The Unassuming Buick That Packed Grand National Power Under Cruiser Sheetmetal
As enthusiasts, we all love cars that look like regular day-to-day models on the outside but hide incredible machinery under the skin. The appeal of the sleeper car has been near-universal for decades. Plenty of incredible cars that fit the sleeper car formula have been made over those decades, too. The car we’re going to talk about here in particular is one that’s totally unassuming the first time you see it. But once you know what’s under the skin, you’ll respect it as a proper performance monster.
The American Auto Industry Has Produced A Whole Gamut Of Brilliant Sleeper Cars
Looking at the various Sleeper Cars that have shown up over the years, quite a few of the most brilliant ones have come from America. Many of them came from the golden era of the American automotive industry, but quite a few also came from the malaise era and beyond. Some even were being produced right up until very recently. The American brands seem to have a knack for transforming a relatively ordinary car by putting a high-performance engine in it. One of those big American brands, too, seems to have been exceptionally good at it.
Buick Has Produced Several Of Those Brilliant American Sleepers
Out of all the American car brands that have produced fantastic sleepers, Buick has made what can arguably be described as some of the best. That isn’t just limited to the classics, either. As recently as the 2010s there was the fantastic Buick Regal GS, a rebadged version of the high-performance variants of the Opel and Vauxhall Insignia from Europe. That built on the Buick Regal name already having a bit of a reputation for having high-performance sleeper variants. This is a reputation that dates all the way back to the ’80s, and to one Regal in particular that could out-perform the V8-powered sports cars of its day.
The Buick Regal T-Type Is An Unassuming Coupe That Was A Real Speed King
At first glance, the Buick Regal T-Type looks like pretty much any other malaise-era American coupe. It is a variant of the Buick Regal that was sold during the 1980s (1983-1987, changing into the Turbo-T for 1987), after all. But this Regal variant is unlike almost any other you could run into. While it may look fairly boring on the outside, the Regal T-Type is anything but under the skin. Those who know, know that this car is an absolute performance monster for an ’80s American coupe. Instead of a V8 like a typical high-performance luxury coupe, the Buick Regal T-Type had a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6. This produced 235 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque in regular T-Types, and 245 hp and 355 lb-ft of torque in the Turbo-T version. That power went to the rear wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.
235–245 hp is a very impressive achievement for a malaise-era performance car in any respect, let alone one powered by a V6. That’s really illustrated by the fact that it was actually more powerful than the V8-powered Regals of the same era. Regals sold alongside the T-Type that were fitted with the 5.0-liter Chevrolet or Oldsmobile V8 didn’t produce any more than 160 hp or 255 lb-ft of torque. Compared to the figures the T-Type’s turbocharged V6 put out, that makes the V8s look almost embarrassingly slow.
When it got independently tested, the 1984 T-Type’s figures were impressive for an ordinary-looking 1980s coupe too. The 0–60 mph sprint took 8 seconds, and it could run a standing quarter mile in 15.9 seconds at 87 mph. That’s a bit underwhelming by today’s standards. But considering this was a time when even American cars powered by big V8s were woefully underpowered, it was probably one of the best-performing cars one of Detroit’s Big Three could sell you.
It Has The Same Powertrain As The Buick Grand National
If that 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 sounds familiar, that’s no coincidence. This is exactly the same engine that was used in the much more celebrated Buick Grand National. Putting the Grand National’s powerful V6 into a car that had an even more subtle appearance was definitely a recipe for a brilliant sleeper car. It also helps to carry on the reputation that the Grand National’s powertrain has for being a V8-killer.
It’s Rarer Than The Grand National
Not only is the Buick Regal T-Type much less talked about than the Grand National, but it’s also a fair bit rarer. In 1986 alone, 2,384 Buick Regal T-Types were produced compared to 5,512 Buick Grand Nationals. Clearly, the brand value and sportier appearance of the Grand National appealed more to customers than the more subtle but still fast Regal T-Type.
Collectors Are Starting To Take Notice Of The Buick Regal T-Type
Due to its rarity and sleeper car appeal, the Buick Regal T-Type is finally starting to make collectors turn heads. The values of these cars are rising significantly on the used market, to the point where regular enthusiasts are priced out of owning them. The average used value of the Buick Regal T-Type is around $28,581. If you go for the absolute top end of the market and opt for a prime example of the 1987 Turbo-T, you could end up paying as much as $45,000. If things carry on the way they are now, there is a very good chance that the best examples of the T-Type/Turbo-T could end up becoming six-figure cars in terms of their value.
Sources: Bring A Trailer, Buick, Car & Driver, Classic.com
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