Buick regal gnx

References

Games

Need for Speed: Undercover

Development — Some content may have altered during development.

The Regal GNX appears in the game files of the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 releases of Need for Speed: Undercover.

Despite the files referencing a Buick GNX, there is no mesh resembling the car present in the game.

Need for Speed: Payback

The GNX appears in Need for Speed: Payback following its reveal during a developer interview on June 14, 2017.

It is unlocked for purchase from the drift, drag, and race class dealerships upon completing chapter 1 — Ignition.

It is also offered as one of three race class starter cars.

Need for Speed: Heat

The GNX appears in Need for Speed: Heat following its brief appearance in the official reveal trailer, which was released on August 14, 2019, and appears in the NFS: Heat Studio app as part of container 2, which was released on August 27, 2019.

See AlsoEdit

Развитие

После двух лет перерыва модель Grand National была вновь введена в диапазон автопроизводителя «Бьюик». Бензиновый двигатель серии 3.8L V6 Turbo стал стандартным оборудованием. Он выдавал мощность 200 л. с., крутящий момент достигал 300 Нм.

В 1986 году «Гранд Нэшнл» обзавелись более мощным турбодвигателем, развивающим 235 л. с. при 4400 об./мин. Улучшение характеристик было достигнуто за счет добавления промежуточного охладителя (воздухообменника) для турбонагнетателя. Силовой агрегат обеспечивал крутящий момент 330 Нм при 2800 об./мин.

В связи с окончанием производства семейства маслкаров компания «Бьюик» решила выпустить наиболее продвинутую коллекционную модификацию Buick Grand National GNX в 1987 году. Автомобиль был создан в сотрудничестве с McLaren и получил механический промежуточный охладитель, турбоэластичный увеличенный корпус выхлопной системы и более продвинутое программное обеспечение. Изменения коснулись и внешнего вида: были расширены крылья над колесами, добавлен небольшой спойлер, переработан салон.

NOTES ON SOURCES

Our sources on the Buick Turbo V6 come from Rich George’s website BEFORE BLACK (n.d., www.beforeblack. net/, accessed 20 July 2009); Terry Dunham and Lawrence R. Gustin, Buick: A Complete History (Automobile Quarterly Magnificent Marques Book), Second Edition (New Albany, IN: Automobile Quarterly Publications, 1987); Jim Dunne and Jan P. Norbye, Buick 1946-1978: The Classic Postwar Years, Second Edition (Osceola, WI: MBI, Inc./Motorbooks International, 1993); Michael Lamm, “’78 Cars,” Popular Mechanics Vol. 148, No. 4 (October 1977), pp. 100-102, 170-173; Robert Lund, “Driving Buick’s turbocharged V6,” Popular Mechanics Vol. 148, No. 3 (September 1977), pp. 40–44; Don Sherman, “Buick Regal Sport Coupe,” Car and Driver Vol. 23, No. 3 (September 1977), pp. 64-70; Jean Lindamood, “Buick Turbo Regal: When Lloyd Reuss Returned, so did performance,” Car and Driver Vol. 27, No. 8 (February 1982), p. 83; Larry Griffin, “Buick Regal T-Type: Boost mastery approacheth,” Car and Driver Vol. 29, No. 6 (December 1983), p. 69; “Turbochargers give little engines a lift,” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Vol. 34, No. 3 (March 1980), p. 24; and Joseph White and Paul Ingrassia, Comeback: The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry (New York: Simon & Schuster: 1995).

