1987 Buick Grand National Specifications

The 1987 Buick Grand National was a high-performance version of the Buick Regal; it was branded with the Grand National name to enhance its connection to NASCAR Grand National stock car racing. The GNX series upped the performance features and was promoted by Buick as "the Grand National to end all Grand Nationals," which it literally was. Buick halted the GNX series to avoid it outperforming the signature Corvette produced by its General Motors sister company, Chevrolet.

Engine

The 1987 Buick Grand National GNX was powered by a 3.8-liter, turbocharged V6 engine that measured 231 cubic inches. The fuel-injected motor created 275 horsepower and 488 Nm of torque at 3,000 revolutions per minute. The longitudinally mounted engine had a cast-iron block and head and had 3.8 inches of bore and 3.4 inches of stroke while creating a compression ratio of 8 to 1.

The chassis of the 1987 Buick Grand National GNX was 200.6 inches long and 75.55 inches wide. It measured 54.6 inches from the ground to the roof. Its curb weight, including gasoline and necessary fluids, was 3,472.3 pounds. It had a wheelbase of 200.6 inches with a front track of 59.4 inches and a rear track of 59.3 inches. The fuel tank had a capacity of 18.1 gallons and the unitary steel-based chassis had a drag coefficient of 0.410. The car was only offered in a black color from the factory.

The rear-drive 1987 Buick Grand National GNX was the last in the series to have rear-wheel drive. It had a four-speed Turbo Hydramatic 200 automatic suspension with three gears and a top gear ratio of 0.67 and a final drive ratio of 3.42. The power-assisted steering was controlled by a circulating ball system. The front suspension featured double wishbones, coil springs and an anti-roll bar along with ventilated disc brakes, while the rear suspension had a live axle, coil springs, torque arms and drum brakes. The car came standard with 215/85 R 15 front tires and 215/85 R 15 rear tires.

The powerful engine of the 1987 Buick Grand National GNX allowed it to have impressive performance and speed for a muscle car. It had 12.6 pounds in curb weight for every horsepower created. It was able to achieve a top speed 124 miles per hour and go from a standing start to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds.