Get Involved
Forced induction was sweeping through the automotive landscape in the 1970s, with the Porsche 911 Turbo, Pontiac Trans-Am Turbo, and others. The question was raised at Buick boardrooms: what’s going on with turbos? Buick answered loudly with the Regal Grand National and Regal T-Type.
While a turbocharged V6 was optional in Regals starting in 1978, things didn’t get good until 1984, when the Regal Grand National and Regal T-Type offered 200 turbocharged horsepower (Grand Nationals also got more goodies like stiffer suspension, wider wheels, and more aerodynamic bodywork). By 1987, their final year, power was up to 245. Grand Nationals blessed by McLaren Engines were sold as the GNX, and got an advertised 276 horsepower, as well as a host of other upgrades. They blitzed to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, leaving V8 Mustangs and Camaros in their dust. Just 547 examples were built in 1987, all of which are worth as much as a decent house these days.
Buick could have stayed out of the turbo game, but they chose to get involved and make an impact. If you feel something tugging at your heart, and you know you need to do something about it, listen to the voice that’s calling your name. It could be God.
This was what the prophet Elijah experienced. He was under attack due to some prophecy that hit too close to home for some people. So he fled and hid in a cave, and “the word of the Lord came to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’”(1 Kings 19:9) Elijah explained that people were angry at him. God responded by sending a wind that tore open the rocks, “but the Lord was not in the wind” (v. 10) and an earthquake, but “the Lord was not in the earthquake” (v. 11) and then fire, “but the Lord was not in the fire” (v. 12). After the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him again, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 12-13)
It’s a good question. What are you doing, anyway? Why are you hiding? You have the opportunity to do the will of God that will bring saving power into people’s lives, so why are you holed up in a cave? Through the wind, earthquake, and fire, God showed just how much power he had. Elijah had nothing to be afraid of. But it wasn’t until God whispered that Elijah saw how God’s unmatched power would be accompanied by his unwavering love.
By speaking to people through stories like this, God meets his people with the same message today. Yes, he has complete power over any situation. He could destroy anything that gives you fear (including people, which could be what Elijah wanted), but instead he calls you out of hiding and whispers to you with his presence. He gives confidence to meet with people who are on their way to destruction so he can be present with them too. None of these things are possible when you cower in fear.
So God asks again: What are you doing? Will you love these people with the whispering presence of God? Or will you hide from them and pray for their destruction? Sure, it’s easier to isolate yourself and live in fear. But you, and the people in your circle of influence, could miss out on experiencing an almighty power and an unrelenting love that they’ll never forget.
In the 1980s, Buick went all in on their Regals. They were raced in Trans-Am, IMSA GTP and the Indy 500. Richard Petty won the 1981 Daytona 500 in a Regal. Far from being a footnote in automotive history, Buick’s 3.8-liter turbo V6 economized the turbo technology that continues to this day. All it took was the willingness to get involved.
