A unique 2004 Buick Rainier GNX show vehicle is currently being offered for sale through a classic car dealership in New York state – although this isn’t the only time the seldom-seen GM concept has been put up for purchase.
General Motors developed the 2004 Buick Rainier GNX Concept as a show vehicle to promote the family crossover and to serve as a potential intra-company rival to the Chevy Trailblazer SS. The concept was based on a regular Buick Rainier with the naturally aspirated 5.3L GM Small Block V8 engine, which GM topped off with a Magnuson supercharger. The automaker claimed the Rainier GNX produced roughly 600 horsepower, which was sent through a four-speed automatic transmission to the supercharged SUV’s factory all-wheel drive system.
Other upgrades included a full Borla exhaust, 20-inch sport alloy wheels, a custom GNX gauge cluster, GNX exterior badging, a gloss black grille and exterior trim, six-way power heated seats, a navigation system and an overhead flip-down DVD player. The dealer, WeBe Autos Consignments, is asking $49,995 for the pleasure of putting it in your garage.
This vehicle was briefly used as a show car before GM stuffed it in its Heritage Center collection in Michigan – but it wouldn’t stay there for very long, according to the dealership listing. After the automaker filed for bankruptcy in the spring of 2009, it was required to show the federal government it was making good faith efforts to recoup as much money as possible for its assets. This included selling off many of the vehicles that were sitting in the Heritage Center, so the Rainier GNX was auctioned off via Barrett-Jackson, selling for $30,250. The vehicle also fetched $19,250 at a separate Barrett-Jackson auction in 2015, which we covered in a brief article at the time.
This concept isn’t good for much, as it cannot be driven on the road, but we supposed it’d make an interesting conversation piece for any diehard GM or Buick fans out there. Rather inexplicably, the vehicle somehow has amassed 24,000 miles since it was built back in 2004. It seems possible these miles could have been racked up at a racetrack or dragstrip, or perhaps the vehicle was once owned by someone who drove it on the road regardless of the law.
Check out the dealership listing at this link.
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Comments
Bada$$$ Buick kheddddd damn GM I miss the old you now you stink at literally everything you build nothing but garbage now.. And it’s a shame cuz you used to make the best truck from 1988 to 2006 You guys were the best then the EPA made you do AFM and that was the end of GM for me.. now all the 2006 and older trucks are freaking going through the roof because nobody wants to drive in new trucks cuz they suck so bad
Wow before gm went in the gutter I miss you guys so much it breaks my heart… I won’t drive a Ford or dodge but I won’t drive a new gm either so I’ll continue to drive 2006 and older gm trucks till I die
Hey those guys are right GM trucks have so many issues nowadays It’s not even funny It’s sad when RAM is better now and RAM is trash
2007 ain’t too bad either!!!
get a load of these guys… lol
Just make a turbo i6 put two more pistons on the 2.7 L i4 turbo truck engine and call it a day and stop giving us the stupid four cylinder as a stop gap just to see if guys will buy it I know what you’re doing and I’m not stupid and yes people are buying them but just put two more pistons on it please make it a truck engine please I know it’s a truck engine as it is yeah a truck engine in Korea a truck engine and freaking Afghanistan on a little cab over yeah sure not here though
Just realized that they would ruin a turbo i6 with DOD anyway so nevermind… I give up the 1500s are no longer trucks anyway.. please never ruin the 2500s and up with DOD please i know the EPA is less strict on those 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞…. The 6.6l gas is awsome!!! I just hate that the 1/2 tons became tahoes with beds with struts in front DOD, Auto stop/start.. but before the electric vehicles completely take over and you completely ruin the halfton can we please have one more Silverado SS with LT4 no DOD And I will buy it immediately no matter what the price is and will love you forever You do it in the Escalade v so there’s no reason that motor can’t go on a crew cab Silverado and yes it will be a crew cab because every generation of the SS the cab got bigger of course I would love it to be a regular cab short bed but the market won’t call for that and they won’t sell any at least not enough to make money It has to be profitable.. I would literally trade in my truck and buy one immediately.. Don’t make it an off-road performance truck either Don’t try to compete with the TRX or the raptor save that for the ZR2 for the beast leave the SS a street truck please I’m begging you
You didn’t say why it’s illegal to drive on the road?
It has brakes and brake lights, headlights, turn signals, a complete motor, complete interior with safety belts and airbags, and wipers.
If it goes for 20k it’s a steal. It would barely cost any money to make this street legal.
Why is this not street legal?
Because it’s a pre-production concept vehicle which has never been subjected to any type of safety or emissions regulations which are required in order to title and register a vehicle
It does not meet MVSS and EPA standards. Styling vehicles are sold without a title. They are only concepts. Museum material.
Good info!
It looked “all good” to me until you got to the point where it says it can’t be titled or driven. It was a great concept though.