1987 Buick Regal Limited Turbo: The Velour-Lined Rocket | MotorWeek
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 เม.ย. 2019
- Everyone knows the Buick Grand National, but for 1987 only, you could buy a luxurious Buick Regal Limited with the same fire-breathing turbo V6. Joe Ligo shows the history of this rare, velour-lined rocket of the 1980s.
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One of my Dad's aunt's had this exact car in her garage in 1988 when we visited her. She asked me to go to the store and buy her some smokes and to take her car. I was 15 at the time. Holy shit! I didn't want to come back to the house. With her elderly smile she asks me, "Did ya like it?". I remember trembling as I returned her keys.
Even the W body Regal that came after was fast. You put the hammer down and slowly melt into the velour as the car rockets forward like a missile. I always found it amusing that mostly old ladies drove those Buicks when they are actually very fast.
Awesome
She Really❤ Loved You.💨💨🌀
That look never gets old. The best looking of the GM G bodies.
Cutlass gave it a run for the money.I had an 84' Regal Limited with the base 3.8 and ran it up to 220000 miles before I sold it to a used car dealer for $400 back in 1997.Loved cruising in that car.Smooth ride and 28 mpg on the hwy.
@@emeyer6963 I think he meant the styling, which was the most modern of the four. The cutlass tried to be kind of modern but looked more dorky.
monte carlo and grand prix retain a lot of their 'neoclassic' roots.
NEVER!!! Definitely the best!
I would like to agree..
Most comfortable interior I ever sat in. Loved my Regal Limited.
I love Buick Grand National, GNX and Regal 1985, 1986 and 1987, confortable inrerior, beautifull car and excellent perfomance
I have one of these in blue without the blackouts. Perfect sleeper
Please make a vid about it!
I almost put sleeper on the plates. Ran 13.0 stock. I had a V series the same color that did have sleeper on the lisc plate
TheFritter Agreed. A real "wolf in sheep's clothing", so to speak.
TheFritter Upload a video
Jarek Nowak You want ever see one from him.
What a seriously cool car! The idea of making a cruiser that can also boogie still flips my switch even today. Thanks again, Joe and the rest of the MotorWeek staff, for making this review happen! 80s cars are an important part of our automotive history, with cars like this Regal really being best of breed. Joe and his dedication to sharing and exploring automotive history is a great gift to us Malaise-era fans!
I got the brochure from the local Buick dealer, picked out my color and options, I was going with blue, and then begged my dad to cosign for me so I could buy a Turbo Regal. I didn't want a Grand national because I wanted a sleeper. I was only 18 years old at the time and had just graduated. My dad and I went down to the dealership and test drove a Grand National that was on the lot. My dad wouldn't cosign because he didn't think I was responsible enough. Maybe he was right, I don't know. But he was so impressed with the Grand National he bought the one we test drove for my stepmom and then ordered one for himself. Hers had T-tops and his didn't. He eventually found a GNX for sale at another Buick dealer in downtown Kansas City. That is GNX #420. He still has it with a whopping 4k miles on it. The other two got traded off after they got a few years old. I still have never owned one. I need to change that someday.
Hopefully he wills you that GNX
Thank God John Davis is still doing MotorWeek sometimes I'll go watch retro reviews just to hear the old theme song
So cool to see John Davis doing retro reviews!!!
That's definitely a cool car! I love the 1981-1987 GM G body cars. They had awesome styling and probably were a real pleasure to drive too.
I've never driven a good one (like one with good options like this) but I can tell you that even a base model four door cutlass with the slowest engine is nice to drive, slow, but you feel like you're driving a big comfortable car but it's not unwieldy or hard to handle, they're basically the perfect sized car.
the back seats have cramped leg room for passengers, that's the biggest downside.
@@williammacroberts2305The leg room wasn't too bad, it's the sedan's lack of roll down windows in the back that's kind of a bummer. Just tiny flip out vents!
