Rising from Malaise
The American car industry took a beating in the ’70s. Two successive oil crises practically handed the Japanese the keys to the market, and the recession in the middle of the decade meant it wasn’t really a good time in the car business. Detroit’s big three experienced a painful period, now simply known as the Malaise Era.
But the ’80s brought in new optimism, and little by little, horsepower numbers started recovering. Then, in 1987, one American automaker shocked the market by launching a coupe that went faster than some contemporary sports cars. That was the Buick GNX, and it was easily one of the fastest cars of its era in the world.
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The Backstory
Buick unleashed the GNX in the late-’80s as a swan song for the G-Body Buick Regal. While performance versions of the car existed as the T-Type and Grand National, the GNX took it to the extreme. It’s a result of a collaboration with GM, ASC, and McLaren – yes, that McLaren.
Only 547 GNX models were ever built, and its rarity means it’s a pricey but highly sought-after classic now. Speaking of which, Classic.com puts current values at around $180,000. If one goes on sale, you can bet it will at least hit six figures. Right now on Bring a Trailer, it is number 42 of 547 with a little over 5,000 miles on the clock. We’d love to know the backstory, but it appears to be in preserved condition.
A general service was done on it a few years ago, and it has a new radiator, thermostat, rear main seal, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, fuel injectors, fuel pump, spark plugs, and serpentine belt. Seller claims the car was dyno tested in 2022, and we’re curious to see what numbers it actually makes. For those who remember, these were underrated from the factory.
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The Offer
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Make | Buick |
| Model | GNX (G-Body) |
| Year | 1987 |
| Mileage | 5,201 miles indicated |
| Engine | 3.8-liter LD5 turbocharged V6 |
| Power | 276 hp (underrated) |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
| Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
| Exterior color | Black |
| Interior color | Gray |
| Wheels | 16-inch cross-lace alloy wheels |
| Suspension | Short-long arms front, live axle with coil springs rear |
| Brakes | Vented disc front, drum rear |
| Steering | Hydraulic recirculating ball steering |
| Current bid | $125,000 |
Interested in the car? View the listing here.
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Why it’s Special
The GNX was an epic moment in Buick’s history. GNX stood for Grand National eXperimental, and its boosted 3.8-liter V6 helped it do 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Car and Driver‘s instrumented test saw it reach 60 in just 4.7 seconds. That meant it could outdrag a contemporary Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911, and left the Camaro Z/28 and Mustang 5.0 GT in its wake. This car was a massive deal back then, and it has earned every right to be called an icon. It’s still fast by today’s standards, and it must have felt like warp speed in ’87.
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About the author
Anton Andres
News Editor