The Buick Grand National debuted in 1982 in homage to Buick's two consecutive Nascar Manufacturer Cup wins in 1981 and 1982. The "Grand National" name comes from the popular Nascar Grand National Racing series.

At the time, Buick shipped charcoal grey Regals to subcontractors for the Buick Grand National detailing and finishing. Michigan auto shop Cars and Concepts retrofitted 215 of the grey Regals with the Grand National package.

The Grand National finishes included silver-grey fire-mist paint on both sides of the car, red pinstriping and the word "BUICK" in shadow letters. The shop applied black vinyl tape to both the rocker panel and wheel opening moulding and added a rear spoiler and front air dam.

Grand Nationals received special seats, known as "Lear-Siegler" seats. The Lear-Sieglers were adjustable and had black vinyl inserts with silver cloth, with the front seat showcasing Buick's "6" symbol.

These models also had an addition of a special clock plate to the instrument panel. The plate featured an orange and yellow Buick "6" symbol with "Grand National Buick Motor Division" written in capital letters.

Buick Grand National models from 1982 had a 4.1 litre V6 engine. Some Regal Sports Coupes were fitted with the Grand National package during the first 1982 run, but it's estimated that fewer than 50 of these were made. The Coupe Grand Nationals had a turbocharged 3.8 litre V6 engine.

Buick would sporadically offer Grand Nationals in 1984, 1986 and 1987, the final production year for models with the Buick Grand National name. The 1984 version was all black and had a 3.8 litre V6 engine. Only 2,000 were made. The 1986 model featured a revised engine design with improved intercooling, increasing the horsepower.

The 1987 Grand Nationals were lighter cars. These models were all black, with black bumpers and exterior parts, similar to the Turbo T package also available for Regals at the time.

In 1987, the final year for the Grand National, Buick introduced the last model of the line, the GNX. Priced at $29,900, the GNX was rated by Buick at 276 hp with 360 lb/ft of torque. Many design changes were made to this model, including the use of 16-inch mesh-style wheels in black.