Thank you for sharing this video. I remember the "T" package.This was the last before the front wheel drive W Body Regal appeared. They did have some luxurious interiors back in the day.
The early W body Regals had some very luxurious interiors too. My buddy has a '91 Limited with tufted blue velour. The gauges go almost all the way across the dash. Driving that car feels like being the pilot of a large aircraft.
My first car was a 88 Regal Grand Sport back in the late 90's. It was anything but sporty. Wish that hand me down would of been one year older.
MotorWeek should do a story on the Buick V6, its an interesting story. It all started with an alloy V8.
My dad had this car with the regular V6 when I was 17. Good car, good times.
Get the Black air video grand national documentary..
I believe the v6was 238 cid. making 245 hp without mods. All that potential . I would love to find an old "Pitbull chip" for this car and see what that and an improved exhaust system could do for this!
@@w41duvernay *Cough Cough* 231 cid.
Yep, one of the only 60° V6s out there. They are ridiculously reliable too. They last to 500k or better if they are taken care of. My friend had a '91 Regal with a Series I 3800 that was at 175k and running strong. He never took care of that thing. It still runs.
I was 14 when these cars were new. I lusted for them then, as a budding driver, and that lust continues at age 46. Some cars just leave a lasting impression.
Me too. I had to have one ever since first seeing one go down the drag strip in the early 1990's. I have had a gold '87 T for about 10 years, but it never gets driven. Priorities change.....I'll probably end up selling it to buy my 16 year old an Accord to drive 😢
@@Kawboy65 Don't lose sight of that car. That Accord is a glorified paperweight, and gets worse mileage than a 30 year old muscle car. Think about that! 28mpg highway sounds pretty damn good to me, plus it smokes practically every other car in its path.
I absolutely love these. Almost every show has a Grand National. If it's a bigger one, you may even see 2 or 3, but I never see any Limited Turbo Ts!
Loved that car at the time. Still do.
I would love to have one of these with the standard chrome Limited trim and wire wheel covers. The idea of owning a GNX with chrome, pillow top seats, and a column shifter is more awesome than I can handle.
You could get them without the black out package, mine has chrome grill, bezels etc.
Always loved driving our Regal. 2:28 I'm surprised that headliner isn't drooping or pulled out!
I wonder if you could get the T turbo package with the metallic pea green paint and landau vinyl roof.
Now THAT would’ve been something truly awesome.
green color is called sage metallic the rarest colors for T Type next to rosewood metallic shown here in this video
Cool it has the rare bench and column shifter and analog gauges. I had both types and the analog set up as the one and only. And I loved the old man Buick badge on the hood, I forgot all about that. Thanks for the a most excellent trip down mem ln.
You could get them with buckets and console shift too? I don't remember, it's been awhile.
@@stevehoch9528 Not on the turbo LIMITED cars. Column shift only; either the split bench in cloth or leather. or the 45-45 seats in leather with the DE9 non operating console.
Base Regal turbo cars COULD have buckets, as an option.
I own an 86 regal t type code 31 dark blue metallic with tan leather interior and a column shift. Dennis kirban says its 1 of 55 built in 86 and has the documentation to prove it
We need to see that!!!👍
I never knew they made distributor-less ignition back then. Awesome.
I love it when Motorweek does a segment on a car that was made before they started their show in 1981. I wish they did more, perhaps start a segment for classic cars that are still running reliable and strong at 20+ years old 😅 I also like how Joe did the presenting, his commentary reminds me of John Davis lol
Saw the title and thought I was clicking on a Retro Review until it started off in HD! This car has been well taken care of!
This seems like it will be a fun series.
I forgot how rare these actually are. You could have also ordered a similar WH1 "Designer Series" package with the Regal from 1984-1986, and I believe less than 2000 were made during those three model years.
