The model year 1987 holds a sacred status in the history of U.S. muscle car lore, largely due to the concluding production year of Buick's legendary rear-wheel-drive G-body Regal. It was a year that saw the absolute culmination of a surprising turbocharged revival, creating a clear hierarchy of that ranged the subtle performers all the way to an uncompromising supercar slayer. Although they all were based upon the same foundational chassis, the Buick Regal Limited Turbo, the Turbo T, the Grand National, and the GNX each possessed a completely distinct personality, set of performance metrics, and target buyer. Deciphering the nuanced sometimes not-so-subtle distinctions is key for truly appreciating the brilliance of Buick's final last muscle car hurrah of the decade.
The Turbocharged Starting Points: Regal Limited and the Turbo T Package
On the base of this performance pyramid sat the more versatile often frequently overlooked models: the Buick Regal Limited with the turbo engine and the purposeful Turbo T-Type. The Buick Regal Limited was primarily primarily the comfort-focused trim, replete with cushy seating, ample chrome accents, a a softer ride. Crucially, for 1987, savvy customers were able to discreetly spec this luxurious plush coupe the addition of the potent potent LC2 V6 intercooled engine, essentially birthing a true wolf in luxury clothing. This combination permitted for a a stealthy high-performance drive without the overtly menacing visuals of its more famous blacked-out stablemates.
Conversely, the Turbo T package, often identified by internal WE4 RPO code, was a more purpose-built philosophy for stripped-down speed. Buick created the WE4 T as a lighter alternative for the heavier Grand National, attaining this goal through utilizing lightweight aluminum bumper supports by offering aluminum rims. Aesthetically, it stood in direct opposition to the Grand National, keeping most of the factory chrome accents it was being available in a wide spectrum of exterior colors. This variant was the enthusiast's choice those those that prioritized raw acceleration a a slightly more responsive feel over the iconic unmistakable visual presence of more famous more famous monochromatic sibling.
The Menace in Black: Understanding the Grand National
When most most enthusiasts think of a 1980s '80s Buick muscle vehicle, the image vision which immediately springs to their head is undoubtedly the the menacing Grand National. Designated with the WE2 WE2 Regular Regular Production Production Option, the Grand National was fundamentally not so much of a mechanically distinct vehicle and rather of an iconic appearance and trim package. It shared the exact same powerful LC2 turbocharged V6 engine the 200-4R automatic transmission found in the Turbo T. However, its defining characteristic was its its single-color all-black exterior theme, which gave the car its enduring monikers "Darth Vader's car" and "the Dark Side."
This sinister aesthetic was meticulously meticulously enforced across the entire whole vehicle. Every piece of the the exterior body trim, from the window window surrounds to the grille grille, was finished finished in black. The car car sat upon unique 15-inch steel chrome rims a a contrasting black inset, lending a very memorable appearance. On the interior, the Grand Grand National came with a specific two-tone black and gray fabric interior, the addition of the turbo "6" emblem embroidered into the front front seat headrests. It also was standard the the stiffer F41 Gran Gran Touring suspension package, a feature that gave it sharper road manners to match its accelerative prowess.
The Apex Predator: The Grand National Experimental (GNX)
If the Grand National was considered the king king of the street, the Grand National Experimental was nothing less than the pinnacle of all all American muscle cars in 1987. Created as a a fitting final send-off to the Regal chassis, General Motors shipped only five hundred forty-seven fully-optioned optioned Grand Nationals to ASC/McLaren Performance Technologies for a radical re-engineering. The goal objective was simple clear: to create the "Grand "Grand National|Grand National} to end all Grand Nationals." The resulting outcome was a machine vehicle that was so so fast it could could beat most of the world's era's most expensive supercars, including Ferraris even Lamborghinis.
The upgrades were comprehensive and highly effective. The engineers installed a larger Garrett ceramic-impeller ceramic-impeller turbo, a higher-capacity effective intercooler, a a custom tuned engine management chip (ECU). The 200-4R was also beefed-up for firmer shifts, critically most importantly, the rear axle setup was completely re-engineered. It included a unique torque bar a a Panhard rod, a system that drastically increased traction and completely eliminated axle hop during brutal launches. Truly appreciating the full Difference between 1987 Buick Regal Limited Turbo T Grand National GNX requires a thorough examination of the bespoke engineering that ASC/McLaren poured into this extremely rare vehicle.
A Comparative Look at Specifications and Unique Features
When analyzing these four variants, the differences differences in performance figures and options become all the more more clear. From the factory, the LC2 LC2 in the Regal Regal Limited, Turbo T, and Grand National was understatedly rated at 245 hp with three-hundred and fifty-five pound-feet of torque. By stark comparison, the GNX GNX, thanks to its extensive significant upgrades, was officially rated at two-hundred and seventy-six hp and a whopping three-hundred and sixty lb-ft of torque, although real-world dyno readings have since repeatedly proven these factory numbers to have been wildly underestimated, with true power being well above here three-hundred horsepower.
In terms of appearance, the hierarchy progression was equally defined. The Turbo Turbo T and Limited were the chameleons of the group, frequently sporting bright bumpers being offered a a variety of full palette of exterior paints. The Grand National, of course, was exclusively black, creating an intimidating presence. The GNX, in turn, elevated this menacing theme a step further. It featured lightweight fender flares, working heat-extracting louvers in the front front fenders, and a unique style of 16-inch sixteen-inch black cross-lace rims which distinguished it apart immediately even from even a Grand National. Features like removable roof panels were widely ordered for the Limited Turbo T, Turbo National, but models, but, not a single GNX was officially produced the T-top this option, in order to maintain preserve maximum structural rigidity.
Summary: A Legendary Hierarchy of Power
In the concluding assessment, the 1987 Buick Regal lineup stands as a masterful masterful case study of product tiering the art of performance development. From the surprisingly unexpectedly quick and comfortable Regal Limited Turbo to the lightweight agile Turbo T, the brand offered a spectrum range of turbocharged power to suit fit different preferences as well as budgets. The Grand National subsequently solidified this performance power into an iconic unforgettable and intimidating visual package, birthing a cultural cultural phenomenon that persists even this very day. Crowning this all was the mighty GNX, a limited-edition rare masterpiece which acted as a final exclamation mark, solidifying the G-body Buick Regal's platform's status in the halls of automotive performance legends. Each model model was special in its own way, but collectively they created a legendary legendary lineup which defined American muscle for a new era.