Named for the NASCAR races that the Tri-Shield won in the early Eighties, the 1984 Buick Grand National was a turbocharged muscle car based on the Buick Regal that would lead to the Buick GNX, whose 4.7-second zero-to-60 blastoff outdid the contemporary Chevy Corvette, Ford Mustang, Ferrari Testarossa and Chevy Camaro, with only the Porsche 911 marginally faster.
Now, thanks to Hallmark, you can add the image of the groundbreaking 1984 Buick Grand National sedan to your Christmas tree in the form of a high-quality diecast metal ornament.
This holiday rendition of the 1984 Buick Grand National measures four inches long, 1.5 inches wide, and an inch tall and has a hanger attachment affixed to its roof. The exterior is finished in a gleaming, realistic jet black paint job, while the interior is gray. The wheels of the ornament are separate pieces, allowing them to turn.
The decoration is a commemorative edition saluting the 40th anniversary of the Grand National’s launch. Two dates are inscribed on the license plates in place of a license number, 1984 for the original vehicle’s launch and 2024 for the current year.
The Buick ornament comes in a festive-looking red and white Hallmark gift box so that it can be easily given as a present to someone who is interested in muscle car history. The box can also be used to store the diecast vehicle in between holidays to keep it looking fresh and new. Pricing is $21.99 plus shipping.
The Buick Grand National used advanced technology for its day to achieve its then-remarkable performance stats. This included computerized ignition and new fuel injection technology to squeeze maximum effect from its turbocharged 3.8L V6 gasoline engine, which developed 200 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.
Not only was the Grand National an impressive achievement in its own right for the first half of the 1980s, it also prepared the way for rapid advances in turbocharger technology, and that’s why this Tri-Shield model may deserve a place on your tree.
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