Limited T types are rare enough as it is, there were something like 1100 made I think (maybe in one year so maybe 2000 in two years?) but I have never even seen one with this sport exterior package, and didn't know it existed. It seems kind of redundant to me, but I guess it was the way to get what looks like a regular T type but with the nicer interior. So this is a hen's tooth.
@@williammacroberts2305 I was thinking the same thing. I never liked the black trim of the T-type. I thought the whole benefit to the turbo T was to get the standard chrome trim.
Had a same 3.8L (non-turbo) in my 1988 Buick Century wagon. It was nice and smoothe.
I have an 85 base model that was my late wife's baby. It gets looks today and is one of my connections to her.
I had the 1985 Limited. My first car. This one would be the ideal version of the Regal. Great video.
I don’t get tired of LC2 Regals.
Great Video! Thanks Joe!
Thanks for this vid, MotorWeek...60fps looks great as ever, not to mention the epic car!
Fantastic review and vehicle.
I hope people that own these are driving them!
My dad had 1 of these when I was a kid!!! So cool...
trip down memory lane,,, miss my Regal T
I love this muscle cars 1980s
Sport + Luxury = Best of both worlds...
💙 these Buick Regals 💙
Joe works with MotorWeek?? I really love his Auto Moments channel. Thought I recognized that voice - glad to see him here!
I owned a new 1978 Buick Regal with the early 3.8 turbo and a 4 barrel carb, was a great car! A kid hit me head on and totaled it. Then I purchased (new) 1987 Grand National and it was a monster and made way more horsepower than Buick advertised. I regret to this day trading it in!
Those early 3.8s are just as good as the later port injected versions.
Those were some cool cars in the 80s love some Buicks.
Cant wait till I finish my regal project
I agree! That car is still looks good today, that one and the cutlass and monte carlos.
I liked the "GN hype" fake-out.
The price differences in the two packages just goes to show that a good story goes a long way in terms of value. And the whole "car that dominated the '80s" angle has been doing wonders for GN publicity.
They might be overhyping the car SOMEWHAT but at the time they stopped making the Grand National it was a record holder. That's not hype or bullshit
@@Integrity.is.everything it was hype in the sense that GN's were rare, not in production long enough to make much of an impact, heavily marked up if you could find one, and not very well known or talked about outside of a few gearheads. It was basically a sled with a hot engine in it, and when that same engine was offered in the better publicized Firebird, it got recalled due to engine fires.
@@75aces97 Understood. I think most of the hype came from the GNX beating other dominant muscle cars in races like Corvettes.
What year did they start putting those Turbocharged V6s in Firebirds? I wanna look that up and watch some videos
@@Integrity.is.everything onlu 2 firebirds ever got turbo. The 80 and 81 and the the 89 anniversary turbo trans am.
@@bmacster1985 Thanks
Very cool. Good presentation.
The Darth Vader black paint color on the GnX LoL 👍🏼 perfect way to describe it
Been looking forward to this!
My friend Sam owned one in black. He kept trying to get me to buy it. This was back in ‘93. His car was pretty quick, the rear would light it up around 30mph in the cool October New England nights. Beautiful car. He had some issues with alcohol and always wanted me to drive it. Miss that car.
Impossible for him to conceal that menacing teethy grin of sheer gratification... 👍😀
Lucky enough to Take a test drive.🌀 Very nice & responsive💨💨. True sleeper with classic Buick provenance.
I RESLLY miss mine. Best times in the world!
I own 81 Somerset II with the 87 LC2 drivetrain. A sleeper like no other!
Thank you. Memories
Back in my street racing days with my notch back 5.0 mustang, everyone was scared of the Grand Nation and Regal T-type. Even guys with Vettes were intimidated. A Grand Nation or T-type with a chip, exhaust and sticky tires was hard to beat.
Excellent video,
What’s more sleeper is, with a few simple tweaks, you could easily add another 100hp and lop another full second off your 0-60 times.
I love that car. For anyone looking for a sleeper, check out a Joseph Abboud Edition Reagal GS. Two tone leather with a 230 stock hp 3.8 Supercharged. It really looks like grandma's daily, but it moves.
