01
How to start it
Step on the brake, press the engine start button on the console or steering column; wait for the cluster to confirm ready before shifting out of P.
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Sports1987CuratedCurated
Buick
Grand National GNX
The 1987 Buick that out-ran Ferraris of its era — a turbo V6 muscle sedan icon.
Research links
01 / Trims
Choose a trim · 2 available
Tap a trim to open its full page — specs, features, build configurator and a maintenance schedule tailored to that trim.
02 / Features
What this car offers
Safety & driver assistance
- Front airbags (driver)
- ABS (rear)
- Crumple zones
Performance hardware
- Performance brake package
- Manual throttle and clutch control
- Passive performance suspension
- Mechanical limited-slip differential
- No launch control or selectable drive modes
Cabin & technology
- Analog instrument cluster
- Sport upholstery
- Physical audio and climate controls
- Period-correct factory audio
- Mechanical key and immobilizer
- No factory smartphone mirroring or remote software updates
Safety rating
3/ 5
Value score
9.5/ 10
Performance, build, and ownership-cost composite.
03 / How to use
Owner's walkthrough
Practical guide for everything a new owner asks on day one — starting the car, finding the gear selector, drive modes, infotainment, driver aids, and easy-to-miss features.
02
Where the gear selector is (and how to use it)
Console-mounted shifter with R-N-D-S notches; paddles behind the wheel for manual gear control.
03
Drive modes
There are no selectable drive modes. Throttle response, steering effort, brake feel, and damping are mechanical rather than software-configurable.
04
Instruments
Analog gauge cluster centered on tachometer and speedometer; warning lights handle the rest. No reconfigurable digital layouts, no head-up display, no thumb-wheel menus.
05
Infotainment & voice control
Factory audio is AM/FM/cassette (CD changer on late-90s flagships). No touchscreen, no nav, no Bluetooth — connectivity features did not exist on the original car.
06
Driver assistance
Electronic driver assistance is either absent or extremely limited by modern standards. Do not expect adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, surround cameras, or stability-control intervention; leave extra space and warm the tires before driving quickly.
07
Fueling
Premium unleaded (91 or 93 octane) is required on Buick performance models — the engine timing is set for it and lower octane causes audible knock and reduced power. Fuel-cap release is a button on the driver door panel; the cap is capless (just push the nozzle in).
08
Keys
Cut metal key with immobilizer chip on most post-1993 cars. No remote-app access, no shareable digital keys, no wallet credentials.
09
First-week tips & easy-to-miss features
A few things every new owner tells us they wish they'd known on day one:
- Download the brand app (myBuick) and pair it with your VIN before your first long trip — remote climate, charging/fuel-level checks, and remote lock-status save you walking back to the garage in winter.