If you watched halftime of Super Bowl LIX (That’s 59 to you folks who don’t read Roman numerals), you saw hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar start his show standing on the hood of a black Buick Regal. Not just any Regal, of course, but a 1987 Regal GNX, a ridiculously potent car.
Lamar has always been a fan of the 1980s G-body offering from Buick, as he got a ride home in his parents’ Regal after he was born in 1987. As his career took off, he decided one of the things he must own in his life was a Buick GNX. Late in 2024, he surprised the music world with a new album called GNX, with the cover and lyrics professing his passion for the car. You can read way more about that story at The Autopian.
There have been several models of the Regal of that era, as well as the hot Grand National version, and a handful of ultimate GNX variants. So let’s take a look at the GNX in miniature. There are tons of “regular” Grand Nationals, but not a lot of GNX diecast.
One of these cars was featured in the Fast & Furious franchises, so naturally, movie tie-in models exist. Well, the movies used a Grand National, but folks get confused, and some of the diecast models used existing GNX castings.
Hot Wheels got into the F&F game with a premium detailed and priced 1/64 GNX model. You may have noticed these cars are all black, including grill, trim, and other exterior details. That’s because every GNX and all but the earliest Grand Nationals came that way. Hot Wheels has offered it in other premium lines such as the Boulevard series.
Hot Wheels also does a non-F&F casting of the GNX for their mainline models and has offered it in many decidedly not-black colors.
GMP offered a 1/18 scale GNX heavily modified for drag racing (like that would be necessary) and in different colors to boot. It’s surprising they don’t offer the stock version as well.
Muscle Machines really did the car justice with their comically proportioned 1/64 model. As with many MM diecast cars, there is a closed-hood variant and the ridiculous blown, giant engine version to choose from. If any car ever was born for the Muscle Machines treatment, it was this one.
There were only 547 GNX models ever made, with Lamar currently owning one of them. They haven’t sold for less than $100,000 in years, meaning you likely will never own one. At least you have your chance in miniature!
