Most people under the age of 40 probably can’t remember a time when Buick was “cool.” Which is a damn shame, because Buick once put some of the hottest muscle cars on the street, including the venerable GNX. Whereas the original GNX was a muscle car through and through, the next G-body ditched the big V8 for a technologically advanced turbocharged V6. Alas, there always seems to be about 20 years between GNX models…which means we’re about due for a new one.
So is this Vauxhall Calibra coupe, which AutoExpress revealed was in the works for GM’s European arm, set to underpin a next-generation Buick GNX?
No doubt this is how rumors start, and yet there are some pretty poignant signs that GM is taking Buick in a more performance-oriented direction, not the least of which is the recent approval for production of a new Regal GS. While it lacks the turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive we were hoping for, it could be because GM is waiting for this new Vauxhall to hit the streets. As it turns out, the Vauxhall Calibra will share the Epsilon II platform with the Buick Regal, making the transfer from Europe to America relatively easy.
According to AutoExpress, this new Vauxhall would derive its influence from a 2007 concept car called the GTC. How a Buick version would look, we don’t know, but we imagine it would share the same 2.8 liter turbocharged V6 engine, which would provide a 0-60 mph time of under six seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. We’d love to own a 150+ mph Buick. It’s been a long time since Buick made an all-out performance vehicle. The time feels right for just such a vehicle to make a comeback and show consumers what Buick used to be about…and can be again.