With the 2025 Indianapolis 500 only days away, now would seem to be the perfect time for this 1981 Buick Regal to hit the market. Buick was given the honor of supplying the Pace Car for that year’s race, and it leveraged its exposure by producing a Pace Car Edition for sale to the general public. What makes these cars special is that the production number is lower than virtually any other similar vehicle produced before or since. It is an unmolested classic in exceptional condition for its age, needing nothing but a new home. The seller has listed the Regal here on eBay in Marshall, Illinois. Bidding sits below the reserve at $14,995, although there is a BIN option of $28,000 for those wishing to bypass the auction process.

Buick’s Second Generation Regal range, which sold from 1978 until 1987, brought us the iconic Grand National and GNX muscle cars. Some people consider the Indy Pace Car Edition as a toe-in-the-water exercise to gauge buyer response to special editions, hitting the market a year before the release of the first Grand National. The 1981 Indy Pace Car was a collaborative effort between Buick and a company called Cars and Concepts, located in Brighton, Michigan. The package was a cosmetic upgrade featuring distinctive paint and stripes, a T-Top, and special gold alloy wheels. Every car was finished in Silver and Maroon, a classy combination that was contrasted by multi-hue stripes and the traditional Indianapolis 500 Official Pace Car decals. Buyers didn’t simply receive a car for their money, with Buick supplying a unique jacket and cap as part of the deal. This Regal retains those items, adding to its desirability. The overall vehicle presentation is impressive, with the paint holding a nice shine, the panels straight, and the decals remaining crisp and clean. It is a similar story if we crawl beneath this Buick, with no evidence of rust to spoil the ownership experience. The T-Top fits snugly, and the storage pockets for the glass panels are present. The wheels are in good order, with the same true of the plastic.

The Regals used as Official Pace Cars in 1981 featured a range of mechanical upgrades to cope with the speed required by the race’s organizers. However, those destined for civilian streets were mechanically standard. Buyers received a 3.8-liter V6, a three-speed automatic transmission, and power assistance for the steering and brakes. The engine’s power output of 110hp looks asthmatic by modern standards, but was within keeping with buyer expectations during this period. The seller confirms that this Pace Car isn’t a trailer queen, seeing regular use. It runs and drives perfectly, and ticks another desirability box courtesy of the significant collection of original documentation. Therefore, if a turnkey classic is what you seek, this Buick is set to deliver.

Buick rummaged around in its toybox to ensure that the 1981 Indy Pace Car Edition delivered looks and comfort. This classic features air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a six-way power driver’s seat, cruise control, a tilt wheel, remote exterior mirrors, a rear defogger, and an AM/FM radio. Throw in period-correct Burgundy cloth trim and lashings of faux woodgrain, and this gem would have turned heads in 1981. It is still capable of doing so today, with only a few minor imperfections. The upholstered surfaces are excellent, as are the dash, pad, and console. Some plastic pieces exhibit minor deterioration, but don’t appear ready to throw in the towel at this point. If the new owner protects the car from UV exposure when it isn’t prowling the streets, they should be fine for many years to come.

Buick enjoyed a respectable year in 1981, with 240,200 Regals rolling off lots across the country. The rarest of the breed is the Indy Pace Car Edition, with production limited to a mere 150 vehicles. This one is the 27th that the company built, verified by the documentation and the numbered dash plaque. It is unclear how many survive, but delving into the archives confirms that this is only the third that we have seen at Barn Finds. It may not be a muscle car, but for those seeking a genuinely rare classic, it comfortably ticks that box. The seller’s BIN aligns with the types of prices that other similar vehicles have achieved when they have hit the market, and it will be fascinating to see whether anyone covets this Buick enough to hit the button.