Rumors that GM might be bringing back the "Grand National" nameplate!!!

[Darth Fiero]

http://www.gminsidenews.com/futureguide1.htm

hmmm....interesting but I hope not!

 

[gn85]

Does this mean RWD or wrong wheel drive?? Gee... GM, doesn't have enough wrong wheel drive cars, does it?? Can't wait to hear the outcry from this group.

 

[UNGN]

No outcry here if its on the new GTO/Camaro Chassis and is Turbocharged. I don't even think GM could screw that up.

 

[strikeeagle]

Please, please, please GM - leave it alone!!!

The GN was never a high numbers car like a SS or a GTO or whatever, so why bother to revive it? It's not like a million boomers owned one way back when and have to have a new one now.

I'm pretty darn comfortable that THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

Besides, let's face it, the GN is viewed as a rogue by GM, one they really don't care to repeat.

Look at the reception the 2004 GTO got. You can buy them for $24K now. Do we have to live through that again?

 

[UNGN]

Originally posted by strikeeagle
Please, please, please GM - leave it alone!!!

The GN was never a high numbers car like a SS or a GTO or whatever, so why bother to revive it?

There are less 2004 GTO's than 1987 GN's.

Buick is becoming the "luxury truck" division of GM. Is that better than the "Luxury performance" division?

If GM wants to build a rear drive, turbocharged car, I'll definately go look at one at the dealer

 

[Drac0nic]

*shrug* may not mean "Grand National" at all. "T-Type" is still a good possibility.

 

[strikeeagle]

Well, excepting 1970, 1986 and 1987, nothing very interesting has ever come out of Buick.

The TR was reanimation. And the lab door was not only locked, the lab was destroyed beyond the point of reconstitution. GM hated these cars. Buick hated these cars. Dealers hated these cars. The lightening that spawned TRs can never strike again - it wouldn't be allowed to. The beancounters have guns now, and never sleep.

Now, if you took a 2005 GTO with the LS-2, turbocharged it, did absolutely nothing to it other than change any GTO/Pontiac references, and called it a GN/Buick, I might change my mind. Much more likely, however, that nothing interesting will ever come from Buick again...

 

[BOOSTBROTHER]

Originally posted by strikeeagle [/

The TR was reanimation. And the lab door was not only locked, the lab was destroyed beyond the point of reconstitution. GM hated these cars. Buick hated these cars. Dealers hated these cars. The lightening that spawned TRs can never strike again - it wouldn't be allowed to. The beancounters have guns now, and never sleep.

LOL Now that's funny. I love my Buick and some of the older ones but I can't see myself driving any of the new one they have right now.

 

[UNGN]

You forget that Bob Lutz is still at GM. Have you seen the NEW Z06?

500 HP 427 LS7.

Sure the Bean Counters are still there, but they know you can't make money if no one visits your showrooms. The shift back to Rear wheel drive shows the Bean counters have lost their clout at GM.

 

[MeanBuicks]

Originally posted by strikeeagle
Well, excepting 1970, 1986 and 1987, nothing very interesting has ever come out of Buick.

The TR was reanimation. And the lab door was not only locked, the lab was destroyed beyond the point of reconstitution. GM hated these cars. Buick hated these cars. Dealers hated these cars. The lightening that spawned TRs can never strike again - it wouldn't be allowed to. The beancounters have guns now, and never sleep.

Nothing interesting in over 100 years except three? Huh? Read this.

As for GM, Buick & dealers hating these cars, the '86-'87 TRs were the culmination of years of R&D and (big money) racing support going back to the mid-'70s. There were Buick V6-based drag cars, Trans-Am cars, Indy cars, Busch Grand National stock cars and on the showroom throughout the years there were turbo Regals, turbo Centuries and turbo Riverias. Why would a project last some 15 years if everyone involved hated it?

Truth be told, the current 3800 Series II owes it's existence and huge success to all that effort that made our cars possible. GM has made piles of money from the 3800 'corporate V6' and they just can't seem to figure out when to retire it.

Hopefully Buick will one day again produce a stylish, powerful, world class car (or two). Until then, I'll just watch through the windshield of my old Buicks.

