1987 Buick GNX 223 on Classic Car and Driver Flashback

Video shown on TNN of the 1987 Buick Regal Grand National "GNX"
GNX 311 Drag Racing VIDEO Close up - Next to track: 11.106 @ 117 mph
• Oct 2011 '87 BUICK GNX...
GNX # 223 is the star of this video along with Joe Harrington (previous owner of GNX # 375 the only GNX to have the privilege to be displayed on the front turn stile at the National Corvette Museum June 2000, Bowling Green, KY

[@zven28]

Great review for a great car! One error, however. The Syclones and Typhoons did not have the Buick V6. They were a turbocharged early variant of the 4.3 Vortech and they had a liquid intercooler system.

[@twalker294]

I had a lightly modded (12.8@106 best at the strip,) '86 Regal T-Type for about 3 years. I have owned several muscle cars and the Buick was THE most fun car I have ever owned. The GNX was the king of the late '80s.

[@edwalrus1]

The Buick gnx is my absolute favorite car. It's just very special and it hides it's evilness behind a classy old school look. I'm saving up to buy a grand national

[@airbus214airplane]

My life would be complete if I owned one of the 547 GNX's made. You simply cannot beat that motor. It's fucking awesome!

[@markmarshall39]

4.6 seconds to 60 in 1987, damn

[@ganimed1976]

The Buick GNX looks so badass........one of the greatest cars ever build........a sophisticated race car out of the factory. I hope one day I´m a proud owner of such a great GNX too. For now I have only a 1/24 scaled model car ;)

[@coololds85]

I sure wish time machines were real so I can and buy myself one of these new.

[@jasonstone3231]

"you could get any color you wanted, as long as it was black" lmmfao.........that part killed me

[@ZeeboLaywicker]

no it did not end up in the syclone and the typhoon..that was a 4.3 liter chevy built turbo engine. the 3.8 liter buick built engine only was in buicks and the 89 trans am..get your facts straight dudes!

[@sniper1911]

I've seen only one of these in Canada my whole life, and it was a Grand National in black. That was one of the most beautiful muscle cars I've ever seen. Really was a shock and a shame they didn't continue to manufacture it. It gave Buick a different view in my eyes.

[@thenuge88]

I sat in a GNX two days ago- it was being stored in a machining factory in Chicago. It had about 1/16th inch of dust on the hood. I couldn't believe it when I saw it! There were two other turboed Buick Regals there as well!

[@coololds85]

I just bought a copy of that Car and driver a couple years back. Car and Driver issue July 1985, and the car was new. I also went to a car show I saw grand nationals and ereGNXs. Funny hing they were all owned from older guys that bought the car for $17 grand back in the day. It just made my heart drop when I saw those cars. I wish I had money, these cars ain't cheap and the GNX only lasted one year. The oth

[@spawndewd]

i was lucky enough to open one of these up for a few runs. very nice hookup. simple spacious and clean engine compartment with a small motor delivering superb power. yup, i'm still in love with it.

[@wchabotte]

The Buick 3.8 in all the GNs were 90 degree V6s. None were 60 degrees. The 60 degree motors were 2.8/3.1/3.4 liter motors. The Buick regal Sommerset which was a FRW car like the Chevy Cavalier had a 3.0 liter motor which was a 3.8liter with a de-stroked crank shaft in it. The Buick 3.8/231ci motor was designed back in the 60s and sold to Range Rover along with the Buick V8 which Range Rover also used. Then GM bought back the Designs for the 231 and used it in the late 70s in the A body cars!

[@boss12]

"In a world of sleek shapes and refined manners, the GNX is an ax-wielding barbarian laying waste to everything in its path." hahahahahahahahaha I love it

[@scdevon]

I worked at a Buick dealer in 1987. We got 2 GNX's that year. I drove both of them before they were sold. They weren't fast by todays standards, but they felt 300+ HP fast back then. Great cars!!

[@HunterRitchie]

The Grand National was limited to 128 MPH due to a computer chip, the GNX had no limiter. Tried to race one of these in a bmw 335Xi and it blew us away. And mind you that's a twin-turbo straight six in the bimmer.

[@supreme2005]

those cars were simply badass. untouchable at the time

[@henchicken1]

man does that sound bring back some memories, had many battles with my lx 5.0 , always secretly wanted one! they were way cool cars!

[@sigurd1979]

Such an awesome car! This is definitely on my top ten cars I want to own before I die.

[@187543]

i like imports but that is a sweet sweet buick man i love it wish i had one :,(

[@heartboy86]

truth be told the interior looks better than most modern cars

[@sinusbradycardia]

GNX375 is for sale on ebay. In the description it says that this is the only non corvette to be displayed on the front turn style at the national corvette museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Wow!

[@ronniepage]

Buick needs to revive it just like Ford, Dodge and Chevy have done with their old muscles This is my dream classic car, because We're pretty much the same age

[@coololds85]

lol I just bought the same magaizne not too long ago that the guy had in his hand I love that magazine Im glad I found the Buick Grand National in good condition

[@Sodiumreactor]

I love cars like this its not very known to people who arent really into cars and its really fast like an urban legend almost I would say this car, the 90's ZR1, and the Terminator Cobras all fall into that category

[@pdennis93]

Lord Vader, your car is ready. those GN & GNX's looked badass.

[@dblack1983]

The 20th Anniversary T/As were 3.8 Turbo V6 engines rated at 250hp, but the GMCs were 4.3 V6 powered

[@Atomusk90]

what the guy in the video meant was that the idea of a turbo charged v6 went on to be used in the syclone and typhoon. and they did use the 4.3L

[@TurboMalibuV6]

You are technically right also they are different engines. The Buick built turbo V6 is a 90-degree vee angle engine not to be confused with the Chevrolet built 4.3 that actually was used in the Syclone and Typhoons. The Buick built 3.8, however, was installed in the 89 Pontiac Turbo Trand Am.

[@CamaroAmx]

i drove one once when i worked at an insurance auction (it was from a dealer that couldn't sell it). though it was a short drive, it loads of fun. it sucked that as an employee i couldn't buy bid on it.

[@byronmohawk]

absolutely positively correct, sir...

[@MislOlA94]

The funny thing is, they keep referring to how relatively small the 3.8 V6 is. But that's actually a pretty decent sized engine for forced induction.

[@peacemaker50cal]

My all time favorite car! I love mine!

[@CamaroAmx]

@gostillerz the intake and exhaust were modified to fit under the hood of the firebird, which restricted the power somewhat.

[@badassbuick86]

Syclone and Typhoon came with a 4.3 Turbo, not the 3.8

[@kjape72]

There had never been any 4.3 Turbo without this little 3.8 champ :P

[@leoconvoy]

thank you, 4 that observation cuz i thought the same thing!!! if im not mistaken the sy/ty engines were vortech v6's based on the 1st gen chevy small block.

[@G55STEYR]

The definition of COOL anytime, anywhere.

[@DonnyZ28]

@hemiram04 They stopped production of it because Buick changed platforms from rear to front wheel drive because GM wanted them to "modernize" the car line up. The Grand National and GNX wouldn't work with front wheel drive - so they had to stop production, but not by choice. It's all in an interview with one of the Grand Nationals designers, it's here on KZbin in 3 parts called "Grand National and GNX history".

[@ariel4more]

the 4.3 is based on the 350 (5.7 litre). it is basically a 350 with 2 cylinders missing. Same bore and stroke.

[@BlakesWrld]

man i dream of having that car if i ever get one i will not buy a new car for the rest of my life

[@FANADICALCOWHEAD]

It might only have 6 cylinders but damn this is a muscle car!

[@Andy94SC]

Yeah he did. He also said it was used in the Syclone and Typhoon, and it wasn't. I think the original Syclone Concept had the GN engine, but not any of the production trucks. Those were turbo, Chevrolet derived, 4.3L V6s, not the Buick 3.8L V6.

