by Kyle Francis
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- The GNX Was Built To Give The Second-Gen Regal A Worthy Send-Off
- The Upgrades Added Several Numbers To The GN's MSRP
- The GNX's Tire-Blazing Performance Gave It A Muscular Reputation, Even Though It Didn't Have A V8
- Buick Largely Left The Performance Car Behind After The GNX
When you talk about American muscle cars, one of the key brand names that isn't far from being uttered is Buick. The General Motors-owned marque was a key player during the muscle car golden age of the 1960s and early 70s, thanks to models like the Wildcat GS and mighty GSX, one of the torquiest cars of the era. These days, the brand doesn't tend to dabble much in the performance sector, which reflects an approach it has followed since the late 1980s.
The car that signified the end of Buick's sustained push in the market has become a living legend in the decades since it was built, to the point where it is now worth more than a brand-new BMW M5. When you take a look at it though, you understand pretty quickly why it's so special.
The GNX Was Built To Give The Second-Gen Regal A Worthy Send-Off
GM Heritage Center
The performance car market had changed considerably from the early 1970s by the time the 80s were in full swing. The majority of big V8 weapons had long gone, with many vehicles instead using lighter and more compact four- and six-cylinder engines, which sometimes came with turbochargers thrown into the mix to help boost power levels. The Buick Regal was such a machine, as it could be had in Grand National spec. Buick had been turbocharging the Regal coupe since the second-gen version was introduced in 1978, though the GN was first unleashed in 1982.
Designed as a road-going version of the contender the manufacturer was campaigning in NASCAR at the time, it certainly looked the part. It did lack a turbocharger, though this was fixed for the 1984 variant. By 1987, it was time to wave goodbye to the second-gen Regal, and Buick's chief engineer Dave Sharp wanted to send it out with a bang. He came up with the idea of the GNX, meaning Grand National Experimental, which was essentially a Grand National on steroids.
McLaren Was Roped In To Help Make The Dream A Reality
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With Buick heading away from building performance cars as the brand headed in a new direction, Sharp wanted the GNX to make an impression. He approached legendary British racing operation McLaren to achieve this, which introduced a raft of upgrades to the Regal. Buick first equipped the GNXs with a sportier interior trim package, before sending them off to McLaren. The GN's V6 was upgraded with a new Garrett turbocharger, as well as an uprated intercooler and exhaust system to enhance airflow. A new CPU was also brought along to help the engine purr with just the right note.
The chassis was also tweaked to improve the vehicle's handling, an end further assisted by a more serious suspension setup.
The Upgrades Added Several Numbers To The GN's MSRP
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The performance enhancements were finished-off with a more aggressive exterior styling package, which included a blacked-out look and a more commanding body kit and wheels combo. All these changes meant that the model, nicknamed "Darth Vader" due to its darkened aesthetic, was considerably more expensive than the standard GN. The GNX was a full $10,995, more, which translates to north of $30k more in today's money, with its total cost coming in at $29,900. In 2025, this would be a little under $85k.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
