Car of the Week: 1987 Buick Grand National

Sometimes the fastest car on the street isn't painted bright red or covered in racing stripes.

Sometimes it's black.

The 1987 Buick Grand National proved that lesson better than almost any American car ever built.

During the 1980s, performance enthusiasts were still recovering from the horsepower drought brought on by emissions regulations and rising fuel prices. The muscle cars of the late 1960s had faded away, and many believed their glory days were gone forever.

Then Buick surprised everyone.

Instead of relying on a massive V8 engine, the Grand National used a turbocharger attached to a 3.8-liter V6. At a time when many people assumed six-cylinder engines were only meant for economy cars, Buick engineers created something extraordinary.

The result was 245 horsepower and a staggering 355 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers may not seem earth-shattering today, but in 1987 they made the Grand National one of the quickest production cars in America.

In fact, it was quicker than many Corvettes, Camaros, and Mustangs of its day.

What made the Grand National even more intimidating was its appearance. Every 1987 model came dressed in black with matching black grill, trim and bumpers. Aside from subtle badging, there was little to announce what lurked beneath the hood. It looked more like a company car than a performance icon.

That was exactly the point.

The Grand National quickly earned a reputation as the ultimate "sleeper"—a car that appeared ordinary but could surprise nearly anyone who lined up beside it at a stoplight.

For buyers wanting the absolute best, Buick introduced an even rarer version called the GNX. Produced in limited numbers with additional performance upgrades, the GNX became an instant legend and remains one of the most valuable American performance cars of the 1980s.

Inside, the Grand National offered comfortable bucket seats, a driver-focused dashboard, and just enough luxury to remind buyers that this was still a Buick. Unlike stripped-down muscle cars of previous decades, the Grand National combined speed with everyday comfort, making it just as capable on a long highway trip as it was at the local drag strip.

Its turbocharged V6 also introduced many enthusiasts to forced induction long before turbocharging became common across the automotive industry. Today, nearly every major manufacturer relies on turbocharged engines, but Buick was proving their potential nearly 40 years ago.

Clean Grand Nationals have become highly sought after by collectors, especially low-mileage, original examples. Their combination of rarity, performance, and unmistakable styling has made them one of the hottest American collector cars from the 1980s.

More importantly, the Grand National changed the conversation about performance.

It proved that horsepower isn't everything.

Innovation, engineering, and a well-designed turbocharger could outperform engines with far more cylinders.

Nearly four decades later, the all-black Buick still commands attention wherever it goes.

Because while some legends announce their arrival...

The Grand National simply lets the turbo do the talking.■