1987 Buick GNX For Sale With Just 30 Miles Is Practically Brand New

Throughout Buick‘s storied history, few cars stand out quite so well as the GNX. With a mere 547 examples made for the 1987 model year, it comes as no surprise that these turbocharged muscle cars — yes, even though it doesn’t have a V8 — command big money on the secondhand market. In fact, an example is currently up for grabs on Bring A Trailer, with the highest bid sitting at an eye-watering $275,000.

For the same price as a Bentley Flying Spur, this GNX is commanding an immense amount of money from eager bidders. But why? A 5,000-mile example sold for around $180,000 earlier this month, so what’s the deal here?

Well, the odometer reading of just 30 miles is certainly one reason, with this particular GNX essentially being a 39-year-old brand-new car. Number 450 out of 547, it has covered barely enough mileage to run in a modern car, let alone accumulate any meaningful wear.

As with every other GNX produced, it sports black paint over a two-tone black and Sand Grey interior, complemented by 16-inch cross-lace wheels finished in black with polished lips. Sinister and mysterious, the GNX may be packing two fewer cylinders than many of its contemporary rivals, but the turbocharger more than makes up for the deficit.

According to Buick, the 3.8-litre V6 produces 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, although the GNX has long been thought to produce considerably more. Period dyno testing put output around 300 hp and 420 lb-ft, and its performance certainly backed those figures up, with the GNX dispatching 60 mph in less than five seconds.

And it wasn’t simply a more powerful Grand National, either. Buick worked with ASC/McLaren to turn the already potent coupe into something more serious, with changes to the turbocharger, intercooler, exhaust, and suspension. While it retains front suspension components from the standard Grand National, upgrades at the rear include a Panhard rod, torque arm, and additional frame crossmember. Braking is handled by power-assisted front discs and rear drums.

Interestingly, Buick initially intended to build just 500 examples. The eventual 547-car production run came after an additional 47 cars were allocated to qualifying dealers, explaining the oddly specific production figure.

Inside, the front bucket seats and rear bench are upholstered in black and Sand Gray cloth, with “Turbo 6” embroidery adorning the front-seat headrests. Amenities include a power-adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, and a delightful, period-correct Delco cassette stereo, replete with a graphic equaliser.

The new owner will also receive memorabilia relating to the vehicle, along with copies of the window sticker and manufacturer’s literature. Of course, none of that quite explains a $275,000 bid on its own.

There are only 547 GNXs, but there are far fewer that have survived nearly four decades with just 30 miles on the clock. For a collector looking for a factory-fresh GNX, it doesn’t get better than this.