FAST FRIDAY Part VI: GNX- The Grand National to end all Grand Nationals

Buick executives had known that 1987 would be the final year of the Grand National and as we said before, decided to send it off in grand style with an uninterupted production run of 20, 193 WE2 Equipped Grand Nationals and an additional 6,362 Turbo Coupes, which seemed like more than a fitting tribute to Darth Buick.

But as you are probably aware, the Grand National story was far from over. The decision has been made within Buick to offer a specially modified ultra-GN in extremely limited numbers to give their old friend a really outstanding send off in a whirlwind of publicity.

The car would be called GNX in homage to the 1970 GSX, and a very small run of 500 cars was envisioned. At those numbers, a regular production line was impossible, so they turned to their friends as ASC/McLaren, fresh from their run of building Riviera convertibles, to handle the task.

GNX 443 on our showroom floor

While the internal engine was unchanged, a number of mechanical modifications were made. The stock turbocharger was replaced with a special Garrett turbo that featured ceramic bearings and was designed to run at 15 psi of boost. A special intercooler was also fitted and plumbed with ceramic/aluminum coated pipes to keep the charged air cool and dense. Functional louvers were fitted to the fenders to carry heat away from the engine bay. The transmission was beefed up, reprogrammed and fitted with a unique torque converter and a special transmission cooler. A unique ECM chip was developed for the GNX only and a special dual exhaust system was utilized. These changes allowed Buick to advertise 274 hp and 360 ft/lbs of torque, although the actual numbers were much closer to 300 and 400. As any GN fan knows, Buick tended to be very conservative in announcing the Grand National's power, and GNX was no exception.

Pete Reynolds with GNX 443

The chassis was highly modified as well. The rear suspension was a five link design that featured a longitudinal torque ladder bar with a panhard rod to handle all the torque. In addition, there was a ladder reinforcement fitted to the frame, an additional brace behind the rear seat and special performance P245/50VR16 Goodyear Eagle Razorbacks in front and P255/50VR16's in the rear on unique black snowflake 16 inch wheels with GNX centers. The wheel width was one inch wider in the rear. 

Spence Lyon with GNX 443

The exterior features wheel flares to accommodate the special wheels and tires, the cooling vents in the front fenders and special GNX emblems replacing the Grand National badges.  Inside looked like a stock Grand National except for a special dash cluster with Stewart Warner gauges and an individually numbered dash plaque that ranged from 1 to 547, representing the slightly updated production total. 

GNX 443 comes outside to play

The car shown here was our own GNX, number 443, which arrived in July of 1987 and stayed around, owned first by Pete Reynolds and then our Sales Manager Spence Lyon, until it finally went to a new home in 2004.

GNX 443 under the Reynolds sign

Tony Assenza from Car and Driver Magazine road tested the car in April of 1987 and wrote of it, "In a world of sleek shapes and refined manners, the GNX is an ax-wielding barbarian laying waste to everything in its path.”  We can think of no finer tribute.  

Monday Memories: GNX 443- Pete's GNX

GNX 443 on the showroom floor, 2004

It's an unusual story in the automobile business, instead of the "one that got away" it's the one that came to the party and stayed. Buick Motor Division made the decision to end production of its highly successful Regal Grand National at the end of the 1987 model year. To go out with style, Buick teamed up with ASC to build a run of 500 ultra high performance Grand Nationals, to be called the GNX. It featured a special turbocharger, modified suspension, special wheels and tires, scoops and fender flares, special instrumentation and other special touches. 500 were planned but in total 547 were produced, at a list price about $12,000 higher than a regular Grand National- $29,290. "A Grand National to end all Grand Nationals," said the ad copy.

To say the cars were eagerly anticipated was the understatement of a lifetime. Speculators and enthusiasts alike scrambled to buy them and this created a dilemma for Pete Reynolds. Lots of dealers were cashing in and asking $10,000 above list price, but Pete always had a soft spot for a fast Buick, so when he received notification that Reynolds was getting one, he decided to keep the car himself.

GNX 443 arrived at Reynolds in July of 1987 and was assigned stock number 694. On the tag is handwritten "Pete's GNX." The car was kept covered in the back and seldom driven. After a couple of years, when all of the hoopla had died down, Sales Manager Spence Lyon bought GNX 443 for his own Buick collection, however the car remained on site, brand new and covered. It made appearances in the showroom for Anniversaries and special occasions, and was sometimes seen at Thunderfest in Covina. Otherwise it lived quietly under its specially fitted car cover.

Finally in 2004, after seventeen years at Reynolds and with 180 miles on the odometer, Spence made the decision to finally part with the car. He advertised it and quickly located a buyer who promised to keep the car in immaculate, low mileage condition. GNX 443 was placed once again on the showroom floor awaiting pickup.

And then one afternoon a giant transport truck appeared, and the black Buick rolled out of the showroom for the final time. It paused for pictures with Pete Reynolds and Spence Lyon, posed with the Reynolds overhead sign, and then rolled up to a giant transporter for its cross country journey. The entire dealership waved good bye to our old friend of nearly twenty years.

GNX 443 now resides in a large collection of GNX and other high performance cars on the East Coast. It presently has approximately 900 miles and is kept in climate controlled storage. It still looks like new, however, if anyone encounters the new owner, tell him Spence commented that it's getting too many miles, and ask him take it easy on "Pete's GNX."

Pete Reynolds and GNX 443

Sales Manager Spence Lyon (retired) and GNX 443

GNX 443 rolls out of the showroom for the final time.

GNX 443 pauses by the Reynolds Buick sign.

Tail end of GNX 443

GNX 443 is off to a new life with a GNX Collector

Original 1987 Stock Number noting "Pete's GNX" still in place, 2004.

Fast Friday: Passing the torch to a new GS

Interesting bit of news this week comes to us from the Car and Driver Blog. They note that the 2012 Buick Regal GS, previewed at the Los Angeles Auto Show, was a bit understated whhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifen it comes to power. Says C/D:

"At the 2010 Los Angeles auto show, Buick introduced us to the 2012 Regal GS, the upcoming four-door that will be the highest-performance version of the Opel-cum-Buick. We weren’t thrilled that the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine made just 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque; for a car Buick is promoting as a sport sedan, it’s not impressive to be outgunned in horsepower by the higher-output versions of the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima. That won’t be the case any longer, at least, as official SAE testing now rates the Buick’s engine at 270 hp. (Torque remains at an ample 295 lb-ft. That should be plenty for the Ghttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifS’s front wheels to handle."

270 hp is indeed good news and harkens us back to the last Turbocharged Regal with horsepower in that range- the 1987 GNX. Billed as the "Grand National to end all Grand Nationals", the limited production GNX was rated at 276 hp from its specially prepared 3.8 litre Turbo V6.



Here's a video recapture of the GNX, also from Car and Driver:




Of course we all know Buick tended to underrate power back then, but still its awesome to have Buick back in the game and besides, who says they're still not understating?

The 2012 Regal GS with its standard six speed manual transmission is due in the fall.