}} }} }} A downsized Regal appeared for the 1978 model year with Buick's new V6 engine as standard equipment and a revised version of the venerable V6 as an option (which became standard for 1980). Initially, a three-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed available, but the automatic option filled their places from 1980 onward. At the time of introduction, Regals were available exclusively as coupés with the
Century nameplate applied to standard equipment sedans and
station wagons. In January 1982 the Century was replaced by an all-new car on the front-wheel drive
A platform, which meant that the Regal gained a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon - essentially facelifted and
rebadged versions of the previous year's rear-wheel drive Century. It was the first time the name appeared on a full model lineup. The wagon was discontinued after 1983, and the sedan dropped from the lineup the next year. This generation Regal lasted ten years. The base model was equipped with softer-riding luxury suspension. File:Buick Regal -- 08-14-2009.jpg|1979 Buick Regal Limited File:1980 Buick Regal (27763334984).jpg|1980 Buick Regal File:1982 Buick Regal Wagon two-tone green, front right.jpg|1982 Buick Regal Estate Wagon File:1986 Buick Regal Limited - 47740062422.jpg|1986 Buick Regal Limited The 1978 Regal could be equipped with a Turbocharged V6 engine with automatic transmission; it was known in this configuration as a Regal Sport Coupe. The
Buick LeSabre was also available with the turbocharged engine, the only other turbocharged cars available in the U.S. market in 1978 being imports from Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Saab. The Regal Sport Coupe also included a firm handling suspension with larger tires and sport wheels. Bucket seats and a center console with a T-shifter were available. For 1980, the Regal was offered in a special
Somerset Limited Edition trim which featured unique tan and dark blue designer exterior paint, wire wheel covers, sport mirrors, and chrome Somerset badging. The interior had tan and blue plush
velour upholstery, brushed chrome trim, and additional Somerset badging. A Somerset Limited Edition model was also offered on the restyled 1981 Regal. It had unique dark sandstone and camel exterior paint, sport mirrors, and turbine wheels. The interior's plush velour upholstery was camel with dark brown piping. A major facelift for 1981 gave the Regal a much more aerodynamic profile, helping make it possible for the car to compete on the
NASCAR racing circuit. The sloping hood and nose of the car made it the favorite of several NASCAR teams, and reduced the drag coefficient by eighteen percent.
Richard Petty drove one to victory in the
1981 Daytona 500, and the car won a majority of the 1981 and 1982 seasons races and won the NASCAR manufacturers title in 1981 and 1982. Buick would remain the last marque other than Chevrolet or Ford to win the Cup Series manufacturers championship until Toyota scored its first in 2016. It also propelled Buick to #3 in sales after 26 years, remaining in that place through 1983. V8s for street use were still available, but had shrunk to (1980 and 1981 only,
Pontiac built), and the V6 was rapidly gaining popularity. From 1986 to 1987, the
V8 was available as an option. The 2-bbl V6 was standard. The
200-4R overdrive transmission was an option with either engine.
Production Figures: Grand National, Turbo-T and T-Type In 1978, the first turbocharged Regal was introduced as the Regal Sport Coupe. Turbo versions were originally offered with either a two- or a four-barrel
carburetor and , but the two-barrel option was removed for 1979. Meanwhile, the four-barrel's maximum output increased to . Power remained unchanged until 1982, when it increased to and then in 1983, when the Regal T-Type replaced the Sport Coupe. In February 1982, the Grand National debuted, which was named for the
NASCAR Winston Cup Grand National Series (the "Grand National" term was part of the Cup series nomenclature until 1986). Buick had won the Manufacturers Cup in 1981 and 1982, and wanted to capitalize on its success: "What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday", and hoping to revive their performance image from the 1960s with the
Buick Skylark Gran Sport. These 1982 cars were not painted black. All examples started out as charcoal gray Regals that were shipped off to a subcontractor for finishing. Originally intended for a run of 100 units, Cars and Concepts of
Brighton, Michigan, retrofitted 215 Regals with the GN package. Most obvious was the light silver-gray
Firemist paint added to each side. Red
pinstripes and billboard shadow lettering proclaiming "Buick" were applied. The wheel opening moldings and
rocker panel moldings were blacked out using black vinyl tape. Finally, a front air dam and
rear spoiler were installed. On the inside, special "Lear-Siegler" seats were installed. These seats are fully adjustable and were covered with silver brandon cloth with black vinyl inserts. The front seat had Buick's "6" emblem embroidered onto it. Also, a special clock delete plate was added to the instrument panel, which contained the yellow and orange "6" logo and the words "Grand National Buick Motor Division".) The 1982 GN came with a
naturally aspirated V6 engine with at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2000 rpm. Of the 215 Grand Nationals produced in 1982, at least 35 were based on the Buick Regal Sport Coupe package with the turbocharged V6 engine with at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2600 rpm. Only 2022 Sport coupes were produced in 1982, and the number of cars with both the GN and Sport coupe packages is estimated to be fewer than 50. For 1983, there was no Grand National. The Sport Coupe model was renamed the
