**Buick Muscle** an article I saw today in the papers

nogoodname

A last gasp from the muscle-car era
Regal Grand National

Bill Vance
National Post



Although Buick called it the Regal Grand National when it arrived in 1982, the car soon became known simply as the Grand National; the name that would establish its persona in the marketplace. The Regal had been introduced in 1978, the year General Motors returned to turbocharging in its Regal and LeSabre Sport Coupes.

GM had pioneered production car turbocharging in 1962 with the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire V8 and the flat-six Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder. But big V8s were the simplest route to high performance in those days of cheap fuel, so the sophistication of the turbo soon passed from the scene.

Two 1970s energy crises changed that. While smaller, more economical engines became the norm, drivers still wanted V8 power. To satisfy this, GM resurrected turbocharging in 1978 on its proven pushrod V6.

Buick introduced the Regal Grand National in February, 1982, at Daytona Beach, Fla., an appropriate venue for a car named after a stock car racing series. It was clearly meant to capitalize on the Buick Regal's NASCAR success (albeit powered by a Chevy engine).

But that first Grand National had something missing -- the performance to go with the name. It was powered by a rather tame 125-horsepower, naturally aspirated 4.1-litre V6.

In an attempt to lure younger buyers, Buick had given the Grand National an attractive two-tone paint combination of charcoal grey and silver grey, accented with red pin-striping and Grand National lettered on the fenders. It also featured a T-roof and all the usual power equipment.

But the youth market wanted more than fancy paint jobs and slick striping; they wanted power and here the Grand National fell short. While the big V6 gave performance that was adequate, it was far from muscle car strength. Only 215 1982 Grand Nationals were built and no 1983s at all. Buick realized that more muscle was needed and wisely declared a Grand National hiatus until the appropriate hormones could be found.

The wait wasn't very long. The Regal Grand National -- dressed in menacing black -- reappeared for 1984 with Buick's turbocharged 3.8L V6 pumped up to 200 hp. It now had performance to match its image. Car and Driver magazine (7/'85) reported a zero-to-96-kilometres-an-hour time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 195 km/h.

This was impressive, but Buick engineers knew there was more to be had from the old cast-iron six. They added air-to-air intercooling to lower the temperature and raise the density of the air entering the cylinders. This pumped power up to a reported 225 hp.

When Car and Driver (4/'86) tested the more muscular Grand National (now up to 235 hp), it reported an astonishing zero-to-96-km/h time of 4.9 seconds. This was faster than any production car available in North America except the Porsche 911 Turbo (zero to 96 km/h in 4.6 seconds).

Although the car was capable of more, top speed was electronically limited to 200 km/h to keep within the maximum rating of its Goodyear Eagle P215/65R15 tires.

The Grand National was so fast that Car and Driver's testers smelled a rat. They suspected the turbo 3.8 was putting out much more than its advertised 235 hp, perhaps as much as 290 hp. When questioned, Buick engineers more or less admitted the 235-hp rating was artificially low for reasons undeclared. It may have been to temper insurance rates or, perhaps, the corporation didn't want to upstage the Corvette's 230-hp V8 by too much -- or both. Whatever the reason, it was a common Detroit muscle car ruse.

The final kick from the Grand National was its evolution into the even more outrageous GNX in 1987, which was like the last bright flash of a meteor just before it burns out. The GNX was rated at 300 hp, and Car and Driver (5/'87) reported a zero-to-96-km/h time of 4.7 seconds. Top speed remained controlled at 200 km/h.

This marked the end of the GrandNational/GNX. For 1988, the Regal joined the movement to front-wheel drive, relegating the old rear-wheel-drive chassis to history. The V6 engine lived on, however.

The Grand National--built from 1982 to '87 (except '83) -- could be called an anachronism, a throwback to the muscle car era of the 1960s. It represented a kind of last gasp of the crude but still high-performance body-on-frame, rear-drive chassis left over from pre-energy-crises days. Apart from sophisticated engine management technology, the car was pretty much 1960s technology.

Although the Grand National was never made in large numbers, it revived the spirit and performance of the muscle car era.



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I've always liked this car soo much, I wanna buy it...lol
this is an example that we only need V6 engines to be happy.....too bad GM didnt give a damn after the 80's and let everything die out and turn to garbage........

shumby

i loved the grand Nationals. Every time I see one at a car show I want it. I guss i am happy with my 67 comet cyclone though

nogoodname

^^ I want one also, it's a beast of a car...lol....no airbags, no traction control, no abs, just engine with turbo !!

SnakeBitten

Love the 80's American supercars. GNX would have me bouncing off the walls. Aint gonna find one easy though...All black with the fat rears and blacked out lights....Sick brick.

nogoodname

GNX are super rare........ all GNX models came in black only...

Slidefox

I know this one guy that has a Twin Turbo GN, and it makes over 1300RWHP!!!

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nogoodname

I saw a vid on youtube and the car sounded like a jet plane....such a loud whining noise !!!!

DevilWrench

Only 547 produced. And black is beautiful.

SnakeBitten

BEAUTIFUL

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frcefed

Another fine example why BLACK is the BEST colour

nogoodname

^^ soo true, i like that car !!

it is by far the last muscle to ever rule the road