1:18 Scale GMP 8103 (Black Chrome) Buick Centennial 2003

Details about this Model:

Car Name: Centennial 2003 BUICK GNX

GMP Part Number: 8103

Vehicle Color: chrome black

Interior Color: black/gray

Production Run: 2003

Release Date: July 2003

Window Sticker Included: no

Envelope For Window Sticker: no

Lithograph Made: yes

Lithograph Production Quantity: 547

Litho Autographed by: Tim Frederick

COA Included: yes

Outer Box: no

Part of a Set/Group: no

THIS is the 12th car in the series.

This car is technically out of order (number wise) due to the production release dates (& that’s the way we are running these on this website).

This issue was created for Buick’s Centennial Celebration, held in Flint, Michigan, July 23 – 27, 2003.

The old script style Buick logo is ghost printed in the background of the COA.

A letter from EE was included in the box (about the lithograph label placement), so the labels were left off the tubes that contained the lithos.
EE did place numbered stickers on the endcaps however.
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The Tim Frederick created & autographed lithograph measured 16″ x 20″ which was larger than every other lithograph from the entire series (11″ x 14″).
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It also was more like a poster, as the finish on it was glossy, instead of the usual semi-matte type finish found on previous versions.

The car is basically a copy of GMP’s earlier version (#8003), aside from it being black chrome plated, and an added graphic on the rear quarter panels that had the Buick script logo with the words “Centennial 2003” inside it.
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The car is wrapped inside the box using a 1-piece sytrofoam tissue (found only on 2 other cars: #8001b & #8009), and then surrounded by a GMP logo’d piece of wrap.

The box has a lot of pictures of various Buick vehicles from its history printed on it, along with an array of Buick logos & emblems used in the past.

This would be the very first inner box, that on the bottom side, would have Epitome Exclusives name & logo listed on it right alongside GMP’s.

This commemorative issue Buick GNX is very shiny because of the chrome paint, so it’s hard to take pics of it!
(but to try to let you see how it looks, some pics show the car using a camera flash, then not, for comparisons sake)

The Front of the Box says:

Buick Motor Division, which celebrates its centennial in 2003, claims one of the most important and dramatic chapters in the history of the American automobile. Important? Buick was the financial pillar on which General Motors, today the world’s largest automaker, was created. Also, the roster of Buick’s early leaders is an all-star lineup of auto pioneers. William C. Durant, GM’s founder; Charles W. Nash, a founder of what became American Motors; Walter P. Chrysler, founder of Chrysler Corp.; and Harlow H. Curtice, a GM chief executive in the postwar era and Time Magazine’s 1955 “Man of the Year.” As legendary GM President Alfred P. Sloan Jr. once wrote, “Buick had the management of stars.” Then there’s Louis Chevrolet, who helped Durant found Chevrolet Motor Co. His earlier stint at Buick was not as an executive but as a star of the Buick racing team. Dramatic? The division’s history has been exciting from the beginning. One example: Buick recovered from near-bankruptcy in 1904 to stake a claim as the No. 1 producer of automobiles in 1908 by some accounts surpassing the combined production of Ford and Cadillac, its two closest competitors. This excitement continues today. By its centennial year of 2003, the marque that Detroit plumbing inventor David Buick had begun and Flint carriage king Billy Durant had built into a giant, had long been an American icon. Buick’s current leaders have said future Buicks will build on the marquee’s reputation for delivering upscale, high-value vehicles with distinctive and romantic designs, smooth power, overall reliability and a comfortable secure ride. Or, as Buick today sums it up, “Premium American Style.”

The Inside of the Box Says:

Buick Centennial 2003

2003 marks the centennial anniversary of Buick Motor Division…. 100 years of automobile innovation, elegance and noteworthy power! From patenting the later industry standard overhead valve engine in 1904 to introducing the first mass produced V6 in America in 1962, Buick continues to forge its leadership role today with its supercharged V6 engines and immensely popular line of full size cars. Buick also has a rich history and broad following for its contributions to one of Americas greatest areas of automobile enthusiasm….. musclecars. In 1970, Buick’s powerful Gran Sport and GSX could be ordered with a 455CI big block motor that produced a whopping 510 ft lbs. of torque, a power level unmatched by any other mass produced musclecar of the era or since. 1980s musclecar power was also dominated by Buick. The turbocharged and intercooled V6 Grand National in 1986/1987 and the 547 GNX produced in 1987 are now legends in musclecar history for their incredibly fast time slips and flat out mean looks. With its functional fender vents and flares, factory ladder bar rear suspension and various power upgrades, the GNX was clearly the quickest production car of the 1980s and beyond. The advances made to produce these cars with technology that was seemingly way ahead of its time, is once again a testament to Buick’s role as a leader in the industry….. the GNX was the crown jewel that proved it. “Going Fast With Class” has become the Buick musclecar enthusiast’s mantra, reflecting the class and elegance of the cars they so enjoy. The 1904 Model B, 1939 Roadmaster, 1953 Skylark, 1970 Gran Sport and GSX, 1986/1987 Grand National and GNX.. these are just a few of the cars that represent a 100-year tradition of excellence from a motor company started by David Buick in 1903. Just think where Buick will lead the industry in the next 100 years!

GNX Commemorative Edition