During the 70's and 80's, Buick produced some of the best and fastest muscle cars, which are now some of the most sought after by car collectors. The Buick muscle cars of the 70's and 80's were some of the fastest vehicles of their times.
The success of the Pontiac GTO was the incentive for Buick to build it's own high performance car during the 60's. The GTO, Chevy's Chevelle, and the Gran Sport, all shared the same underpinnings. GM was still creating their own engines during this time. The larger 400 cubic inch engine that Buick put in their Wildcat gave you more bang for the buck than the Pontiac's 389 cubic inch engine. Because the Buick's model was meant for mature customers, the GTO was still a faster vehicle. Buick engineers have always been quick to clean up disparities, and so they did with the Gran Sport in 1970, to make it a dominate vehicle. At the time the GSX 455 Stage I was tested, it was the fastest vehicle, according to Motor Trend Magazine. This car was known for its speed, and also for the creative paint schemes available which made it an object of a lot of attention both on and off the race track.
The Buick Grand National introduced in the 1980's was a repeat. The onset of the manufacturing of front wheel drive cars left the mid-sized muscle car market virtually empty. The change came in the form of a V6 Turbo engine being transformed into an all black Regal. The car became known as one of the most feared cars of the 1980's. Buick made the GNX option available during the last year this vehicle was produced. Through many modifications, this version produced one of the most powerful and fastest cars of it's time. Some Chevy Engineers were surely upset that the car was faster than the Corvette. Even though it wasn't a blockbuster success as far as sales were concerned, it did enhance Buick's image and brought potential buyers into the showrooms.
In more ways than one, these cars were the bellwether for the muscle car movement. These speedy, mid-sized cars really stood out from the crowd. Owning and driving one of these powerful beasts must have been thrilling.
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