[@DaBomb31290]

GNX = Forever cool.

[@SANSOOSON]

@grandcreator11 I'm not sure what it was that caused the car to raise up like it does right before it took off, but I had the pleasure of seeing one let loose at the light one time and the way the back raises right before take off is just a fucking joy to see lol

[@lotus240s]

one of the best cars ever

[@TripleZ89]

The GNs were outperforming $100 Porsches and even Ferrari Testarossa. Oh and I must say: I loved this car WAY before this darn new Fast and Furious movie. I swear.

[@CamaroAmx]

@donwonjon420 it was rated at 276 from the factory, but made about 305hp in real life. they were very easy to jump it up to 400hp+.

[@yetilikesbeer]

I love this car.

[@G55STEYR]

Those kind of decisions created the Hot Rod culture, with aftermarket performance parts being produced at a reasonably price. Then it's your merit if you choose yo make it really fast. In Europe you have to pay more than double usually for a low CI car

[@lowerthedynamite]

Great looking, comfortable, and turbo charged! what more can you ask for. i love being the passenger in my buddies t-type! these cars are fast. i personlly own a 63 chevy II nova and love the shoebox look!!! thx for the video! :)

[@beenwronged]

Connecticut State Police used these as Chase cars back in Mid 1980's. Lucky Them!

[@IamChucky_]

Wow, I wish I had one of these cars!!

[@steeltag]

sweet video, thanks for posting....

[@boss12]

That's one helluva car

[@tonidmc]

thats a much better engine than the 1980/81 4.9 liter turbo of the Trans Ams.

[@colclumper]

the 4.3 is a 350 without 2 cylinders,same bore and stroke,i have push rods from a 350 in my 4.3

[@camarosam]

man, sweet car, for 27 grand I can have a car that could hit 60 in 4.6, insane.

[@CamaroAmx]

@FANADICALCOWHEAD the g-body reardrive monte carlo somehow squeezed into the 88 model year (probaly to use up inventory).

[@RoshiGaming]

I love these cars... too bad they're so rare.

[@CamaroAmx]

@tpen70 the grand national was only advalible in black, except for 1 year (83?) which were black and silver. the buick regal t-type (basicaly a GN in anther color) was advalible in any standard color and was advalible with t-tops.

[@mngirl111]

love this guys voice

[@urbrokenmuse]

gnx and mid 90's impalas the ultimate grandpa cars

[@bola98]

"... and it came in any color you wanted, as long as it was black..." lol

[@boss12]

I will own one of these before I die, and I will own it till I die

[@coololds85]

I just bought this rare magazine cover today

[@coololds85]

anybody who bought one of these GNX should be proud they've own one or still do. Im trying to find an 87 Grand National but there too high. Most of them cost over 30 grand

[@0verload]

umm you're forgetting another big factor in the 0-60 time and a notable difference between a GNX and a GN or TTYPE. The turbo in the GNX was different as well,it had a ceramic impeller so it spooled quicker as well. the regular GN's and ttypes don't have this

[@klroth025]

@gostillerz everything you said is true except the part about the TransAm being lighter. I always loved Pontiacs, but when you get to the TransAm, it's so loaded with extras, it gets heavy. That's why Camaros were always a little faster. Not by much, but a little. If you search the web, there is a lot of info that doesn't match up (one site to another) but I found this... both cars weighed around 3500lbs and went 0-60 between 4.75 - 5.4 secs, with 1/4mile times - mid to high 13's... who knows!

[@jordtizzle]

Available in any color you want as long as its black

[@AlexGtheDon]

@TaKeItLiKaMaN A 4.3 is basically a 5.7 minus two cylinders, in fact most of, (if not all) the front of both motors are identical. :)

[@Chemical442]

The auto transmission allows the turbo to keep vacuum throughout the shifts whereas the manual, with clutching and disengaging, would have killed vacuum and the turbo would have had to respool, or re-pressurize, all over again with each gear shift. Auto trany if the ONLY way to go for continuous turbo spool.

