The GN was built as a limited production specialty vehicle and scheduled build numbers were much lower than any of the other lines. It was known when they were built that most Buick purchasers would opt for the normally aspirated V-8 or V-6. The key here is it was a production car, and the numbers produced reflect that. Sales were never slow, in fact, I know customers that bought cars that weren't exactly what they wanted because they couldn't find it any other way. The reason the GN died was a strictly Corporate decision due to the fact the 88 Regals were switching to front wheel drive platforms. The production of these cars went from 2000 to 2100 in '84 to 85 and then in '86 they produced 5500. Hardly what I would call a dying interest in them. I don't have the numbers for '87, but it was the biggest year in sales for the GN's. The 1/4 mile record for production car that the GN's set in '87 stood until Corvette broke it in '90.
Ultra rare? No. Rare? Yes. Lack of interest killed it? No! GM produced more every year than were originally scheduled to build. High maintenance? Only if you have some bubba wrenching on it. Reason for death? They stopped building a rear drive platform.
Ok, that is my two cents worth. You can check with Buick to varify my info if ya want. It's very humorous to me to see how so many people are still living in denial of what these cars were and are today. It's not my bias on them either, I'm a basic Ford man, so go figure huh.
