After the Golden Age of American muscle cars came to an end in 1974, it seemed that the torqued-out era of street-shredding raw power and minimal restrictions was fading into memory. Transitioning into the 1980s, the big three automakers were increasingly frustrated by the severe environmental regulations reducing their once lucrative high-performance powerhouses into shadows of their former revved-up glory. Finding a middle ground to break the mold while still retaining the power and exhilaration consumers wanted is exactly what automakers like General Motors had in mind for the new decade.
Challenging the status quo, GM knew the time was right to make a bold statement, deciding to shock the masses by focusing on the Buick, of all models, to break from its luxury-first tradition to take on the muscle car market. But to achieve this lofty goal necessitated something brash and ultra-wicked; a turbocharged menace that defied expectations and outgunned the potent V8 power of its competition with a rough housing V6 that copped a serious attitude. Rewriting the history of the American muscle car era, the Buick Grand National not only proved that sophistication and street domination weren’t mutually exclusive, it also had the full throttle fury that appealed to Dominic Toretto’s ride or die style in the film Fast & Furious two decades later.
From NASCAR Triumph to Street King
The early 1980s were a game-changer for Buick, with the Buick Regal clinching the NASCAR Manufacturers’ Championship two years in a row; legendary racers Richard Petty winning the Daytona 500 in 1981 and Darrell Waltrip taking first in Talladega at the Winston Grand National Series in 1982. These back-to-back victories marked a high point for Buick in stock car racing, cementing its reputation as a serious contender in American motorsports.
Buick leveraged its NASCAR Grand National championship success to create a special-edition Regal model — the commemorative 1982 Buick Grand National, which was more of a visual package than a performance benchmark. But just two years later, things got serious with the 1984 Buick Grand National, which packed a 3.8L turbocharged V6 engine beneath the hood that cranked out 200 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. By 1986, Buick added an intercooler to the Grand National powertrain, lifting output to 235 horsepower. A year later, the Grand National was rocking 245 horsepower. With its sleek all-black exterior, it was now a stealthy and ruthless performer. Buick had itself a genuine muscle car.
By 1987, however, Buick was preparing to retire its rear-wheel-drive G-body Regal to move onto newer, more fuel-efficient platforms. But before the Grand National accelerated into the sunset, the automaker encouraged its design engineers to dream up a truly radical sendoff. Partnering with ASC/McLaren, Buick had begun developing a top-secret variant of the Grand National that could blow the doors off of the competition.
The result was the 1987 Grand National GNX.
The GNX: Furious By Design
Short for “Grand National Experimental,” the GNX wasn’t simply another Buick Grand National. It was a complete re-engineering of the platform. The turbocharged 3.8L V6 was upgraded with a ceramic-impeller Garrett turbocharger, freer-breathing cylinder heads, a high-efficiency intercooler, and reworked turbine seals. Achieving 276 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque, and paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, the 1987 Buick Grand National GNX boasted a jaw-dropping 0 to 60 MPH speed of under 5 seconds. Retaining the sinister black-on-black aesthetic of the standard Grand National, the GNX also featured wider 16-inch tires, flared fenders, and functional fender vents to further enhance its now-iconic status in muscle car lore.
A Muscle Car Becomes a Movie Star
When it came to pulling off the thrilling Dominican Republic fuel tanker heist in the opening scene of 2009’s Fast & Furious, the fourth installment in the $7 billion The Fast and the Furious franchise, the 1987 Buick Grand National was Dom Toretto’s choice for leading his team. A common misconception is that the GNX is what Toretto drives throughout the adrenaline-charged sequence, which is not accurate. In reality, eight 1987 Buick Grand Nationals were heavily modified for the film, each a hybrid combining elements of the Grand National and GNX with additional modifications for performing extreme stunts. The suspension was lowered and reinforced, a custom fuel cell, CNC slide brakes, and Wilwood calipers were installed, and a full roll cage was integrated into the chassis with a prop passenger seat mounted onto it for stunt accessibility.
One of the sequence’s most harrowing stunts involved the modified Grand National speeding in reverse next to a fast-moving fuel tanker. Achieving this practical effect required massive re-engineering modifications to put everything in the front into the back and vice-versa. The engine had its turbo system removed to fit in the trunk, the rear differential moved to the front, and the throttle and brake systems were installed behind actor Vin Diesel’s seat so the car was able to be operated by a stunt driver hidden in the back seat. The steering wheel was located where the rear seat back would normally be. The illusion was a forward-moving vehicle that looked like it was going at a ridiculous rate of speed in reverse.
Only two of the eight modified Grand National models created for Fast & Furious still exist, one of which sold at auction through Barrett-Jackson for $60,500 in January 2022.
The Legacy of a Turbocharged Icon
A total of 20,740 Buick Grand National models were built in 1987, with only 547 of the GNX configuration produced. Limited to just one model year before Buick decided to back out of the performance-oriented car market, the GNX is a truly rare breed that remains today one of the most prized and sought-after vintage cars ever produced. The appearance of the 1987 Buick Grand National in Fast & Furious breathed new life into the car’s legacy, introducing it to a whole new generation of high-performance enthusiasts. The outlaw of the illustrious Buick brand, the Grand National is and will always remain a testament to the timeless allure of American muscle.