In 1981, Darrell Waltrip drove a Buick Regal to the NASCAR championship. To rejoice the accomplishment, the auto manufacturer brought the primary Regal Grand National in February 1982 at the Daytona 500.
Initially, the Grand National changed into only a visible improve package deal that became Buick`s Regal from a luxurious sedan related to commercial enterprise executives and senior residents right into a overall performance automobile aimed toward a miles more youthful crowd. It got here with an array of "sporty" features, like a "two-tone Charcoal Gray and Silver Gray Firemist over a grey interior, and manufacturing facility facilities encompass T-tops, electricity windows, cruise control, and air conditioning," in keeping with Bring a Trailer. While it regarded extra like a muscle automobile from the outside, it had a lackluster 4.1-liter V6 kicking out an underwhelming one hundred twenty five hp.
Only 215 of the unique had been made, making it the rarest Grand National version made all through its 5-12 months manufacturing window. Interestingly, no Grand Nationals had been made in 1983, notwithstanding Waltrip repeating as champ in '82, and whilst it got here roaring returned in '84, it changed into a completely extraordinary beast.
Then completely "gloss black," it changed into prepared with a 3.eight-liter faster strapped engine that cranked out 2 hundred hp and three hundred lb.-ft. of torque. By comparison, Chevy's same-12 months Corvette produced out most effective 5 extra horses and changed into a trifling 0.08 seconds faster.
This Regal sedan packed a few severe muscle
Still, Buick most effective constructed 2,000 of the 1984 version and 2,102 for the 1985. At general of 5,512 had been made in 1986, a 12 months that noticed the Grand National include a few upgrades. It should pass from 0 to sixty in 4.eight seconds and crossed the quarter=mile in 13.7 seconds, making it faster than Chevy's Corvette through one 2d, in keeping with Buick.
Seeing the fashion closer to to front-wheel power cars, Buick determined to cease the GN's run whilst it changed into on top, however now no longer earlier than doing some thing a touch extraordinary. It constructed 20,740 1987 GNs, took 547 of those, and made them right into a constrained manufacturing version called the GNX.
The GNX had a unique engine tuned through Indy race automobile builder ASC McLaren. This revved-up model changed into a 3.eight-liter V6 faster intercooled engine that produced 276 hp. In May 1987, Car and Driver reportedly "recorded a 4.7-2d 0-to-60-mph run and a 13.5-2d quarter-mile at 102 mph." The GNX additionally got here with a unique "hinged torque arm" withinside the rear that saved the wheels at the floor through making use of extra than a ton of downward force.
According to Hagerty, a Concours circumstance '87 Buick Regal Grand National is worth $91,600, up 18.7% during the last 12 months, whilst one in amazing form is worth $68,2 hundred, a hefty 29.9% boom from the preceding 12 months. Classic.com pronounced one promoting as currently as January 14, 2023, for $110,000. The version 12 months, circumstance and mileage will swing the fee considerably.