MotorWeek reviews a 1980s American classic.
Some might argue American muscle cars were dead in the 1980s. Those people likely don’t know much about cars, or at least American models, so we’ll excuse them for their ignorance. Case in point: when Buick was able to finagle a sleeper factory car, ultimately leading to the Buick GNX. Sitting at the pinnacle of the brand’s performance accomplishments, this model will forever go down in American car lore. The review below from MotorWeek back in 1987 gives us a good taste for what the automotive press thought of the GNX when it was brand new.
There’s nothing really phenomenal about this review, but that in of itself is remarkable. MotorWeek obviously wasn’t too enthralled with the Buick, otherwise it would’ve spent more time on it. Instead, it’s like they felt obligated to make a review for the show, then ticked off all the “right” boxes to say it was done. MotorWeek did much more engaging and more thorough reviews back then, so it’s obvious this wasn’t up to snuff.
Finding a complete and factory-spec Buick GNX these days is tough, especially if you don’t have a large fortune to spend. It just goes to show how beloved these factory sleeper cars are.
Many have been crying for Buick to make another GNX, but let’s face the fact it wouldn’t be the same. Too much has changed in the car world, plus it would probably be styled to look like every other sedan on the market these days. That would qualify the car as a sleeper, but it would also be disappointing for the fans. Plus, look at what happened to the short-lived Chevrolet SS Sedan, a car which constantly was confused for the Impala or other pedestrian models.
It’s probably just better to remember the Buick GNX as it was instead of bringing the badge back for something else, especially if that something would be a “hot” crossover.
