YouTube presenters Thomas and James from the Throttle House channel usually spend their on-camera time cruising in a drool-worthy sports car or a fresh-from-the-factory family hauler. But a recent video takes a retro approach as the duo checks out a pristine 1987 Buick GNX (Grand National Experimental) with only 1,300 miles.

While the Buick GNX has a near-mythic stature with many enthusiasts and collectors, some behind-the-wheel-time reveals how subsequent decades of automotive progress put things in perspective.

RELATED: 10 Things Only Real Gearheads Know About The Buick GNX

Driving The Buick GNX

While praising what the Buick GNX meant in 1987 and the condition of their tester, Thomas and James quickly discover the highs and lows of the car. It’s a particularly insightful look because many recent GNX reviews don’t take into account that the car is more than three decades old.

In a nutshell, we learn that the GNX got built for the quarter-mile and straightaways. Sharp turns and corner-carving are best left to vehicles with a more sophisticated suspension.

RELATED: 1987 Buick GNX Can Still Obliterate These Modern Sports Cars

What Makes The Buick GNX So Special?

Driving a 1987 Buick GNX on a two-lane road
Via YouTube/Throttle House

With the GNX, Buick proved that straight-line performance didn’t require a V8. Thanks to things like a Garrett turbocharger and a reprogrammed engine control module (remember, this was the 1980s), the trusty 3.8-liter V6 became a potent beast with 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque. And a 0-60 time of less than five seconds gave the Buick GNX bragging rights as the world’s fastest production vehicle.

Also adding to the GNX’s uniqueness is that Buick only built 547 examples. Thomas and James drove #116.

How Much Is A 1987 Buick GNX Worth?

The front end of a 1987 Buick GNX
Via YouTube/Throttle House

When released, the 1987 Buick GNX sold for $29,900. That’s about $81,000 today, or about the same as a nicely equipped C8 Chevrolet Corvette. But these sleeper Buicks have risen significantly in value over the years, particularly as collectors have flocked to the once-bargain prices of automobiles from the 1980s.

According to the video, the featured and near-perfect GNX has a $250,000 asking price from the California-based seller. At first glance, that’s an eye-popping amount, but experts say it's spot-on.

Hagerty gives a concours-quality GNX a value of $288,000. Even a fair-condition example could fetch $80,000. In between, a GNX in excellent condition is worth $179,000, while they assign a value of $115,000 for a good-condition GNX.

Source: YouTube/Throttle House, hagerty.com, bls.gov