In January 2024, a 1987 Buick GNX with extremely low miles on the odometer crossed the auction block for a whopping $231,000. The vehicle had been in storage since it was new, with just 282 miles (454 km) on the clock. Some six months later, it returned to the spotlight without the storage dust it was wearing at the time of the auction.
I can’t understand why someone would keep a brand-new car in storage, but it seems the GNX was the retirement fund for many individuals. That would explain the market’s flood of low-mileage examples in recent years. And by “several,” I mean more than 40 examples auctioned off from 2022 to 2024 for an average of over $170,000.
Back to our 282-mile unit, which is now among the most expensive GNXs ever sold, it went under the hammer at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale 2024 sale. The owner commissioned Legendary Motorcar to handle the purchase on his behalf and then asked them to give the Buick a makeover.
Even though it was parked in a garage, the GNX wasn’t completely isolated from the outside world, so it emerged with some dust inside and out. It was obviously much cleaner than the average barn find, but the car still required a thorough cleaning to recapture its former glory. Especially since the customer wanted it to look like it would have sat on the showroom floor.
The clean-up footage isn’t as satisfying as most first-wash videos without dirt and grime, but the result is fantastic. The video also showcases how a little bit of dust can dull a car’s paint over a few years. Ultimately, the GNX looks like a brand-new vehicle despite being 36 years old as of 2024. The car also runs and drives as it should, which is great news after more than three decades off the road (even for a new powerplant).
The man who commissioned this revival is now the proud owner of the fifth-most expensive Buick GNX ever auctioned. It’s also among the lowest-mileage examples out there, superseded by about a half-dozen units with delivery miles. The world’s most expensive GNX, a car with 568 miles (914 km) on the odo, sold for $308,000 in January 2022.
What makes the GNX so desirable nowadays? Based on the second-generation Buick Regal, the GNX was the ultimate iteration of the Grand National. It arrived in 1987, the generation’s final model year, and was produced in limited numbers.
Developed in partnership with McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC, the GNX hit showrooms with a turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 engine rated at 276 horsepower and 360 pound-feet (488 Nm) of torque. Buick reportedly underrated the powerplant, with the V6 actually capable of 300 horses and 420 pound-feet (569 Nm) of twist.
Also featuring a unique suspension setup, the GNX turned out to be an unassuming sleeper, covering the quarter-mile quicker than the Porsche 930 and the Ferrari F40. Buick produced only 547 units, all painted black. Check this one out in the video below.