The forgotten muscle car from the 1970s that surpassed supercars is still affordable

Think of GM muscle cars from the 1970s. Your mind probably went to the legendary Chevelle SS 454 LS6, or maybe the Pontiac GTO Judge that collectors vie for. Great options, but there’s a 1970 model year GM muscle car that barely gets a mention these days, even though it was powerful enough and fast enough to run and in some tests beat many of the fastest muscle cars of the era. This muscle car didn’t need a crazy appearance package or other wild styling elements to show that it was the baddest GM muscle car of the day. Instead, it kept a relatively understated appearance and let the engine that delivered the gloom do the talking.

Its massive torque and big-block punch earned it a serious reputation in vintage road tests, but for some odd reason, it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, and as a result, prices have remained fairly flat compared to its rivals. So without further ado, meet the 1970 Buick GS455.

1970 Buick GS 455: GM’s Worst Muscle Car Nobody Remembers

As GM’s “semi-luxury” brand, Buick wasn’t known for offering performance-oriented models, but after Pontiac built the GTO in 1964 and launched the muscle car craze, even they couldn’t resist the urge to join the horsepower wars. So, just a year after the GTO’s debut, Buick introduced the Gran Sport (GS), a high-performance version of the mid-size Skylark A-body.

The Skylark GS was only sold as a two-door hardtop, pillared coupe or convertible and was equipped with the legendary 401 cubic inch “Nailhead” V8. This move not only marked a drastic change in Buick’s modus operandi, but also went against GM’s ill-fated engine ban that prevented its brands from installing engines larger than 400 cubic inches in mid-size cars. However, the GS’s engine was officially listed as 400 cubic inches.

The GS was a smashing success, and by the 1968 model year, Buick promoted it to a separate model based on the two-door Skylark chassis and body. The 1968 GS 400 also received an updated design that made it one of the best-looking muscle cars of the day. Buick also phased out the old Nailhead V8 in 1967, replacing it with a new 400-cubic-inch V8 that produced 340 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, but was often outclassed on paper by the most extreme Fords and Hemi-blocks of the time. Even within the GM family, the GS was often rated below some GM siblings in peak horsepower, and this did not sit well with Buick engineers with the high levels of internal competition between GM brands at the time.

Then came 1970 and changed everything. 1970 was a huge year for GS, but even more so for GM as a company. Finally, the best people came to their senses and lifted the engine ban, which was akin to unleashing a predator that had sat and watched helplessly for years as city rivals dominated the muscle car market with their unrestricted big blocks. Buick engineers were ready to run and dropped a behemoth 455 cubic inch V8 into the GS, creating the 1970 GS 455.

The Torquey GS 455 was Buick’s contribution to the Golden Age of the Muscle Car

The “Golden Age” of muscle cars, which lasted from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, produced some of the most iconic muscle cars. While GM had a few competitors, including models like the 1969 Hurst/Olds, that found a way around the ban, it largely missed out because the restrictions prevented its midsize models from reaching their full potential. Fortunately, they lifted the ban in 1970 and everyone let loose.

Since GM divisions in this era relied heavily on their own engine families, Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile all installed different versions of 455-cubic-inch V8s in their A-body cars, but Buick’s execution created a ferocious monster that showed the others who was boss. The GS 455’s behemoth engine produced 350 hp at 4,600 rpm and an insane 510 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm. In that era, manufacturers sometimes quoted conservative power figures, which is why vintage testers and later builders often claimed that output was conservative. The Buick engine also featured a thin-walled casting block that made it lighter than rivals, further improving its power-to-weight ratio—it was about 150 pounds lighter than a Chevy 454.

While the 350 hp figure was easy to chip away at, with many rivals already topping the 400 hp mark, the car’s 510 lb-ft of torque was hard to beat, especially considering it was hit at just 2,800 rpm. This massive torque figure and the high speed at which it was delivered is why the GS 455 has often been nicknamed the “Torque King”. It was often cited as a torque benchmark for American performance cars of its era; later performance cars like the 2003 Viper (525 lb-ft) exceeded it.

The stage 1 package took it a step further

For those who wanted more power, Buick offered the “Stage 1” package, which had been introduced in the 1969 model year. On the 1970 GS 455, the $199 Stage 1 package boosted horsepower to a still understated 360 hp, thanks to high-flow cylinder heads, a hotter cam, and a specially tuned Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor. The cooling system and suspension system also received some upgrades, resulting in a car that could run the quarter mile in 13.38 seconds at over 105 mph, according to period tests from Engine trend Magazine.

