Buick Grand National and GNX Returning In 2015?

You had better buy some new tires, because if Car And Driver is correct and Buick will bring back the Grand National and GNX muscle cars, you’re going to need extra sets of rubber.

The magazine has predicted that both the Grand National and GNX will return to the Buick lineup in 2015, paying homage to two of the most famous sleeper performance cars of all time. For anyone who likes big horsepower, rear-wheel drive and manual transmission – Hint: All of you. – this is great news.

Back in 1984, the Buick Grand National blew the doors of the competition as the turbocharged version of the Regal with attitude. Buick followed that up with the GNX, a limited run of even more intense cars that only came in sinister black and still has a massive following to this day.

Buick has undergone a revival in recent years, with the Regal GS garnering praise from around the industry as a luxurious and dynamic performer with great value. Already with a good product out there, raising the bar with a Grand National and GNX version could be the next step in re-establishing a reputation for Buicks as exciting vehicles.

According to Car And Driver, the 2015 Grand National will likely have either the 2.0L turbo four with 272 horsepower, or the 3.6L V6 with 321 hp in the Cadillac ATS. As for the GNX, expect upwards of 400 horsepower from a twin-turbo 3.6L V6. Manual transmissions will be available, rightly so, and an eight-sped auto will be offered as well.

Some of the biggest questions are about design, body style and drivetrain. The original Grand National and GNX were coupes, but Buick isn’t making coupes anymore. It will be interesting to see whether Buick eschews tradition or stays true to the original two-doors. It may also prove difficult to bring enough attitude to the design of the cars to make them as sinister as the originals. With fuel economy in mind, GM may also order AWD to be available in addition to RWD. This, Car And Driver says, would match the GNX up against performance models in the Audi range – a massive step forward for Buick.

We’ll have to wait quite a while for any details to come out. Until then, let the rumor mill begin!

Source: automedia.com