 

[Buick From Hell]

I used to be against bastardizing old car names. But I gotta be honest---these days, cars suck, period.

So GM, please--go ahead, bastardize any old car name you want---but could you please attach it to a reasonably interesting vehicle?

 

[Darth Fiero]

The new Riviera is rumored to be rear wheel drive so we will see. I agree with others that the T-Type namesake should be the only thing from the GN era that should be revived. The did actually make Riviera T-Types back in the 80's didn't they? I know there was a late 80's LeSabre T-type.

 

[strikeeagle]

UNGN,

Lutz is 100 years old, and will go any day. The 2004 GTO... Ughhhhh! Whether it leads to profits, either for future GTOs or whatever GTO implies for the Pontiac Division, remains to be seem. As I said, you can buy a 2004 GTO for about $10K under sticker. That car, considering it's a Holden and all the hoops GM has to jump through to get it here, had little or no margin to begin with - it's got to be a bath for GM.

Greg,

I wish I could agree with you. But...

Having revolved in the corporate world for 30 years, lots of dumb ideas have a life of their own, and go on and on, 15 years, 100 years, 1,000 years, as long as the right folks get and stay behind them.

Are you familiar with the Emperor's New Clothes?

Folks in power do not like to admit their mistakes (that's how they got there in the first place, by giving the appearance of knowing everything, and never making mistakes). These people will say poop tastes like pizza if pressed. And the legions of yes men who follow them around, noses inches from their butts, certainly never speak the truth.

What, if anything this has to do with Buicks is unclear to me??? Do I sound like a guy who's about to retire?

 

[troGNman]

It's interesting reading about all of these high-performance GM vehicles that are coming out, but these aren't the days of $1.87 premium anymore. The new buzzword in the industry is "hybrid".

It paints a rosy picture for GM car enthusiasts but they are about four years too late I'm afraid. The one good thing I do see is a shift back towards cars again as this "truck thing" has gotten out of hand.

I'd like to see Buick bring back a rear-drive coupe or two and yes, they can call it a Grand National. A modernized turbo car with good brakes and handling could find a few buyers IMO.

 

[strikeeagle]

Of course the hybrids are all that right now. And of course, they're priced so ludicrously high (thanks, manufacturers and dealers) that you can never get your money back out of them based on gas mileage alone, not even close. So, you'd better detest acid rain, or feel uncomfortably absent of things to converse about at your special lunch spot...

And of course as time goes on hybrid prices will drop, and hybrids will force gas prices to drop. Or will they? By then, refiners will state that so few cars are running on gas that it's necessary to raise prices in order to handle such a "niche" commodity.

Can a guy ever win???

(Remember I said this...)

 

[Drac0nic]

I've heard they're making cars to run on %85 alky, can you imagine getting 85% alky from the pump! Corn farmers in the area would love it. I'm sure after the specifics were worked out for retrofitting a TB we would too

 

[84GNTTYPE]

Originally posted by Drac0nic
I've heard they're making cars to run on %85 alky, can you imagine getting 85% alky from the pump! Corn farmers in the area would love it. I'm sure after the specifics were worked out for retrofitting a TB we would too

I know an owner of a local ethanol plant . . . according to him many of the new cars are able to run on E85 (85% ethanol) and they are planning on opening some stations that sell just that.

 

[Darth Fiero]

Originally posted by 84GNTTYPE
I know an owner of a local ethanol plant . . . according to him many of the new cars are able to run on E85 (85% ethanol) and they are planning on opening some stations that sell just that.

In my honest opinion, I would much rather line the pockets of the american farmer than those of middle eastern oil tycoons.

 

[gn85]

Originally posted by Darth Fiero
In my honest opinion, I would much rather line the pockets of the american farmer than those of middle eastern oil tycoons.

Best thing I've read in this thread!!!

 

[ledzeppac]

I've heard they're making cars to run on %85 alky, can you imagine getting 85% alky from the pump! Corn farmers in the area would love it. I'm sure after the specifics were worked out for retrofitting a TB we would too

They have had this since the the late '70's. Many cars today fromt the factory can run on this stuff too. Most cars its a matter of changing somethign small. I am only 20 and I know this stuff!!!! Doesn't anyone remember??