Information on the Grand National and GNX came from “The Grand National and GNX Story” (n.d., Buick Street, www.buickstreet. com/ buickstories.html, accessed 21 July 2009); “humbler,” “1982, 1984-1987 Grandnational history” (25 May 2007, Motortopia forums, www.motortopia. com/ forums/viewtopic /tid/3472/i/1982_1984_1987_grandnational_history/tp/1#post_11054, accessed 21 July 2009); Tony Asenza, “Buick GNX: Death of a Barbarian,” Car and Driver Vol. 32, No. 11 (May 1987), pp. 135-137); David E. Davis, “Modern Muscle” Car and Driver Vol. 31, No. 1 (July 1985), pp. 38-43; Wes Gueninger, “The Power of the Dark Side,” Motive Magazine 2007, www.motivemag. com, accessed 21 July 2009); William G. Holder, Bill Holder, and Phillip Kunz, Buick Muscle Cars (Muscle Car Color History) (Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1996); and Gary Smith, “Early History of the Buick Grand National and Performance Design” (10 March 2009, Dean’s Garage, deansgarage. com/ 2009/ early-history-of-the-buick-grand-national/, accessed 29 August 2009). Some details also came from the Turbo Regal Website (www.gnttype. org/ resources.html, accessed 21 July 2009).

Information on Buick’s 1980s NASCAR career came from “Buicks in NASCAR 1981-1983” (n.d., home.flash. net/~rjgeorge/nascar.htm, accessed 21 July 2009); the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide, “1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap” (02 August 2007, HowStuffWorks.com, auto.howstuffworks. com/ auto-racing/ nascar/ season-recaps/1980s/ 1981-nascar.htm, accessed 21 July 2009), “1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap” (2 August 2007, HowStuffWorks.com, auto.howstuffworks. com/ auto-racing/nascar/ season-recaps/1980s/ 1982-nascar.htm, accessed 21 July 2009), and “1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap” (2 August 2007, HowStuffWorks.com, auto.howstuffworks. com/ auto-racing/nascar/ season-recaps/1980s/ 1983-nascar.htm, accessed 21 July 2009); and “List of NASCAR Manufacturers’ championships” on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NASCAR_Manufacturers%27_champions, accessed 21 July 2009).

Some info on Fast & Furious came from John Pearley Huffman, “Fast & Furious Cars: 1987 Buick Grand National GNX” (13 March 2009, Inside Line, www.insideline. com/ buick/grand-national/ fast-furious-cars-1987-buick-grand-national-gnx.html, accessed 21 July 2009).

RETREAT

Despite the formidable performance of the Buick Regal Grand National and GNX, Buick’s success of the early eighties evaporated quickly by mid-decade. Total sales slipped about 150,000 units for 1986 and a further 200,000 units for 1987. One reason for the decline was the public’s disdain for the new front-drive LeSabre, launched for 1986, which tried to marry traditional Buick styling cues to the new aerodynamic idiom with mixed results; sales plunged more than 30%. (The new ’86 Riviera fared even worse, dropping by nearly 70%.)

The bigger problem was that Pontiac had also re-embraced its sporty image with great success. Other than the turbo engines, there was no longer much mechanical difference between the Buick and Pontiac versions of most models (or, for that matter, the Chevrolet versions) and the Pontiac and Chevy were cheaper with arguably better styling. Trying to return Buick to the middle-class sedan market didn’t help; total Buick sales for 1988 plunged to fewer than 460,000 units. Sales for 1989 were a little better, but still only half the division’s 1985 peak.

As Lloyd Reuss climbed the GM ladder — he eventually became president of the corporation — he eventually admitted that trying to take Buick in a sporty direction was a mistake. This is a conclusion that will no doubt pain Regal (and NASCAR) fans no end, for while the Buick Grand National and GNX accounted for few sales, they have an understandably loyal following. Nevertheless, from a cold-blooded business standpoint, it was probably true. As with the original Mercury Cougar 20 years earlier, the turbo cars had definite virtues, but those virtues were rather far afield from Buick’s established brand identity. The GN and GNX appealed to younger buyers, which is always good, but they were an anomaly within the Buick lineup, which was reflected by their modest sales. Even if Buick hadn’t abandoned that market, it’s not clear where they could have gone with the sporty theme without completely eroding their existing brand.

