But Buick proved conventional wisdom wrong regarding V8 engines. Unfortunately, only 547 GNX units were manufactured. There was no way any of the GNX's competitors could compete with this beast of a car. Despite this, many industry experts put the output at 300hp and a smashing 420 ft-lb torque. The official rating of the GNX was 276hp and 360 ft-lb torque. Some gauge pods are too tight to use the bracket, in which case a small dab of RTV sealant can be used to retain the unit. use the included bracket installed from the reverse side to retain it. Like the Grand National, the GNX came with a V6 engine. Installation: It installs like any gauge in a 2-1/16' guage holder or pod. The plan was to construct the quickest ever GM production sedan. With help from AS/McLaren, Buick started to build GNXs to avoid halting production and worked hard to make the cars not just faster but better than its predecessor, the Grand National. They were succeeded by brand new GM10 front-drive vehicles for 1988.īut thanks to then-chief engineer Dave Sharpe, advanced concepts manager Mike Doble, and project engineer Chuck Jensen, the GNX was starting to become a reality. RELATED: This Is How Much A Classic 1962 Buick Special Is Worth TodayĮd Mertz became Buick general manager in 1986, and a year later GM's rear-wheel-drive mid-sizers ceased production in 1987. Though 1987 was a successful year for the Grand National, it also turned out to be the last time that such an iconic model would continue to be manufactured by Buick. It is no wonder that the Grand National has become a rare find among car geeks as only 30,022 units were produced during the car's short lifespan. In fact, in 1987 a total of 20,193 Grand Nationals were produced, representing a significant leap from the year before where 5,512 vehicles were manufactured by Buick. In 1986, an improved engine made 235hp and 330 ft-lb torque which went up to 245hp and 335 ft-lb in 1987. Hackworth authorized a cool but controversial commercial showing a Grand National rumbling menacingly through a city at night to Buick's version of the George Thorogood and the Destroyers song, 'Bad to the Bone.' The car company constructed just 2,000 copies of its 1984 Grand National and 2,1.Īlso in 1984, all Grand Nationals featured a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that now made 200hp and 300 ft-lb, with a computer-controlled fuel-injection and distributor-less ignition.įuture modifications made the Grand Nationals the fastest vehicles around. After all, this was a time when Star Wars was big. Many options were considered, but the decision to make all models black gave them a sinister Darth Vader look. Following the exit of Lloyd Reuss as Buick general manager in 1984, his replacement Don Hackworth decided to provide the Grand National with a new color.