is needed."

Quite interesting, no? Especially as the Cruze will eventually replace the Cobalt as Chevy's C-segment car. We suspect there will be a bit of overlap between the two cars (GM's high-volume models die hard), but the idea of a Cruze SS Coupe is quite tantalizing. To us at any rate.

Also lip smacking is another bit of info Reuss let slip when a man named Pete asked the following question, "Can you tell us if the plans for a ZETA RWD sedan in one of the core brands is moving forward?" Mr. Reuss' response, "quite possibly Pete......." That's not the Lutzian answer we're used to ("RWD, twin-turbo wagons with manuals for all!") but it's not a "no," either. Also of note, Reuss, a competition-license carrying "car guy" at one time owned Buick GNX #446. Good to know, and stay tuned....

Gallery: LA 2009: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

[Source: GM Reinvention]

GM President Mark Reuss: Chevrolet Cruze Coupe "may show up" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks can deceive: 6.6L Duramax-powered Buick GNX clone

Alex Nunez — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:35:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Buick, GM

The car you see here is not a GNX. Hell, it's not even a Buick. You'd be forgiven if you thought it was, though, and it does sport a turbocharger underhood. David Morad was so enamored with the 6.6L LB7 Duramax diesel in his truck that he wanted to put it into something lighter and more fun. He decided to build a Grand National around the engine, and started buying up whatever applicable Buick body parts he could find -- right down to legit GNX dash plates. Next, he bought an '82 Buick Regal diesel that was to be the subject of the transformation. Unfortunately, that car literally self-immolated as he drove it home, sending Morad straight back to square one.

He subsequently found and bought an '81 Olds diesel and got to work. The car was cut in half so that a Regal rear end could be welded on, and then a laundry list of major modifications followed. To retain the stock Buick exterior appearance while incorporating the new powertrain, everything under the skin is is either extensively modified or custom fabricated in order to allow for the deception. Sure, it looks like a GNX, but this is really a scratch-built machine. Wilwood brakes lurk behind some absolutely wicked deep-dish Budnik wheels (dig those steamrollers in back), which nicely compliment the menacing black bodywork. Diesel Power magazine covers all the build's specifics in detail, and it's well worth a read.

If you're gonna masquerade as a GNX, you'd better bring some punch to the costume party, and Morad's car does. As of Diesel Power's publication, it ran an 8.25-second eighth of a mile, which they figure works out to somewhere in the 12s for the quarter. He'll be gunning for the 11s next, and additional performance upgrades are in store. Best of all? This is Morad's daily driver! He reports that it gets around 28 mpg in regular use and in the mid-30s on the highway. Not a bad combination: the looks of a GNX, the grunt of a big turbodiesel, and the fuel economy of cars that are a lot more boring. This thing had to cost a fortune to make, but Morad's clearly getting his money's worth on the fun scale.

[Source: Diesel Power via Next Autos]

Looks can deceive: 6.6L Duramax-powered Buick GNX clone originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1987 Buick GNX #359 - 9.9 miles on the odo

Alex Nunez — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 09:34:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Buick

Click image for 55-pic photo gallery

The Buick GNX is iconic -- one of the great modern GM performance cars. The ultimate Grand National, it was limited to 547 units and received a host of changes at the hands of ASC McLaren over the "regular" car. These included substantial upgrades underhood, most notably to the turbocharger and intercooler, and when it bowed, the GNX was advertised as having 275 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque. Another set of numbers, namely the car's sub-5-second 0-60 time, was evidence that the factory power rating was clearly on the low side.

A Texas car dealer has acquired Buick Grand National GNX #359 and has listed it for sale on eBay. #359's significance is that it has under 10 miles on the odometer and has never been titled despite the fact that it's 20 years old. All manner of original documentation is included, as well as the original battery, which was removed and stored. It also looks great in and out -- like something out of a museum -- and frankly, we ache for this most evil of G-Bodies. Apparently, we're not alone, as four bidders have pushed the car up over $85,000 USD. The reserve hasn't been met yet, though, and the seller has a "Buy it Now" on the car, too. If you click on that and agree to part with $109,980 USD, it's yours. Sure, you could get something like a 911Carrera S for the same money, but it wouldn't get half the looks, and we gather that the Buick's just as fun (and about as fast, too).

For more, check out this thread on TurboBuick.com, which focuses specifically on this particular car.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: eBay]

Gallery: 1987 Buick GNX #359

eBay Find of the Day: 1987 Buick GNX #359 - 9.9 miles on the odo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Auto Show: Hidden basement treasures

Eric Bryant — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Classics, Coupe, Buick

Sure, most of the folks here at the NYIAS are interested primarily in the stuff that hasn't yet appeared in showrooms, but one of our favorite cars of the show was a twenty-year-old gem tucked off in a corner on the lower floor. What you see here in these photos is a genuine 1987 Buick GNX with all of 45 miles on the clock - a near-virgin example of a car that was a bit of a dinosaur even back in its day. The dated G-body platform was in its last year, and so McLaren and ASC were called in to give it a proper send-off.

What the GNX lacked in chassis sophistication was more than compensated by the highly-pressurized pushrod V6 under the hood and its electronic controls. The flares and sixteen-inch snowflake wheels only increased the sinister stance of the black two-door, but still did little to convey the performance potential of this machine. It was the beginning of the end of an era at GM, and eventually the neutering of individual brands killed off these acts of intracorporation rebellion.

Two decades ago, this thing stickered for a touch over $29K - or just shy of $54,000 in today's money. The odds of such a freak occurrence happening in Buick showrooms again are probably somewhat less than the likelihood of this exact vehicle ending up in our garage, we reckon. So what's the real Super Buick at this show?

Gallery: 1987 Buick GNX

New York Auto Show: Hidden basement treasures originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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