Wrong make over 340 horsepower nop 245 hp
@@FORD150-5.4 no you're very wrong lol. My grandpa has an 02 GS and even with mods he Is only at 280 and that's to the crank. Idk where the hell you are getting 340...
@@jasoncarter251 ohh ok thanks you for your information
@@jasoncarter251 well people on you tube claim 500hp stock
@@jasoncarter251 well people on you tube claim 500hp stock
This is the car grandpa would buy to let his wife know he'd never race again. Lol
What a great looking car. Especially in the Regal Ltd. I have ridden in a Regal GN. Very fast too. Another rare car with the 3.8 Ltr turbo is the 1989 20th anniversary pontiac trans am.
My Uncle has one of those TAs. I actually hate the way it handles, but the methanol turbo is a fun addition.
In Australia around that time, GM shoehorned the Buick V6 into their version of the German Opel Senator and called it the VN Commodore, a much lighter platform than the G model American Buicks. Those in the know knew how to turn those sedate family hacks into monsters. ...lol.
I can imagine. That sounds like a good time.
I'd be happy to have a regular Regal. But this would be great. I love 80s cars. Especially the velour interiors
These are cool. There's a silver one around here that's just awesome.
We need a modern version of a car like this.
I thought this was just called a Regal T-Type? It was basically a Grand National that came in different colors and with different options including T-tops
This is a Regal Limited Turbo. The T Type had the T Top package, and then there was the Turbo T, which is also different.
The T- Type designation was dropped after the 86 model yr....became Turbo T for '87.
Those G-Bodies are one of my favorite styles in Detroit history. The only thing I've never liked about the turbocharged Regals is the exhaust note, seeing it's a turbo V6 instead a growling V8.
I'm hoping Buick will make a limited edition 2-door Grand National while the Regal name is still around.
And I love sleepers that still look original or have the perfect touch of a street machine body and interior.
Back in the day,,,,two older brothers would come up to a local cruising spot near Midway Airport in Chicago. One guy with a silver ‘87 T-Type,,,his brother with a super rare T-type that was a light pinkisk champagne color. It had a bench seat and the shifter on the column. That had to be a rare configuration. We would drag race off every light! Those were the days.
Those Bench T Types were built for law enforcement. They call them FBI specials.
One of my high school girlfriends, her mom had a 2 tone burgundy 87 GN.
That car was insanely quick and would roast the rear tires with 4 people in it.
Very nice 😀
Love my Buick Century :-)
My Theo has one with a t top love it.
Always loved these cars ! Could never afford one had to settle for the all look no fast 1987 Monte SS for my first car lol
One of the best sleepers of all time, by far.
Bucket list car.
Guy around the corner has one of these. Faded paint and a few dings. Still a daily driver
That 5.0 fox in the intro! Need more info
My buddy's father had a 87 riviera with that same engine, very rare car......thing was pretty quick too....it was very sleeper just like the one in the video....only hints were the "T" on the steering wheel and a digital boost bar on the dash by the climate control center....I remember we snuk it out one night while drinking and very lightly swiped a guardrail on the road.....left a tiny scuff that his dad didn't find till months later!!!
2:54 the 3rd brake light is out ;)
Didn't even realize it was out. I'll get it fixed.
good eye
Yep, was always replacing mine in an 88 monte ss
Like a velvet hammer. I wanted to put "sleepr" or "lux int" on the lisc plate
I really, really want one of these. I don't think I would trade my GN for one but I really, really want one.
Still my favorite muscle car.
If I ever invent a time machine, I'm heading back to 1987 to pick up two GNXs. One to enjoy and one to just drool on.
When you go back , get the extended warranty on it as well. Take it from a former owner.
In high school my buddies mom had a T-Type we would take it out get stoned and race around the neighborhood
The 200 4R transmission was the weak link. My kid’s ‘86 GN went through three of them.
