Kevin Hart’s Latest Restomod Is a Gorgeous Buick Grand National With 650 Horses Under the Hood
Kevin Hart may need to find himself a bigger garage soon.
The funnyman just unveiled the latest addition to his growing collection of American muscle, a 1987 Buick Grand National T-Top restomod built by Salvaggio Design. It may not have the same pedigree as some of his other recent acquisitions, but it continues the trend of being finished in all black.
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Only in production for a single year, 1987, the Grand National GNX is easily one of the coolest American-made cars of the era. It’s easy to see why. Even today, its all-black finish looks incredibly stylish. It was also fitted with a 3.8-liter turbocharged and intercooled V-6 that pumped out 276 hp and 360 ft lbs of torque, allowing it to hold its own against cars with even bigger mills. As well regarded as the coupé may be, Hart, who already owns a GNX, and Wisconsin-based shop saw room for improvement.
Hart’s Grand National, which he’s dubbed the “Dark Knight,” isn’t so much a reimagining of the GNX as an homage. At a glance, it looks just like the factory version of the car, but a closer inspection reveals some key differences. The comedian wanted to “tighten” the car’s lines, so it’s been fitted with a new and subtly reshaped front bumper, hood and rear spoiler, all of which are made from carbon fiber, and outfitted with new door handles. It’s been finished in BASF black paint and rides on a set of 19-inch wheels finished in nickel. Inside, the leather interior looks similar to that of the original, though, grey and blue accents, along with bronze cross stitching, have been added as a nod to the car’s namesake, Batman.
The bigger changes are those that you can’t see. Salvaggio Design’s approach to the project was to imagine what the GNX would be equipped with if it were built today. That meant swapping out the car’s original mill for the 3.6-liter V-6 from the Cadillac ATS-V. That engine normally comes with twin turbochargers, but the shop opted to equip it with a single Boost Labs ball-bearing turbo. With 103 octane, the engine is able to pump out 650 horses, though new crankshafts and racing fuel should push that number closer to 700. The car also boasts a new laser-cut, TIG-welded frame with a bolt-in subframe, a retuned suspension and Brembo GT brakes on each wheel.
Hart’s comedy may not be for everybody, but there’s no denying that his taste in vehicles, especially those made in America, is excellent. Over the last couple of years, he’s acquired some truly beautiful cars, including an all-black 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner and 1970 Dodge Charger retromod. Not all the comedian’s cars look alike, though. He also purchased a gorgeous 1959 Chevrolet Corvette finished in Fanny Green with dazzling chrome accents and white-walled tires last year.
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