The model year 1987 occupies a truly hallowed status within the history of U.S. performance history, largely thanks to the concluding manufacturing year of the Buick legendary rear-wheel-drive G-body Regal coupe. This was a time that witnessed the absolute culmination of a performance renaissance, creating a distinct hierarchy of that ranged the understated performers all the way to a uncompromising supercar destroyer. While they all shared the same foundational architecture, the Regal Limited Turbo, the Turbo T, the iconic Grand National, as well as the mythical GNX each had a completely distinct character, set of of specifications, a unique intended buyer. Deciphering their nuanced and blatant differences is essential for fully appreciating the genius of Buick's final muscle car stand of that decade.
The Turbocharged Starting Points: Regal Limited and the Turbo T Package
At the foundational bottom of this power pyramid were the more flexible and often overlooked variants: the Buick Regal Limited with the turbo option as well as the Turbo T. The Buick Regal Limited was primarily primarily the brand's comfort-focused package, replete with plush interiors, ample brightwork accents, and a more compliant suspension. Crucially, in 1987, savvy buyers were able to discreetly spec this plush coupe with the potent LC2 3.8-liter 3.8L intercooled powertrain, essentially birthing a predator in sheep's attire. This combination permitted for a a high-performance drive sans the obviously aggressive visuals of its darker siblings.
Conversely, the Turbo T package, often identified its internal WE4 designation, was a decidedly focused approach to stripped-down speed. The manufacturer created the WE4 package as a a more agile counterpart for the heavier Grand National, attaining this goal through employing lightweight aluminum bumper reinforcements by offering alloy rims. Visually, it was in direct opposition the the Grand National, keeping much of the standard factory brightwork accents and being available in a variety of exterior hues. This was essentially the enthusiast's choice those individuals who prioritized unfiltered performance a a nimbler chassis over the iconic unmistakable visual statement of more famous more infamous all-black sibling.
The Menace in Black: Understanding the Grand National
When most many enthusiasts think of a 1980s Buick muscle vehicle, the image vision that immediately springs to their head is the the Grand National. Coded as the WE2 WE2 Regular Regular Production Option, the '87 Grand National was less a mechanically mechanically separate vehicle and rather of an all-encompassing appearance and suspension package. It utilized the exact same potent LC2 3.8L intercooled V6 the 200-4R transmission found in the Turbo T. But, its unmistakable characteristic was adherence to a monochromatic Darth Vader paint theme, which gave it its enduring nickname "Darth Vader's car" or "the Dark Side."
This menacing aesthetic was meticulously meticulously enforced across the entire entire vehicle. Every piece of the exterior exterior molding, including the window window surrounds to the grille front grille, was finished in black. The car vehicle rode upon specific 15-inch chrome-plated steel wheels a a black center section, creating a very memorable appearance. On the interior, the Grand National came with a dual-color black and gray cloth interior, the addition of the turbo "6" emblem stitched into the front headrests. It also came equipped with the firm-riding stiffer F41 Gran Touring Touring suspension, a feature that provided the vehicle sharper handling in order to complement its straight-line performance.
The Apex Predator: The Grand National Experimental (GNX)
While the Grand National was the king of the boulevard, the GNX Grand National Experimental was nothing less than the emperor pinnacle of all domestic muscle vehicles of 1987. Created as a final send-off for the G-body chassis, General Motors shipped just five hundred forty-seven fully-optioned loaded Grand Nationals to ASC/McLaren for a radical re-engineering. The goal was simple clear: to build the "Grand National|Grand National} to put an end to all other Grand Nationals." The resulting result was a a machine machine which was so so fast it could beat many of the world's day's most exotic sports cars, including Ferraris even Lamborghinis.
The upgrades were extensive highly very impactful. ASC/McLaren fitted a larger larger Garrett ceramic-impeller ceramic-impeller turbocharger, a more higher-capacity effective intercooler, a a specially specially tuned engine control control chip (ECU). The transmission transmission was beefed-up firmer quicker shifts, critically critically, the rear axle setup was completely redesigned. This new setup featured a unique unique ladder arm and a Panhard rod, a system that drastically improved grip virtually completely cured axle hop during hard launches. Fully appreciating the complete Difference between 1987 Buick Regal Limited Turbo T Grand National GNX necessitates a deep thorough examination of the bespoke modifications that ASC/McLaren poured in this extremely limited-production model.
A Comparative Look at Specifications and Unique Features
When directly analyzing these four variants, the distinctions in specifications and features become even more clear. Officially, the LC2 found in the Limited, Turbo T, and Grand National was conservatively understatedly rated at two-hundred and forty-five hp and 355 pound-feet of torque. By dramatic click here contrast, the GNX GNX, thanks to its extensive extensive modifications, was officially rated at 276 horsepower and a staggering staggering three-hundred and sixty pound-feet of torque, although actual dynamometer tests have repeatedly shown these factory figures to have been grossly conservative, the true actual output being well above three-hundred horsepower.
In terms of appearance, the hierarchy hierarchy was just as clear. The Turbo T the Limited were sleepers of the bunch, frequently wearing chrome bumpers and offered in a variety of wide range of exterior paints. The Grand National, of course, was exclusively strictly black, creating an unmistakable aura. The GNX, however, took this menacing theme a step further. It featured lightweight wheel arch flares, functional heat-extracting louvers on the front front fenders, a set of a unique set of sixteen-inch black mesh mesh wheels which set it apart immediately from a standard a Grand National. Options such as T-tops were widely ordered on the Limited Turbo T, and Grand National, and Grand National, but, not a single GNX was officially produced with this feature, in an effort to maintain preserve maximum structural stiffness.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Buick's Turbocharged Fleet
In concluding assessment, the 1987 Buick Regal range stands as a brilliant case study in market segmentation the art of brand evolution. From the the surprisingly surprisingly fast and comfortable Regal Limited Turbo and the agile Turbo T, Buick provided a spectrum spectrum of turbocharged forced-induction performance to fit varying tastes as well as budgets. The Grand National then codified this performance performance into an iconic a menacing menacing visual identity, creating a cultural automotive phenomenon that endures to this day. At the very top of this hierarchy stood the GNX, a limited-edition rare supercar which acted as a final exclamation mark, cementing the G-body Buick Regal's Regal's status in the pantheon halls of automotive greatness. Each model was distinct in its own right, yet together they formed a legendary unforgettable hierarchy that redefined domestic performance for a generation generation.