The year 1987 holds a hallowed status within the history of American muscle car history, primarily due to the final manufacturing run of Buick's legendary rear-wheel-drive G-body Regal. It was a year which witnessed the absolute pinnacle of a surprising performance revival, establishing a distinct pecking order of which spanned from understated sleepers all the way to an all-out asphalt slayer. While they all shared the same foundational architecture, the Buick Regal Limited, the Turbo T, the iconic Grand National, as well as the GNX each possessed a completely unique character, set of of specifications, and intended audience. Deciphering the nuanced sometimes not-so-subtle distinctions is essential to fully grasping the brilliance of Buick's final last muscle car stand of the decade.
The Foundation of Force: The Regal Limited and Turbo T
At the foundational base of this performance ladder were the more surprisingly flexible and frequently overlooked variants: the Buick Regal Limited equipped with the turbocharged option as well as the purposeful Turbo T-Type. The Regal Limited was primarily traditionally the brand's luxury-oriented package, featuring cushy interiors, generous chrome trim, and a compliant ride. Crucially, in 1987, savvy customers could quietly option this plush coupe with the powerful LC2 3.8-liter V6 intercooled powertrain, effectively creating a true wolf in sheep's clothing. This permitted for a a stealthy high-performance drive without the overtly menacing styling of its darker siblings.
On the other hand, the Turbo T, sometimes identified by internal WE4 RPO code, was a decidedly focused approach to lightweight speed. Buick designed the WE4 package as a a lighter counterpart for the Grand National, achieving this by utilizing aluminum bumper reinforcements and alloy wheels. Visually, this model stood in stark stark contrast the the Grand National, keeping much of the standard factory chrome accents and being offered in a spectrum of exterior hues. This was essentially the enthusiast's enthusiast's selection those those who valued raw acceleration and a slightly more responsive feel over the iconic style presence of its better-known famous all-black counterpart.
The Menace in Black: Understanding the Grand National
When most most enthusiasts envision a 1980s Buick muscle vehicle, the image image that immediately springs to their head is the the menacing Grand National. Coded as the WE2 WE2 Regular Production Option, the '87 Grand National was fundamentally less of a mechanically separate vehicle and more of an iconic appearance and trim upgrade. It utilized the exact identical same powerful LC2 3.8L turbocharged V6 and 200-4R automatic transmission found in the Turbo T. However, its unmistakable trait was its adherence to a monochromatic Darth Vader exterior scheme, which gave it its famous nickname "Darth Vader's car" or "the Dark Side."
This sinister menacing aesthetic was meticulously enforced across the entire vehicle. Every piece of the body molding, including the door frames and the front grille, was finished blacked-out. The car vehicle sat on unique 15-inch chrome-plated chrome wheels with a black center section, lending a truly truly memorable appearance. On the interior, the Grand Grand National came with a specific two-tone black and gray cloth interior, with the turbo six logo embroidered on the front seat headrests. The model also was standard the the firmer F41 Gran Gran Touring suspension package, which gave the vehicle sharper road manners to match its accelerative prowess.
The Ultimate Expression: Enter the GNX
If the Grand National was the king of the street, the GNX was nothing less than the emperor of all American American muscle vehicles of 1987. Created as a final send-off for the G-body chassis, General Motors shipped just 547 fully loaded Grand Nationals the facilities of ASC/McLaren a a radical transformation. The objective was clear: to create the "Grand "Grand National|Grand National} that would put an end to all other Grand Nationals." The outcome was a a vehicle which was incredibly fast it could could out-accelerate many of the day's most expensive supercars, such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
The extensive modifications were comprehensive and very effective. The engineers fitted a larger Garrett ceramic-impeller turbo, a higher-capacity efficient intercooler, and a custom tuned engine control control unit (ECU). The transmission 200-4R was also beefed-up for firmer gear changes, and critically, the entire rear suspension was completely redesigned. It featured a longitudinal torque arm and a transverse Panhard rod, which dramatically increased grip virtually virtually cured wheel hop during brutal acceleration. Truly understanding the complete complete Difference between 1987 Buick Regal Limited Turbo T Grand National GNX requires a deep deep dive into the engineering that ASC/McLaren invested into this very rare model.
A Comparative Look at Specifications and Unique Features
When directly comparing these four distinct variants, the website differences differences in specifications available features are made all the more more clear. From the factory, the LC2 in the Regal Regal Limited, Turbo T, and Grand National was conservatively rated at 245 hp and three-hundred and fifty-five pound-feet of torque. By stark contrast, the GNX, thanks to its significant modifications, was officially rated at 276 horsepower and a whopping three-hundred and sixty lb-ft of torque, though real-world dyno tests have repeatedly proven these factory figures to be wildly underestimated, with actual output being well above 300 horsepower.
Visually, the hierarchy progression was just as defined. The Turbo T and Limited were the sleepers of the group, often sporting bright accents being available a a variety of wide palette of exterior colors. The Grand National, of course, was exclusively exclusively black, creating an unmistakable aura. The GNX, however, elevated this dark persona a step further. It featured lightweight wheel arch flares, functional heat-extracting vents in the front front fenders, a set of a unique style of sixteen-inch black cross-lace rims which set it apart immediately even from even a Grand National. Options such as T-tops were widely ordered on the Limited Turbo T, Turbo National, but models, however, no GNX was ever ever produced the T-top this option, in order to maintain preserve maximum structural stiffness.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Buick's Turbocharged Fleet
In concluding assessment, the 1987 Buick Regal lineup represents a masterful masterful case study of market segmentation the art of performance development. From the the surprisingly quick and luxurious Regal Limited and the lightweight Turbo T-Type, Buick offered a spectrum spectrum of turbocharged power to suit fit different preferences and priorities. The Grand Grand National subsequently codified this power into an iconic a menacing intimidating visual package, creating a cultural automotive phenomenon which persists even this day. Crowning it all stood the GNX, a limited-edition rare supercar that acted as a a definitive exclamation point, solidifying the Buick Regal's Regal's status in the pantheon pantheon of automotive performance legends. Each model model was special in its own right, yet together they formed a legendary hierarchy which redefined American performance for a a generation generation.