1987 Buick Regal

1987 Buick Regal Grand National — Numbers-Matching WE2 Package, Freshly Rebuilt LC2 Turbo V6

The 1987 Buick Regal Grand National holds a specific and well-documented place in American automotive history. It was the last year of production for the Grand National, and it arrived at exactly the right moment. By 1987, Buick's engineers had refined the turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 to a point where it could embarrass purpose-built sports cars from Ferrari and Porsche in straight-line acceleration — a fact that was widely reported at the time and has never been forgotten by people who follow performance cars seriously.

What made the Grand National concept unusual from the start was its origin. Buick introduced the nameplate in 1982 as a way to capitalize on its NASCAR sponsorship, but the car that emerged by 1984 and reached full development by 1986 and 1987 was something entirely different from a marketing exercise. It was a rear-wheel-drive, turbocharged, intercooled American muscle car wearing a full blackout suit and absolutely no chrome. Every piece of exterior trim that would normally have been brightwork — door handles, lock cylinders, grille, impact bars — was finished in black. The RPO 19U Lamp Black paint was the only color available. There was no option for anything else. That deliberate, monochromatic aggression was baked into the package at the factory level.

The WE2 Grand National package, which this car carries in numbers-matching configuration, was the specific option group that turned a standard Regal into a Grand National. It bundled together the LC2 turbocharged engine, the FE3 sport suspension, the blackout exterior treatment, the GN-specific front fascia and hood scoop, and the dedicated interior with Grand National badging throughout. This is not a tribute car or a clone.

The 1987 model year was the final year for the G-body Regal platform, and Buick ended production of the Grand National at the close of that run. Approximately 20,193 Grand Nationals were built for 1987, making it the largest single-year production of the model — but demand has consistently exceeded supply in the collector market for decades. A numbers-matching example with a freshly rebuilt engine and solid undercarriage represents a very specific tier of survivor within that group.

Key details
Transmission: TH200-4R 4-speed automatic
VIN / chassis: 1G4GJ1176HP438923

Offered by Skyway Classics, 14805 Venture Dr, Farmers Branch, TX 75234. Taxes, title and fees not included.

Photos courtesy of Skyway Classics.