I remember seeing one of these when i was young and being so confused it wasn’t black, lol. But what a great car i love it!.
I saw one once a long time ago and thought the same thing.
Owned a 85 T type and later a GN , never heard of the limited!
Didn't check the vinyl top and wire wheel cover options though. Yes I've seen a turbo Regal equipped like that, it was that light metallic baby blue with blue velour interior like the car in the video.
Yes that motor was born of the high bank ovals , but yes it ruled the straight 1320
How was it born on the high banked ovals exactly?
@@DrewLSsix the motor was developed for gms indy program originally
is that the same as the 3800 v6s in the buick park avenues ? just no turbo
@@randomrazr yes it's the exact same internals and compression as a 1980 3.8 century, hell yes just slap a turbo on and its fast. Now give your mom her phone back
@@randomrazr Don't forget the LeSabres too. My buddy had a '94 LeSabre Custom with the 3800, and another buddy has a '91 Regal with the 3800. Great engines! Absolutely unbreakable.
I had a blue with crush blue velvet bench seat. That car was a complete sleeper. U just sold a 86 GB also that I bought for 10,500 and sold for 27000 after putting $ into it. I bought the t for $4300 if I remember
The Limited Ts have always been my favorite Regals. Yes, everyone always talks about the Grand National & the GNX, but these cars were true wolves in sheep's clothing as they used the same turbocharged & intercooled 3.8 liter V6 as those cars. You could equip it EXACTLY like Grandma's Regal & NO one would have a CLUE about the pure evil that lurked under the hood..........MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
the best ones are the ones that are in a subtle colour and don't have the blackout trim, they look much classier than a T type or GN.
DAMN RIGHT, @@williammacroberts2305!!!!!!!!!
blackandgold51 Why would you make it look like a wanabe GNX?
I agree. The color options alone make it more desirable. I think it is funny they say it doesn't handle....these can be made to handle. And unless it is an extremely low mile example, mods don't hurt value one bit, as most have already been modified.
I want an early hot air turbo GN. Like an '83 or '84.
I know my OCD is a bit weird here, but the third brake light is out lol
not required in 1987
cs292 but it’s there and it’s out, and if it’s there and it’s out it is actually a ticketable offense.
Same thing goes for all those Pontiacs in the 90s and early 2Ks with their driving lights, not required here like they are in some countries but if they are out it’s still a violation.
My OCD is showing also because the 3.8 turbos in 1987 were rated at 355 lb.ft of torque not 330!!
God I miss my 84 grand national.
4:15 the smile of unreserved joy
Nice!
That 85 mph speedometer kind of kills the fun of a car with that much performance.
rather it go to 85 then have question marks after that lol. that was mostly for insurance reasons
But that speedo pegs QUICK
What is the collectors market looking like for Turbo Buicks right now? I've had a gold '87 T for about 10 years, but totally lost interest shortly after I bought it. 45,000 original miles, original paint, no dents....really nice example. I know the market too a hit awhile back, but I'd love to get this car to an enthusiast who would appreciate it, if I could get back what I paid for it.
Muscle Brougham. I love it.
Love it
Now that is my kind of car!
Wow I would have never known..Owner of a 86 gp le v8
I love it
245hp? I think that was not reported honestly.
Sure it was, its acceleration numbers fall right in line with its power and torque numbers.
@@DrewLSsix you would think so, but he's right. They undersold it by about 50 beans to keep Chevrolet off their back.
355 lb/tq, not sure where the 330 number came from🤔
that was the tq rating for 86... though it was higher both years. I used to own a nice white 87 Limited turbo t.
@@imschlodes 86...235/330...87...245/355. I owned an 87 GN from 1995-2000 that was pretty well modded but had the stock trans and tired valve springs, still ran a 12.6@109 mph w/ 1.91 60 ft time and got 27 mpg 9n the freeway. Atleast I owned one ICON in my life😁
Nice car.