Keeping the rear-drive G-body models alive for an extra five years was an odd decision for GM. While it made some short-term business sense, it also suggested that the corporation was ambivalent about its new front-drive cars. As impressive as the GN and GNX’s raw performance was, we question the decision to pour so many resources into lame-duck models. Buick might have been better off devoting some of that energy and enthusiasm to the H-body LeSabre and GM10 Regal, which were rather lackluster efforts.

The real reason the GN and GNX existed was not that they made sense from a business or brand-management standpoint, but because they were the cars that Lloyd Reuss (and Don Hackworth and Dave Sharpe) wanted to build. That kind of passion is admirable, and, when backed by a coherent marketing concept, can produce great successes, like the Ford Mustang or the Datsun Z car. When it is not backed by such insights, however, it produces self-congratulatory gestures like the Chevy SSR or Plymouth Prowler, which get a lot of press attention, but are ultimately irrelevant to the company’s customers and brands.

The Grand National and GNX, are highly collectible today and have many dedicated fans. That’s not surprising, because whatever their limitations, both the Grand National and GNX have earned places of honor in the ranks of the great American Supercars. Still, we have to conclude that — as is sometimes sadly the case — they were the right cars in the wrong place at the wrong time.

FIN

Дизайн

Внешний вид автомобиля Buick GNX демонстрирует всю серьезность марки:

• исключительно черная окраска кузова;
• рубленые грани силуэта;
• длинная колесная база;
• огромная решетка радиатора;
• выступающий словно челюсть боксера бампер;
• эксклюзивная черно-белая отделка салона в ретростиле.

О том, что под капотом затаился грозный зверь, способный «порвать» на старте даже многие спорткары, намекают двойная выхлопная система, дополнительный воздухозаборник на капоте и мини-спойлер, протянувшийся по краю багажника. Двухдверная компоновка, большое пространство для ног перед передними сиденьями и регулируемые в широком диапазоне кресла с развитой боковой поддержкой явно свидетельствуют, что перед нами не семейный утилитарный седан, а автомобиль для души – «мускулистый» маслкар.

BUICK REGAL

Although the turbo engine was eventually offered across most of the Buick line, it was most popular in the intermediate Regal series. The Regal had bowed in 1973 as part of GM’s restyled A-body intermediate line. Initially offered only as a “Colonnade” semi-hardtop coupe, the Regal was a sub-series of the midsize Century, distinguished by a unique roofline and interior trim. It was essentially Buick’s answer to the popular Olds Cutlass Supreme and Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the low end of the booming personal luxury segment. A four-door sedan was added to the Regal line in 1974.

The original A-body Regal was offered from 1973 to 1977. Regal coupes had a sharply creased backlight reminiscent of the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. The short-lived S/R package, offered only in 1976 and 1977, added a T-top roof.

GM downsized its big cars in 1977, and the A-body followed suit in 1978, now riding a shorter 108.1-in (2,746mm) wheelbase and weighing hundreds of pounds less than before. The lighter weight made the standard V6 engine a more viable prospect than previously, and it allowed the new turbo six to return respectable performance: 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in under 10 seconds, sprightly for that era. The 1980 models were up to 175 hp (131 kW), but sales slumped, affected by a new energy crisis and lingering concerns about reliability.

Вывод

В результате инженерных поисков на свет родился Buick GNX, ставший вершиной эволюции американской компании. Не случайно GNX признан одним из самых востребованных «мускулистых» автомобилей в Соединенных Штатах.

Фактически «Бьюик» заново изобрел маслкар, отличавшийся и технической начинкой, и лаконичным, в меру брутальным дизайном. Благодаря новой, более экономичной и более эффективной технологии двигателей, поколение моторов «ударного» класса V8 ушло в прошлое.

Кстати, всего было выпущено 547 экземпляров, пользующихся у коллекционеров повышенным спросом. Сегодня за авто в хорошем состоянии просят не менее 50 000 долларов (3 млн руб.), притом что стоимость новых машин стартовала с 29 900 долларов (1,8 млн руб.). На одном из аукционов автомобиль с пробегом 109 км оценили в рекордные 250 000 долларов (15,3 млн руб.).