By the 1980s, it is a fact that the classic American muscle car was in grave danger of extinction. Various laws and regulations were stifling engine performance, while stricter safety standards and the desire for more luxury appointments conspired to drive up weights. Against this backdrop, Buick answered these challenges by producing the 1987 GNX. Here was a car that offered all of the luxuries that a discerning buyer could want, crammed into a package that provided muscle car performance. The company produced 547 examples of the GNX, and today, these are a highly-prized classic. This one has come onto the market with a mere 3,400 miles showing on its odometer, and it would suit someone searching for a classic in as-new condition. It is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and has been listed for sale here on Bring A Trailer. Bidding currently sits at $72,000, and there’s still plenty of time to go on this auction. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Larry D for referring the GNX to us.

The styling of cars from the 1980s tends to be quite polarizing. Some enthusiasts like the “square-rigger” look, while others don’t. However, it is hard to argue that whether or not you like the squarer styling of the GNX, it appears to be a “symphony of evil” in its original Black paint. If Darth Vader had still been around in 1987, there’s a fair chance that he would’ve been at home behind the wheel of a GNX. Buick’s decision to leave the GNX devoid of all chrome or bright trim, add wheel arch flares and equip the vehicle with alloy wheels with black mesh centers resulted in a car that couldn’t help but attract attention. It offers an appearance with no room for compromise, and it tells anybody who looks at it that the GNX is a car that packs a punch. This one presents well, with no apparent issues or problems. The paint shines beautifully, while the panels are laser straight. The wheels are free from stains, and there is no evidence of deterioration with any of the exterior plastic. The only question mark that is raised with this GNX comes in the form of the included CarFax. This indicates that the Buick suffered minor accident damage to the left-hand-side in 2017, but this appears to have been repaired. It would take a personal inspection to establish the repair’s quality, but the detailed photos look promising.

I hesitate to use the word perfect when describing the Buick’s interior, but it isn’t far off. There is some minor wear on the driver’s seat’s outer edge and some slight scuffing on the carpet, but the rest of the interior is spotless. The grey and black cloth upholstery on the seats is free from dirty marks and stains, while all of the vinyl and plastic looks flawless. The dash and pad show no evidence of problems, while the dash plaque confirms this GNX as #161 of 547 cars produced. The original brace of Stewart Warner gauges looks crisp and clear, and their purposeful appearance is in keeping with the performance potential of this car. I previously mentioned the ever-increasing desire of buyers to have a luxury feel in their performance cars, and this GNX demonstrates this trend perfectly. As well as air conditioning, it is equipped with power windows, power locks, a 6-way power driver’s seat, a power trunk release, left and right remote mirrors, a leather-wrapped tilt wheel, cruise, and a premium AM/FM radio and cassette player. That list is a long way removed from the options that you would typically find in a muscle car of the 1960s or early 1970s. Back then, few buyers specified anything beyond an AM radio. However, buyer tastes had changed by the 1980s, buyers were more demanding, and manufacturers had to deliver if they wanted those vital sales. All of this equipment drove the vehicle’s weight upwards, but Buick had the answer to this.

After a steady diet of fire-breathing V8 engines in muscle cars, Buick’s approach with the Grand National and the GNX was nothing short of revolutionary. Turbocharging was nothing new to the automotive world, and these types of engines had come to dominate many categories of motorsport. However, American manufacturers had largely steered clear of the forced-induction route, with only a handful of models featuring the technology before 1987. Buick warmly embraced the “hairdryer,” and the result was an engine that was a giant-killer. It started life as a humble 3.8-liter V6, and in normally-aspirated specs, it was happy to pump out 110hp. That sort of figure was never going to make the 3,552lb GNX a muscle car, so changes had to be made. The approach was a holistic one, rather than simply bolting on a turbo and hoping for the best. The V6 received cylinder head improvements, a better exhaust, a Garrett AiResearch T3 turbocharger with a ceramic impeller, a large intercooler, and improvements in the engine management system. The result of all of this hard graft was an engine that produced an “official” 276hp. As is so often the case with these types of motors, the reality was somewhat different. Various sources claim that the actual figure was well north of 300hp, and the performance figures would seem to support this theory. Point a GNX at the ¼-mile and the journey was all over in 13.4 seconds. This is merely the tip of the iceberg because several contemporary motoring journalists managed to break the 13-second barrier during their tests. The best figure recorded by one of these individuals was 12.7 seconds, which isn’t hanging around in anyone’s book! All of that power has to go somewhere, and in this case, it is fed to a limited-slip rear end via a 200-R4 automatic transmission. It appears that the GNX is in sound mechanical health and has a genuine 3,400 miles on the clock. It comes with a collection of original documentation and is ready to be driven and enjoyed by a lucky new owner.

The Buick Grand National and the GNX proved that the muscle car era was far from dead. All it needed was for manufacturers to alter their approach, and buyers had the chance to revel in cars with power to burn. The GNX has rightly become a cult classic, and it isn’t unusual to see pristine examples command six-figure sale prices. I’m not sure if this one will achieve that sort of price, but with several days left on the listing, it is possible. This is an auction that could be well worth watching.