Photo: Bring a Trailer/autoevolution
Can you imagine GM executives sitting in their board room discussing what it would look like if Darth Vader got to drive a Buick? I think those types of conversations actually took place, because when Buick unveiled the limited production GNX in 1987, the Star Wars movie franchise was at the height of its popularity.
You had Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), so the trilogy was already complete when Buick began masterminding what would become one of the most iconic 2-door coupes of its era.
GNX stands for Grand National Experimental, and only 547 units were ever produced, all of them in collaboration with McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC. To clarify, these vehicles left the production line as regular Grand Nationals, before being sent off to McLaren where they would be upgraded into GNXs.
The goal was to create a “Grand National to end all Grand Nationals,” and they succeeded.
In terms of performance, it is thought that Buick told a little white lie about the GNX’s output, which was rated at 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, when in reality it was more like 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. In a straight line, the GNX could get from zero to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, while running a quarter mile in just 12.7 seconds. In other words, it was faster than some genuine supercars from that era, like the Ferrari F40 or the Porsche 930.
Now, the one you’re looking at here is a super low mileage example, up for grabs to the highest bidder with just 766 miles on its turbocharged 3.8-liter V6, which by the way features a Garrett T3 turbocharger, a larger air-to-air intercooler, and a low-restriction exhaust system - with power being sent to the rear wheels via a Turbo-Hydramatic 200-4R four-speed automatic gearbox.
This is car #284 of 547, and it’s got all the proper GNX bits, like the black paintjob, fender vents, flared wheel arches, the three-piece rear spoiler, additional badging, dual exhaust outlets, plus the 16-inch cross-lace wheels with GNX-branded center caps and General G-MAX RS tires (non-factory). We should also mention the upgraded suspension components, such as the Panhard rod, torque arm, and the additional frame cross member.
As for the interior, that’s where you’ll find Black and Sand Gray cloth upholstery on the front bucket seats and rear bench, Turbo 6 embroidery on the headrests, a power-adjustable driver seat, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel fronting the GNX-specific Stewart-Warner instrumentation, and an AM/FM cassette stereo. You also get a special dashboard plaque that identifies this car as GNX #284.
With just one day left to go in the auction, the highest bid sits at $190,000, which is supercar money by today’s standards.
GNX stands for Grand National Experimental, and only 547 units were ever produced, all of them in collaboration with McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC. To clarify, these vehicles left the production line as regular Grand Nationals, before being sent off to McLaren where they would be upgraded into GNXs.
The goal was to create a “Grand National to end all Grand Nationals,” and they succeeded.
In terms of performance, it is thought that Buick told a little white lie about the GNX’s output, which was rated at 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, when in reality it was more like 300 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. In a straight line, the GNX could get from zero to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds, while running a quarter mile in just 12.7 seconds. In other words, it was faster than some genuine supercars from that era, like the Ferrari F40 or the Porsche 930.
Now, the one you’re looking at here is a super low mileage example, up for grabs to the highest bidder with just 766 miles on its turbocharged 3.8-liter V6, which by the way features a Garrett T3 turbocharger, a larger air-to-air intercooler, and a low-restriction exhaust system - with power being sent to the rear wheels via a Turbo-Hydramatic 200-4R four-speed automatic gearbox.
This is car #284 of 547, and it’s got all the proper GNX bits, like the black paintjob, fender vents, flared wheel arches, the three-piece rear spoiler, additional badging, dual exhaust outlets, plus the 16-inch cross-lace wheels with GNX-branded center caps and General G-MAX RS tires (non-factory). We should also mention the upgraded suspension components, such as the Panhard rod, torque arm, and the additional frame cross member.
As for the interior, that’s where you’ll find Black and Sand Gray cloth upholstery on the front bucket seats and rear bench, Turbo 6 embroidery on the headrests, a power-adjustable driver seat, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel fronting the GNX-specific Stewart-Warner instrumentation, and an AM/FM cassette stereo. You also get a special dashboard plaque that identifies this car as GNX #284.
With just one day left to go in the auction, the highest bid sits at $190,000, which is supercar money by today’s standards.
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