Rumors that the Buick Grand National and its higher-performance GNX derivative are making a modern-day comeback have been swirling for years, and now we have a little more grist for the mill. According to GM Authority, Liberty Buick GMC in North Carolina has created a waiting list for both models in response to the high amount of consumer interest the dealership has received in the yet-unconfirmed high-performance Buicks.
So does this mean the cars are, well, confirmed? According to the same report, Liberty Buick GMC owner Scott McCorkle indicates that the first cars could hit his lot late next year. Buick, of course, has no official comment.
We called out the return of both the Grand National and GNX models over a year ago, noting that they will be built on GM's rear-drive Alpha platform that was introduced with the Cadillac ATS and serves as the backbone for the current Cadillac CTS as well as the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro. We're expecting the Grand National to offer the choice of either a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V-6, while the GNX would come with a roughly 400-hp 3.6-liter V-6 huffing through twin-turbochargers. Automatic transmissions will be available top to bottom, and the turbo models will likely offer a manual as an option.
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When the original Grand National and GNX hit the scene in the 1980s, they stood out as anomalies in an otherwise bleak period for General Motors. In C/D testing, a 1987 GNX posted a 4.7-second 0-to-60-mph time on its way to demolishing the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. (In both measures, the Buick smoked the 1988 Corvette.) Fast-forward to today, and GM is flush with performance across its portfolio, setting the perfect stage for a remastered Grand National/GNX duo. Will the new-age Buick muscle live up to the hype? We'll have to wait and see, but clearly a few Buick fanboys have enough confidence to put themselves on a waiting list.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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