[@sinusbradycardia]

A few bolt ons and tuning and you can easily get 450rwhp and 580rwft/lbs and this isn't a huge amount of money either. Right around 2k. I know I did it. Aggressive Performance and that's including labor.

[@gostillerz]

Stupid question and I'm not a car guy so help me out. If the TTA shared motors with the GN, and the TA obviously can handle better and was lighter, why was the GNX faster? And if you had your choice, which would you rather have (rarity aside)?

[@redbuick]

Good point. Anyone with a brain knows the turbo 3.8 was underrated at 276 in the gnx. maybe more like 300. as soon as i hear people putting the buick v6 down for a 350 chevy i know they are shop kids whose school is run by chevy dealerships. And for the record the gnx spanked the vette, which is why it was taken out of production.

[@TOXIK660]

@coololds85 there is a place in palatine illinois called american muscle cars. i am a GN fanatic also and they have a few there. one that is heavily modded for 35 and one that is unmolested with about 50k miles for 15K

[@Sideler74]

My buddy had a 1991 GMC Syclone. It had a Turbocharged 4.3 liter V6 in it. I didn't know some of those trucks had the 3.8 liter V6 motor in them. I thought it was only a 4.3 V6? Hmmm...

[@pdennis93]

20th anniv T/A, not 25th. and the syclone and typhoon were turbo 4.3's

[@qwertyjuan]

Csaba Csare is a nummy... the Typhoon and Syclone did NOT use the same engine. They used the 4.3L V6. So much for the editor of one the most respected car magazine's in the world.

[@jimbofisherman]

I believe that 276 number was under rated by Buick.

[@CamaroAmx]

@lictor313 the ASC/Mclaren refered to is not the same mclaren that bmw uses. common misconception. different companies, simular name.

[@bootyslyr]

i think im going to cry..cause i dont have one.

[@luckybear0301]

great car

[@grandcreator11]

didnt that car have an axel in the back that allowed the car to raise up in the rear right before it pealed off?

[@theraf8100]

While you're at it you might want to add that the 3800 wasn't in GNX's or grand nationals either

[@DJM442]

@pdennis93 also all-wheel drive as well

[@SomethingFunny454]

@pinguin200 It doesn't, it has a turbo 4.3, they were just refering to turbo V6s guess.

[@mingia5]

F&F 4 Vin Desiel made me love this car!!

[@disturbedproject]

no the gnxs were faster than a an ls1 camaro and ws6 they ran very low 13s instead of the ls1's mid to low 13's. 0-60 is also faster.

[@local701]

Not true. The rwd configuration of the Buick 3.8 engine died in the GNX. The turbo T/A had the rwd Buick 3.8 block, but the fwd Buick 3.8 heads. The GMC Syclone and Typhoon had the Chevy 4.3 v6 that dated back to at least 1985. Supercharged fwd 3800 Buicks engines are just that. The displacements did not change.

[@armytaskforce11x]

my friends has a 1997 z34 monte carlo and that is 3800 supercharged so is that gnx?

[@THOMASOAKMAN]

I love these cars. I'd trade both my 73 lincoln, and 74 Montego. for one of these cars.

[@AidanTA]

@hobbes110 Howdi, do you mean the Chevy 350 or Buick 350? Handy info. to have lad, thanks for posting

[@EXTREME4YEARSTOCOME]

@AboutFormulaOne plasma and lcd werent around then

[@Low97ss]

yes

[@n2ocomet]

What transmission in these cars? 350, 400 or 700

[@markmarshall39]

are you talking about the gmc cyclone pickup?

[@Bostonharborwater]

if i could pick one 1980s american car to have from the factory,, it would go like this 1) GNX 2) 89 Turbo T/a 3 87 Silver T-type 4) a 1987 Notchback mustang,, ( sorry, i was always a stang guy) but the Gnx? if you have one now thats in nice shape,, man,, youre a lucky man

[@VF1Skullangel]

Faster than the Testarossa!.