The basic idea of the GN and the upgraded GNX was to copy what Buick accomplished with the GSX back in the early 1970's. Because 1987 marked the end of the rear wheel drive Regals, Buick wanted to build an extra special limited edition of this car where performance was key. GM decided to use its turbocharged 3.8 liter OHV V6 engine that is was also found in the T-Types.


Driving Impressions:

When you fire up the Grand National's simple V6, it sounds more akin to a Ford Taurus or Dodge Intrepid than your typical 200+ horse turbocharged V6. Press on the gas, however, and this attitude changes with the blink of an eye; emitting a burley exhaust note that only the GN and GNX can make. If you release the brake and drop the accelerator, the 3.8 liter engine quickly makes 15 psi of boost rocketing this car down the quarter mile in an estimated 13.4 seconds (according to specs). I recall a Buick promotion labeled the GN and GNX titled "B-B-Bad to the Bone" (dont you miss the 80s?) The GNX lives up to this reputation. GM has tuned an otherwise ho hum car into a real street brawler.

Under the hood lies the key to the GNX's killer performance. It has used the standard turbocharged V6 found in the T-Type and GN, but was modified by ASC (not to be confused with APC). The intercooler has a greater cooling capacity than a stock GN and to reduce back pressure, a relatively low restriction dual exhaust system is used. The fuel management system was recalibrated to permit the T-3 Garrett Turbocharger with the ceramic impeller to produce a maximum 15 psi of boost to make a whopping 276 horsepower and a 'holy cow' 360 lb-ft of torque. That’s right, 360 lb-ft from a 3.8 liter engine. That’s almost the same torque rating as a 5.7 liter powered 2005 Z06 Corvette!

Under the GNX's dark black paint essentially lies a regular Regal; Buick's boring midsized luxury coupe of the 1980s that was, by no means, a sporty looking car. For the GNX, the suspension has modified for better handling and braking has been upgraded to power discs at the front and drums at the rear. These brakes offer adequate stopping power for a car in the 1980s. While this car does not have 4-wheel disc brakes or ABS it does not do too bad of a job coming to a stop.


Interior Accommodation:

The interior of the GNX is almost like the GN, which is almost like the regular Regales; very plain, lots of plastic, and semi supportive seats. Honestly I dislike this interior set-up more than any sporty American midsized car I have ever been in. Don't expect to find any cool amenities. The GNX does boast Stewart Warner gauges, but as Shania Twain says “that don't impress me much."


Exterior Innovation :

The exterior is borderline ugly, gees after all those good things about performance it's sad for it to come to this. The GNX looks like a car my Grandmother Mary would drive, its big, its tacky looking, and the fender vents make this 'super Granny mobile' look like it has gills. The tires are large so they stick out a little, making the GNX look like a car a teenager got given to him/her from their grandmother, and had to result to body modifications to make it look decent.


Pricing:

The price for these cars were expensive when new ($29,000 for a GNX 1987), and are still expensive 15 years later, this is a highly collectible car (only 500 or so were made), and if you are lucky enough to find one for sale you'll probably laugh at the price. You can sometimes find GNs for sale, but they too are highly collectible and will cost you over $15,000 in most cases. The GNX does offer amazing straight line performance(especially for 1987), and adequate handling, but if you want a drivers car, save your money and buy a used '97 Corvette.

Other Cars To Consider :

1. Buick GN
2. Pontiac Firebird
3. Chevy Camaro
4. Ford Mustang http://www.epinions.com/content_55453716100 (MY Review)
5. Toyota Supra
6. Nissan 300ZX
7. Chevrolet Corvette
8. Buick T-Type
9. Dodge Daytona
10. Chevrolet Monte Carlo




-Happy Car Shopping!

Amount Paid (US$): Test Drive
Model Year: 1987
Model and Options: BUICK Regal GNX 4 speed automatic.