During the Second World War, German U-boats and Japanese submarines were known to attack merchant ships in order to sever shipping arteries that provided valuable resources to Allied Forces. As an ingenious countermeasure against the Axis threat, the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy created a new grade of vessels -- heavily armed merchant ships fitted with concealed naval weapons. Essentially a wolf in sheep's clothing, these vessels were designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. As merchant ships lied in wait with weapons raised, the submarines didn't know what hit them. These disguised merchant ships were known amongst the Navy as 'Q-ships.'
Later, the auto industry would adopt this terminology to describe a new car segment. Known as the "Q-car," automakers experimented with the idea of a vehicle with high levels of performance combined with an unassuming exterior that looked no different than a regular family vehicle.
Arguably one of the most notorious examples of the Q-car was the 1984-1987 Buick Grand National. Without any gaudy racing stripes, SS badging, or a supercharged V8 ruckus to betray its secret identity, the boxy Buick Regal-based Grand National coupe became legendary for flying beneath the radar. Offering a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6 on tap, the Grand National ran from 0-to-60 mph in just 6.1 seconds and reached the quarter-mile in 13.85 seconds, more than enough to outrun sports cars worth six times its premium at the time.
As a tribute to such a unique machine, Andrew Fillipone Jr. has been hard at work on Black Air, a Buick Grand National documentary set for a December 11th release.
For the curious auto enthusiasts and the Buick Grand National fans out there that can't wait to learn more, an early August 4th screening is available at the "National Meet" at the Buick Performance Group located at Hebron Ohio. Attendees will get to enjoy a special 20-minute sneak preview of the Black Air documentary.
For now, check out the 2-minute Black Air trailer below:
BLACK AIR - "Misfit" Teaser from Andrew Filippone Jr. on Vimeo.