T-Type; 3,732 were produced ( at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2400 rpm). The power gains came courtesy of a low-restriction dual exhaust, stainless steel
headers (rather than the original cast iron items), and other detail improvements. Drivability improved thanks to better electronics for the exhaust gas recirculation system and the knock sensor. Inside there were new bucket seats and a sport steering wheel and quicker steering ratio, while the suspension was honed with a larger diameter anti-roll bar, altered spring rates, and re-valved shock absorbers. For 1985, the Grand National remained unchanged. For 1986, a modified engine design with air-air intercooling boosted the performance even further to a specified at 4000 rpm and of torque at 2400 rpm. The Grand Nationals (quantity 5,512) and T-Types (quantity 2,384) were both produced in 1986. For 1987, performance increased 10 hp, to and of torque; however, no design revisions were made to the engine or systems. Buick dropped the T-Type package for Regal for 1987 models and opted for a "T" sport package instead. Only 7,896 turbo Regals were produced in 1986. In 1987, when turbo Regals reached their peak in popularity, a total of 27,590 turbo Regals were produced through December, with those models produced between September and December of that year window stickered as "1987½ Buick Grand National" vehicles. For 1987, a lightweight WE4 option was offered. Only 1,547 of this variant were produced. The differences between a WE4 and the Grand National were the interior trim package, wheels, exterior badging, aluminum bumper supports, and aluminum rear
drum brakes, unlike the Grand National's cast iron, making the WE4 a lighter and faster car. The rear spoiler was only available as a dealer-installed option. 1987 was the only year the LC2 turbo option was available on any Regal, making a Limited with a vinyl
landau roof and a power bulge turbo hood combination possible. Turbo Regal Limiteds were the second-rarest model of turbo Regals produced, after the GNX, at 1,035. Turbo Regal Limiteds could be ordered with many options, with most having chrome external trim, but for $35 could have been built with the full blackout trim WO2 option, making them extremely rare. Similarly, a base Regal could be ordered with the Turbo 6, and the WO2 blackout trim was also available. Limiteds were treated to a very luxurious interior with plush carpeting, optional bench pillow seats, and a
column shift. It was also possible to order the 1987 Regal T with the 5.0/307 V8 instead of the turbo 3.8/231 V6. The 1987 model would be the end of the manufacture of the RWD "G-Body" Regal, but GM had to extend the build of the Grand National to meet customer demand into December. File:Buick T-Type (2669441886).jpg|Buick Regal T-Type File:WO2T.jpg|1987 Regal Turbo-T with rare blackout WO2 trim package
GNX For the final year, 1987, Buick introduced the limited production GNX, for "Grand National Experimental", at $29,900 ($85,399 adjusted for inflation in ). Made in partnership with
McLaren Performance Technologies/
ASC, Buick produced only 547 GNs with the interior trim package, that were then sent off to McLaren and upgraded into the Buick GNX. Buick underrated the GNX at at 4400 rpm and a very substantial at 3000 rpm of torque, although actual output is and . This was created to be the "Grand National to end all Grand Nationals". Changes made included a special
Garrett AiResearch T-3
turbocharger with a ceramic-impeller blowing through a more efficient and significantly larger capacity
intercooler with a "Cermatel (ceramic-aluminum) coated" pipe connecting the intercooler to the engine. A GNX-specific
EPROM, low-restriction exhaust with dual mufflers, reprogrammed turbo Hydramatic 200-4R transmission with a custom
torque converter and transmission cooler, a unique differential cover, and
panhard rod included more of the performance modifications. Exterior styling changes include vents located on each front fender, 16 inch black mesh style wheels with VR-speed rated tires, and deletion of the hood and fender emblems. The interior changes of the GNX included a serial number on the dash plaque and a revised instrument cluster providing
Stewart-Warner analog gauges, including an analog turbo boost gauge. The GNX used a unique
torque arm that was mounted to a special, GNX only, rear differential cover, for increased traction. The torque arm rear suspension alters the suspension geometry, making the body lift while planting the rear tires down, resulting in increased traction. GNX #001 is the 1986 prototype currently owned by Buick and sometimes makes appearances at car shows around the US. The stealthy appearance of the all-black GNX and Grand National (and the resemblance of its grille to his helmet's mouthpiece), coupled with the fact that the Grand National was initially released during the popularity of
Star Wars movies, earned it the title "Darth Vader's Car.” Due to the turbocharged six-cylinder engine, the Buick make, and the black paint Grand Nationals were sometimes referred to as the "Dark Side". The "Dark Side" contrasted with the more common V8
Mustangs and Camaros that were popular at the time.
GNX is the title for hip-hop artist
Kendrick Lamar's 2024 album and its eponymous 11th track, and the car is on the album's cover art. == Third generation (1988) ==