Written by independent automotive journalist Tom Jensen

Two examples of iconic muscle cars are headed to the Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction at No Reserve: a 1987 Buick GNX (Lot #687) and a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon (Lot #674).

At first blush, it’s tempting to think that a 1987 Buick GNX and a 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon don’t have a lot in common, but in reality they share an important place in the automotive history books. That’s because at the time each of these muscle cars were manufactured, they represented the pinnacle of American high performance in their respective eras.

Built 31 years apart, the Buick GNX and Dodge Challenger SRT Demon both blistered the asphalt with their stunning acceleration and state-of-the-art power plants. Think of them as bookends to a generation of automotive progress, tying together the days of “Dirty Dancing,” “Walk Like an Egyptian” and the debut of “The Simpsons” to “Black Panther,” “Girls Like You” and “Game of Thrones.”

Yes, more than three decades is a lot of ground to cover, but these two stunning examples of uniquely American muscle will cover that ground in a hurry. And for those who like their muscle cars fast and furious, both the Buick (Lot #687) and the Dodge (Lot #674) will be crossing the auction block at the upcoming 2019 Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction, June 26-29 at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

And both will sell at No Reserve, meaning they will each go to the highest bidder.

Back in its day, the GNX was the single fastest-accelerating American car you could buy new. Built only in 1987, the GNX was sort of a Buick Regal coupe on steroids, a collaboration between General Motors and McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC.

That this car was even built was rather remarkable, given that Buick would change the Regal platform from real-wheel drive in 1987 to front-wheel drive in ’88. In fact, Buick only manufactured 547 GNXs for ’87, with this example – being brought to the Barrett-Jackson auction block by its original owner – being #526.

The heart and soul of the GNX was a turbocharged and heavily modified 3.8-liter V6 engine that was conservatively rated at 276 horsepower, up from 245 on the base Grand National model. The GNX got the power boost through a new intercooler and high-tech Garrett turbocharger.

There were other model upgrades to the GNX, including meatier rubber on bigger rims, upgraded rear suspension, better gauges in the cockpit, front fender louvers and other less significant cosmetic changes.

The real magic was under the hood, where the conventional wisdom was that the Buick turbo V6 produced at least 300 horsepower, because the GNX would take just 4.7 seconds to accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour and cover the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. Nothing built by General Motors, Ford or Chrysler in 1987 was faster.

Enthusiast publications of the day knew the GNX was special. “Say you manage to snag one of the GNXs for your own,” Road & Track wrote in its June 1987 issue. “What could you do with it? Some might consider locking it away because in this era of too many same-same cars, there are precious few that will be the serious special interest cars of the future. This is one of them. You could go looking for Corvettes to embarrass.”

Even by GNX standards, the one crossing the auction block at Barrett-Jackson is special. This car has just 1,753 original miles (mileage not indicated on ownership document) and has always been covered and stored in a climate-controlled building.

In addition to the aforementioned turbocharged V6, this GNX comes with air conditioning, as well as power front disc brakes, steering and seats. And it has lots of original documentation dating back to the day it was purchased. Included in the sale are the original 1987 Window Sticker, a copy of the original Buick MSO, owner’s manual, Delco stereo manual, dealer delivery documents, GNX jacket and a GNX book.

While the Buick GNX was the fastest American car on four wheels in 1987, 31 years of progress is clearly reflected in the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, unquestionably the fastest American muscle car ever built and arguably the most outrageous as well.

Produced only in 2018, the Challenger SRT Demon is the ultimate example of straight-line speed, and the numbers it generated were – and still are – truly mind-boggling. Powered by an 840-horsepower supercharged HEMI V8 that produced 770 ft/lbs of torque, it debuted as the most powerful muscle car ever manufactured with the highest-horsepower V8 engine ever produced.

Certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the only production car to ever lift its wheels when accelerating from a standing start, the NHRA said that this Dodge ran the quarter-mile in 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. Then they promptly banned it because it was just too fast. Zero to 60 mph took just 2.3 seconds, faster than any other car in the world, according to Dodge.

Dodge built just 3,300 examples of the Challenger SRT Demon: 3,000 for the United States and another 300 for Canada. This one, selling at No Reserve at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction, is one of only 264 made in the aptly named Destroyer Gray color. Making it even more rare and special – a true one of one – is the fact that it was driven to a Dodge event and signed with pride by the three lead members of the Demon Development Team: the Lead Project Manager, Lead Chassis Engineer and Lead Engine Engineer.

In terms of equipment, this one comes with an extremely rare option combination: power sunroof (a feature on just 18 percent of Demons ordered), red seatbelts, aluminum black hood, painted Black Satin Graphics Package, leather and Alcantara interior with passenger and rear seat options, and an engine block heater. It’s also equipped with the Comfort Audio Group option, the Demon Crate, Demon car cover and delivery documents such as the Window Sticker. And it has just 342 miles on the odometer.

What’s it like to drive? A writer at Autoweek.com put it thusly: “Insanity! Pure, unattenuated, straitjacket-worthy insanity. The only other road car on the planet from a non-boutique brand that makes that power without hybrid help currently for sale is the Bugatti Chiron. Yeah, sure that Challenger SRT Demon has seatbelts, a stereo (I think) and other add-ons like a suspension and brakes, but who cares? I mean, seriously, we’re in a reality wormhole here, leaping through dimensions, stretching to the far reaches of the universe.”

So there you have it: Two generations of fascinating muscle cars separated by 31 years.

The Buick GNX was the fastest factory production American car sold in 1987.

The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon was the fastest factory production car in the world sold in 2018.

And now, two great examples of these iconic muscle cars will find new homes. Both will sell at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction, both at No Reserve. This is your chance to grab automotive history, and there’s no doubt that history will be going fast. Very, very fast.

For up-to-date information on these and other vehicles heading to the 2019 Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction, click HERE.