While these numbers put the 1970 GS 455 Stage 1 in the same conversation as rivals like the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6 and Pontiac GTO Judge (Ram Air IV), the GS 455 remains a forgotten relic of the past while Chevy and Pontiac continue to enjoy endless acclaim today. One of the reasons behind this is the GS 455’s image as a “ladies’ muscle car” because despite having so much power under the hood, it still catered to traditional Buick luxury buyers and had luxury features such as plush bucket seats, wood trim, a center console, deluxe steering wheel, and a relatively comfortable cabin.

The 1970 GS 455 is a rare sight

The GS 455 ticked all the boxes for muscle car purists and seemed to dominate the rest of the 70’s, but unfortunately its reign was short-lived with tighter emissions restrictions forcing Buick to downsize in 1971 to 315 hp and 450 lb-ft of standard torque and 345 hp for the standard 465 hp and torque GS. lb-ft for the Stage-1 equipped version. If the GS 455 was GM’s swan song for the muscle car era, 1970 is when it hit its highest notes.

Buick produced 9,470 non-GSX GS 455 models in 1970, of which 2,697 were equipped with the Stage 1 package. This is not a car you’re likely to hit the wilds with very often. Convertibles are much rarer than coupes, accounting for 1,184 of the GS 455 total, just 232 of those equipped with the Stage 1 package. Even more of a unicorn is the GSX package, whose numbers we didn’t include in the 9,470 figure, but more on that shortly.

The GSX was even meaner and rarer

With the muscle car wars in full swing in 1970, Buick hatched a plan to build a high-performance, limited-production halo car that could take on industry giants like the Chevelle SS and Pontiac GTO Judge. At the same time, Buick wanted something that would drive more showroom traffic to the redesigned 1970 A-body, which is why they decided to build a special version of the GS 455 – the GSX.

Not everyone wanted a “gentleman’s muscle car,” and Buick knew it. Some gear wanted to announce its performance intentions, even when parked, and that’s exactly what the GSX delivered. The hardtop-exclusive GSX package cost $1,195 on top of the GS 455’s $3,283 price tag, and for that, the Gears got an exclusive choice of Saturn Yellow or Apollo White paint color, distinctive black stripes, front and rear spoilers, and a working hood-mounted tachometer. In terms of performance, the GSX package featured a stiffer suspension, stiffer shocks and springs, and power disc brakes; quick-ratio power steering was optional. Like the GS 455, the GSX also had the Stage 1 option which took things up a notch. Buick ended up producing just 678 GSXs in 1970, according to most sources, with 400 of them equipped with the Stage 1 package.

Unlike the 1970 GS 455, the GSX gets more respect in automotive circles, although it was largely a looks package with similar performance levels to the more introverted GS 455. Sure, its rarity has something to do with it, but the normal GS 455 certainly deserves more respect, right?

The 1970 GS 455 is a collectible car that is attainable today

The 1970 GS 455 is a gorgeous golden era muscle car with a fantastic engine, genuine performance credentials, and relatively low production numbers, especially in Stage 1. This type of recipe usually pushes prices to levels that mere mortals could not afford, but for some reason, the 1970 GS 455 is surprisingly attainable. According to the Hagerty Appraisal Tool, a 1970 GS 455 sport coupe is valued at $29,800 in good #3 condition, and Classic.com shows recent sales up to $38,000 on November 7, 2025. The Stage 1 package is expected to command a premium, and Hagerty lists a 1970 SGS #50 I 4 sport coupe at $1,970 $38,000. good condition, Classic.com showing sales up to $51,000 on November 11, 2025. Convertibles can fetch much more, especially the 232 units with the Stage 1 package.

While these prices may not qualify as “cheap,” they are well below the GSX, which sold for $154,000 at Mecum Indy on May 16, 2025 in standard form, and $236,500 for a Stage 1 example at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on January 24, 2025. for $440,000 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on January 24, 2026.

The 1970 GS 455 may not draw as many oohs and aahs as its era’s glitzier, more famous rivals, but its pricing puts it within reach, even though it’s equipped to deliver better performance per dollar than its more famous contemporaries. In the world of all things automotive, we call this a simple idea.