This 1987 Buick Grand National Restomod Rendering Makes Us Long For A GNX Revival

HotCars renderer Timothy Adry Emmanuel has created a restomod 1987 Buick Grand National, with the same Darth Vader vibes of the 1987 GNX.

The Buick Grand National is one of the most famous G-Body cars ever built, with the most famous generation the second one from 1978 to 1987. It is the latter year that saw the most fame, with the exceptional Buick GNX elevating it to new heights. In honor of that beast, HotCars digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel has crafted this exceptional rendering of the 1987 Grand National, resto-modding the Buick so it is ready for 2023.

Emmanuel has kept the classic lines of the Buick but added a few subtle additions such as a new exhaust at the back, lowered suspension, and a massive turbo feeding air into an intake manifold poking out of the hood. It is still recognizable as a 1987 Grand National, however, with just a few tweaks to refresh the design.

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Manufacturer

General Motors

Production Years

1978-1987

Configuration

Turbocharged V6

Displacement

3.8-Liter

Power

300 hp

Torque

420 lb-ft

Fuel

Gas

Notable Applications

1978–1987 Buick Regal Sport Coupe, 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo 20th Anniversary Edition

The 1987 model year was the last of the second generation, and Buick wanted to make it a special one hence the introduction of the GNX, or Grand National Experimental. The model cost $29,900 at the time which roughly equates to $77,018 in today's money. It was the product of a collaboration between Buick and McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC.

The partnership would yield 547 examples, with those 547 first receiving the new interior trim package before they were then sent to McLaren for upgrading into the Buick GNX.

Buick would rate the power output of the GNX at 276 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque, which in 1987 were substantial numbers. But this would prove to be Buick being conservative with its numbers, with the actual power output of 300 hp and torque levels even higher at 420 lb-ft.

To attain this increase in power, a special Garrett AiResearch T3 turbocharger was then added to the GNX, with a ceramic impeller blowing through a more efficient and larger intercooler with a special ceramic-aluminum coated pipe connecting it to the engine.

A special torque arm was on a GNX-only rear differential cover, to help increase the traction of the Buick. This clearly paid off, because the 1/4 mile performance of the GNX was incredible, with it able to pull in a pass time of 12.7 seconds at 113.1 mph.

Remarkably, this would prove to be faster than both the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 930 by 0.3 and 0.8 seconds respectively. The GNX would also earn the nickname of “Darth Vader’s Car” thanks to its stealthy black appearance and release at the height of the Star Wars movies. It was no surprise then that Car and Driver introduced the GNX with the headline “Lord Vader, your car is ready.”

RELATED: Why A 1987 Buick Grand National GNX Is The Ultimate Sleeper Car

Emmanuel has captured the Darth Vader vibes of the original Grand National perfectly, retaining an all-black and stealthy appearance for the Buick except for the chrome beltline and wheel design. The biggest changes evident are at the front of the Buick, with a huge intake manifold sticking out of the hood, giving away that this Grand National has a much larger powertrain. That is further evident by the broken-up bumper, revealing a huge turbocharger poking out.

The changes at the front continue, with refreshed and modern headlights replacing the 1980s originals, and some big aerodynamic upgrades. A split front lip is on either side of the turbo, helping to channel airflow around the front of the car and in particular its new, larger front tires.

The front grille showcases a Buick emblem, and that angle really gives us a good look at the turbo sticking out from the bottom of the Buick. With the hood removed, the massive powertrain is visible, and Emmanuel has done an outstanding job replicating the power unit.

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A few subtle chrome elements add a little extra to the Buick, most notably across the belt line of the Grand National. Adding a bit of brightness to the stealthy black design, it compliments the black exceptionally well.

The biggest chrome element though is that new wheel design, featuring a five-spoke star design which when in motion creates almost a bowl effect for the wheels. The wheels are also complimented with red pin striping across the edges, which also works well with the black of the Buick’s tires.

Emmanuel hasn’t let the back of the Grand National go without attention, however, with a new and radical exhaust setup added to the Buick. Gone is the old, traditional exhaust design, and in its place has come a large, central exhaust below the license plate that looks more like the outlet for a jet engine than a 1980s Buick.

Completing the rear-end styling are the new taillights, in a similar vein to the modern lights at the front of the Buick, to refresh the tailgate and give the Buick a more modern appearance.

The original rear lip spoiler is still there though, with no drastic changes compared to the original 1987 Grand National. What is evident though is that Emmanuel has lowered the Buick, creating a more slammed appearance for the 1980s classic typical of a drag racer.

Regarding the drag racing credentials of the Grand National, the car is part of the GM G Platform, used from 1969 to 1988 in a couple of generations. The platform has become popular for those who love drag racing their cars, and Grand Nationals in a modified state appeared at drag racing events across the United States.

RELATED: 10 Reasons Why Gearheads Should Consider Buying A Buick Regal Grand National

​​​​​​​Emmanuel has kept the original design of the Grand National perfectly while adding plenty of modern refinements. The new light designs should provide better overall lighting than the 1980s originals while the general aesthetic of the Grand National is as it was in 1987.

But the huge turbo shows us that this is not your standard Grand National, and it is likely that it is a step above the 1987 GNX as well. It is tricky sometimes to keep a lot of the original car when creating a restomod, but that has proved an easy task for Emmanuel in this spectacular rendering.

Covering anything from JDM cars to classic jets. Contributed to HotCars since the Autumn of 2018.