FASTER THAN A FERRARI: WHY DID THE BUICK GNX FAIL?

What today is a model that goes unnoticed very easily, at the end of the 80s was the greatest exponent of American muscle, being even faster than a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. The Grand National ended its short life with a very exclusive model and so radical that it put both its national and international competitors to shame.
The Buick GNX was a sports car produced jointly by Buick and McLaren to celebrate one of the brand's most successful cars of the 1980s. But unlike Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge, this company is not exactly known for making sporty models. American muscle fans are well aware of the rivalry between these American brands in the sports sector, but Buick is not usually talked about. And in fact, back in the early 80s, this firm focused on making cars for another type of audience. People already well into adulthood who were looking for a big car, with a luxurious interior and a good dose of chrome. How they managed to build a sports car capable of surpassing models such as the Countach is quite interesting.

[@AJ67901]

Not a failure at all. They went out with a bang!

[@aaronsnowden6311]

Love those cars. They, in my opinion, were the best looking Buicks ever made.

[@richv7749]

This video brings back some fond memories. My father owned a 1987 GN. Thanks!

[@kenik2023]

They got squashed by BigDaddyGM... They didn't fail, they understood the assignment...too well.

[@richardcheeseman6330]

Not the first time....They made Pontiac chill out cause they were putting the flagships of Camaro and Corvette to shame. The Firebird got castrated before production.

[@greghinthorn4356]

False statement

[@twoshady518]

GM killed off quite a few car decisions because they would be faster than the Corvette. Imagine if they didn't...

[@greghinthorn4356]

False

[@kallsop2]

It was changed to Winston Cup because Winston via RJ Reynolds Tobacco became the primary sponsor of the NASCAR premier series. The other reason the Buick Regal with the turbocharged V6 was created was because Buick started building "stock block turbo V6" for the CART series to run at the Indianapolis 500. It was part of the homologation rules for the CART series that to qualify for use in the series it had to have so many engines installed in production cars. The car was never a failure, it was a limited production vehicle to meet the requirements for CART. This is just like the limited production of the winged Dodge Daytonas and Plymouth Superbird. It's also the reason that there were Boss 429 Mustangs and 426 Hemi Chargers and Barracuda's.

[@chandleredwards]

Government Motors is a perfect example of how not to run a company.

[@benkeating3053]

General motors killed it because it caused a stir against Corvette

[@user-ie1hg5ov1m]

I'd say the RWD G Body platform went out swinging

[@Olds_Pwr]

I believe there was a G Body and a G Platform, it not both.

[@marvinheemeyer6660]

The guy that lived in back of my trailer park says he had one. He said his had at least 800 horsepower and could beat anything on the road except an indecent exposure charge. He said he raced a fight jet and won. H I remember he used to wear cut-off blue jean shorts with a stained wife beater shirt tucked in over his bear belly with high top white tennis shoes. He got voted number 1 for the prettiest mullet in the trailer park. Looked just like Joe dirts one it did I tell ya! He ain't stuck around long because the po-leece come looking for him one day saying he been touching lil boys at the baseball field in a "not right way". Da po-leece even said he had roommate for him already. Some guy they called "Bubba da-but scrubber". I said "dats a weird last name!" But I heard that his Buick GNX went on to be used to make world peace because it was so dog gone beautiful...

[@joellamoureux7914]

I want someone to make a GPX. A blacked out GRAND PRIX with the gnx power plant. I love the buick, but the gp I'd marry.

[@halliwaxbasementbuilds]

A legend and the car that started it all

[@chrisbeauvais7499]

Yup I have heard 300 plus hp for those beautiful GN

[@oteliogarcia1562]

they're still winning in the quartermile and selling at a premium

[@stevezilla68]

And a year later, GM killed Pontiac's Fiero.

[@hothatchpa]

Not factual in multiple ways but some good information mixed in.

[@joeknowz4898]

lol..GM failed The GNX... no way you can say this about a 2024 model GM anything in 40 more years. 2 doors and 300 HP...not everyone needs four doors or an SUV in the 80's ...These models go across the auction blocks very rarely... if its low miles and unmolested ..it well sell for well over 200 k price..They failed because the stopped production of rear drive platform models and to make Corvette execs happy..I could never fit in a Corvette but I can fit me and 3 other people and their luggage in this car. Pontiac had the same set up in a limited Firebird version.. not as popular as the Regal but just as fast...

[@jamesruiz4005]

Limited production numbers ?

[@user-zy5vg9pe3e]

This guy doesn't know Sh-t it was a big hit going for 50 to 60 grand in late 87. We have 7 of them registered in our midwest chapter some are worth over 200k.

[@lawrenceoliver9813]

It did not fail at all. 87 was the last year of that platform which includes the Buick Regal/ Grand Natinoal /GNX the Chevy Montecarlo/SS the Oldsmobile Cutlass/442/Hurst Edition and the Pontiac Grand Prix/2+2. 87 was the only year they made the GNX it was always meant to be a limited numbers car! Go online and look what one will cost you today and come back and tell me its a failure.

[@Olds_Pwr]

I believe there was the Cutlass and Monte Carlo that was titled as 88 models. The Buick and Pontiac was 87.

[@Smokr]

Because they fell apart. They were so badly built that they often came back for major repairs within a year and by ten years old almost all of them are junked out trash.

[@peterwolf2832]

Really Sir? I’d like to know what your proof is regarding your statement? I’ll wait?

[@williamhenderson1161]

Not a failure. At. All.

[@lancemannion4113]

It wasn't so much the car was a failure, as these are obviously very collectible. It was just such an anomaly and an outside of the box idea for Buick, and the regular GN was a quick car in its day, but with a much cheaper and arguably better built Mustang LX, it was a drivers race. Both were low 14 second cars but the Mustang actually could corner and took to mods extremely well. The G body was loonng in the tooth and the last hurrah gnx was a 21 gun salute to see it off. Collectors knew it'd be valuable but the only real ace up its sleeve was being +/- 1 second quicker for a lot more money. Very antiquated design and the build quality left a lot to get desired. Quick, nice looking cars to be sure. But overhyped for what it actually delivered

[@greghinthorn4356]

Lol What a bunch of mis information Look this is how it went down GM was moving from rwd to fwd platforms to be shared across divisions It didn't happen overnight it took years of engineering and everybody in every make knew it was coming Nothing nefarious at all here folks just evolution

[@bryonfaust5243]

So exactly how is this a failure?