You’re right! Buick
only made 30,022 Grand Nationals during the vehicle’s short lifespan between 1982 and 1987. Equipped with a 4.1-liter V6 engine rather than the performance-favored V8, the Grand National redefined American muscle car power in the 1980s. Originally released in charcoal grey, the Grand National received a color makeover in 1984 by the newly appointed Buick general manager Don Hackworth. The iconic monochrome black Grand National debuted in a controversial commercial rolling through the city at night to ‘Bad to the Bone’ by George Thorogood and the Destroyers. With a release like that, it’s no wonder the all-black Grand National is revered by classic car
enthusiasts. To give you a sense of how rare the Grand National is, here’s a breakdown of those production numbers by model year:
1982 model year: 215 produced
1984 model year: 2,000 produced
1985 model year: 2,102 produced
1986 model year: 5,512 produced
1987 model year: 20,193 produced
The rarest Grand National is the special edition GNX with only 547 units made in 1987. If you want to get your hands on this special edition beast of a car, it’ll cost a pretty penny–usually selling somewhere between $80,000 and $150,000 depending on the mileage and condition of the vehicle.
However, you can find Buick Grand Nationals from the higher production years for much less: between $15,500 to $35,700 for a Grand National in excellent condition.