The 6 Fastest Buicks Ever Made: From the GNX to the 162 MPH Regal GS

by AutoExpert   |  18 November, 2025

Share :

Buick doesn’t usually pop up in conversations about speed. Most people think soft seats, retired neighbors, and quiet Sunday drives. But tucked between all that comfort, Buick actually built a handful of cars that could move. Some were legit muscle; others were sneaky-fast sleepers.

Here are six of the quickest Buicks ever made — and how fast they really go when nobody’s watching the speedometer.

1987 Buick GNX — 124 mph

The GNX was Buick’s “surprise, we can do performance too” moment. Built with help from ASC and McLaren Engines, the turbo V6 hit harder than anyone expected. Buick even had to electronically cap it at 124 mph so the chassis wouldn’t freak out. It’s still one of the most loved Buicks ever — and still looks mean today.

1987_Buick_GNX

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS — 133 mph

Yes, a LaCrosse. The CXS version used a shared GM V6 that revved nicely and gave this comfy sedan the ability to quietly creep up to 133 mph. It wasn’t meant to be a sports car, but it definitely wasn’t slow.

2010_Buick_LaCrosse_CXS

1986 Buick Regal T-Type — 136 mph

The Regal T-Type was Buick’s other turbo troublemaker. When it came out, magazines couldn’t stop talking about how shockingly quick it was — and they weren’t wrong. With an intercooled turbo V6 making 235 hp, it could climb to 136 mph and embarrass plenty of “real” performance cars of the era.

1986_Buick_Regal_T_Type

1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 — 145 mph

One word: torque. The GSX Stage 1 packed a massive 455-cid V8 with 510 lb-ft — more twist than some modern trucks. Only 400 were made, and they could blast up to 145 mph. People didn’t call it the “Hemi Killer” for nothing.

1970_Buick_GSX_Stage_1

2012 Buick Regal GS — 162 mph

The fastest production Buick ever. A turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder doesn’t sound exciting, but this little engine delivered. With 270 hp, sharp suspension, and lots of grip, the Regal GS hit a verified 162 mph during Nevada’s Open Road Challenge. It’s the underdog that shocked everybody.

2012_Buick_Regal_GS

Buick March Indy Car — 236 mph

And then there’s the full-on race car. Buick’s V6-powered Indy machines were absolute rockets. In 1996, Eddie Cheever Jr. set an Indy 500 lap record of 236.1 mph using a wild, Buick-based pushrod engine. Buick hasn’t raced in decades, but that number still raises eyebrows.

Buick_March_Indy_Car

Recomended:

Everyone Says Pop-Up Headlights Were Banned, but That Is Not What Actually Happened - Photo
Others
Everyone Says Pop-Up Headlights Were Banned, but That Is Not What Actually Happened

Few automotive features can make a parked car look as alive as pop-up headlights. Turn the switch and two neat sections of bodywork rise from the hood, pause with theatrical precision and reveal the l

AutoExpert
This Talking Datsun Hid a Tiny Six-Track Record Player Beneath the Dashboard - Photo
Others
This Talking Datsun Hid a Tiny Six-Track Record Player Beneath the Dashboard

A new car speaking to its driver no longer feels remarkable. Navigation systems issue directions, safety assistants complain about lane markings and voice controls wait patiently for somebody to remem

AutoExpert
Honda Built Navigation Before GPS Using Helium, Transparent Maps and a Glowing Green Dot - Photo
Others
Honda Built Navigation Before GPS Using Helium, Transparent Maps and a Glowing Green Dot

There was a time when getting lost required some commitment. A driver would unfold a road map across the steering wheel, locate two towns that appeared to be printed directly on top of one another, th

AutoExpert
Your Front Brakes Do Most of the Work, So Why Did the Rear Pads Wear Out First? - Photo
Others
Your Front Brakes Do Most of the Work, So Why Did the Rear Pads Wear Out First?

The usual explanation sounds perfectly logical. When a car slows down, its weight moves toward the front. The front tires carry more load, so the front brakes provide more of the stopping force. That

AutoExpert
Rubber Is Naturally Pale, So Why Did the Automotive World Make Every Tire Black? - Photo
Others
Rubber Is Naturally Pale, So Why Did the Automotive World Make Every Tire Black?

A bright red car, a metallic blue car and a taxi painted the color of a highlighter will normally leave the factory with exactly the same footwear. Black tires. The color seems so inevitable

AutoExpert
A Fatal Hand-Crank Accident Helped Change the Way Every Car Starts - Photo
Others
A Fatal Hand-Crank Accident Helped Change the Way Every Car Starts

Starting a modern car requires so little effort that the action barely registers. Turn a key, press a button or let the vehicle recognize that its driver has climbed aboard. A second later, the engine

AutoExpert
You Installed the Correct Battery, but Your Car May Still Think the Old One Is There - Photo
Others
You Installed the Correct Battery, but Your Car May Still Think the Old One Is There

Changing a car battery used to be one of the cleaner bargains in home mechanics.Remove two terminals, undo the clamp, lift out the old battery and fit the new one. The clock might need resetting a

AutoExpert
Highway Rumble Strips Are Designed to Sound Awful, but Making Them Quieter Could Save Lives Too - Photo
Others
Highway Rumble Strips Are Designed to Sound Awful, but Making Them Quieter Could Save Lives Too

One tire wanders across the painted line and the previously quiet cabin erupts with a harsh mechanical growl. The steering wheel trembles, the seat vibrates and, for half a second, it feels as if some

AutoExpert
People Once Wanted Car Radios Banned Because Listening While Driving Seemed Far Too Dangerous - Photo
Others
People Once Wanted Car Radios Banned Because Listening While Driving Seemed Far Too Dangerous

A dashboard without a radio now looks unfinished. Even the most basic car is expected to provide music, news and something to fill the silence when traffic has stopped moving but the clock has not.

AutoExpert
The Seatbelt That Chased You Across the Door Was America’s Cheaper Alternative to an Airbag - Photo
Others
The Seatbelt That Chased You Across the Door Was America’s Cheaper Alternative to an Airbag

Open the door of certain 1980s or early 1990s cars and a small buckle begins travelling along the roofline. Sit down, close the door and the shoulder belt glides toward the B-pillar, hopefully passi

AutoExpert