1987 Buick Regal Grand National Turbo

1987 Buick Grand National — Numbers-Matching WE2 Package, Lamp Black with Full Blackout Trim


Why This Car Is Special

The 1987 Buick Grand National holds a specific and well-documented place in American automotive history. It was the final year of production for the Grand National nameplate, and Buick made the most of it. The 1987 model year brought the most powerful version of the turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that the Grand National ever received from the factory — 245 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers were enough to put the 1987 Buick Grand National ahead of nearly every other American production car of its era in straight-line performance, including the contemporary Corvette, which made 240 horsepower that same year. Car and Driver tested an '87 Grand National at 0 to 60 mph in the mid-five-second range, a figure that surprises people even today.

What made that performance possible was not displacement, but engineering. The LC2 engine — a 231 cubic inch (3.8-liter) OHV V6 with a turbocharger and intercooler feeding sequential fuel injection — produced peak torque at just 2,400 rpm. That low torque peak is what gave the Grand National its characteristic surge off the line and out of corners. By the time the turbo spooled and boost came on, the car was already moving. The intercooler, added in 1986 and refined for 1987, was the key upgrade that allowed Buick's engineers to safely push boost and timing without detonation.

The Grand National package itself — RPO code WE2 — was not just a cosmetic option. It bundled the LC2 engine, the FE3 sport suspension with larger sway bars, specific blackout trim, GN-specific interior appointments, and performance-tuned running gear into a single, factory-integrated package. This car carries that full WE2 designation, which means it was built from the factory as a complete Grand National, not a Regal that received cosmetic additions after the fact.

The 1987 model year saw approximately 20,193 Grand Nationals produced before the Flint, Michigan assembly line closed. It was the last year for both the Regal-based G-body platform and the Grand National itself. Buick did not bring the nameplate back in any meaningful performance capacity, which makes 1987 the definitive year for collectors.

The odometer in the photos reads approximately 71,942 miles — a reasonable, documented figure for a car of this age, consistent with careful use rather than storage. The undercarriage photos show solid, well-preserved structure with no evidence of significant rust or repair, which is a meaningful observation for any 37-year-old car.


Features List

- LC2 3.8L (231 ci) turbocharged intercooled V6, sequential fuel injection, 245 hp at 4,400 rpm, 355 lb-ft torque at 2,400 rpm
- TH200-4R 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and performance valve body
- 3.42:1 rear axle ratio with limited-slip differential (G80 Positraction)
- Heavy-duty 8.50-inch rear ring gear (RPO G87)
- FE3 sport suspension with Grand National-specific heavy-duty sway bars
- Four-wheel disc brakes
- WE2 Grand National Package — full factory-authenticated build
- Lamp Black exterior (RPO 19U) with complete blackout trim
- GN-specific turbo front fascia, functional hood scoop, and rear decklid spoiler
- Black grille, black door handles and lock cylinders, black impact bars
- Soft-Ray tinted glass all around (RPO A01)
- Tungsten halogen headlamps (RPO TT5)
- Medium Dark Gray cloth bucket seats with two-tone insert pattern and GN headrest embroidery
- Full-length floor console (RPO D55)
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel with Grand National horn cap (RPO NP5 / B19)
- Full analog instrument cluster with integrated turbo boost gauge and trip computer
- Tilt steering column (RPO N33)
- Power windows front and rear (RPO A31)
- Power door locks (RPO AU3)
- Power driver's seat
- Air conditioning (RPO C60)
- Electronic cruise control (RPO K34)
- Electric rear window defogger (RPO C49)
- Pulse/delay windshield wi