the largest obstacles in making the most out of the engine are intake exhaust and reliability.
They could have opened up the intake and exhaust a bit, raised the rev limiters, and thrown in what we now know as "easy bolt-ons", however, the engine runs super quiet. inside the car and out as should with a semi-luxury car such as a bonneville. Also, noise requirements have to be met by government standards. and any internal improvements may jeopardize the reliablity of the motor, and it wouldnt have nearly the same following and widely know quality and reliability.

In terms of efficiency, it should have 1 hp per cubic inch for NA ===> 235 hp
Give it 24 valves and it would rival the Nissan.
Give it a SC and it rules.

Do you realize the Series II has had the same power and remained mostly unchanged mechanically for 11 years?

That'* unheard of in the automotive world.

The series II really only added some more upper RPM power over the N/A series I. The manifolds are very different, and this is a large part of it.

However the heads, cam, and intake manifold are all very simple, and built for reliability, not power.

Making a reliable engine isn't hard these days for big auto makers, and why a new manifold wasn't designed for performance is beyond me.

Buick 3.8L = One of the top 10 best engines all time!

All I gotta say is coming from a 3100 in the Cutty to a 3800 in the bonne, the bonne feels like a rocketship. But seriously our "low tech" 3800 may not be exciting as those high winding wind up toys from japan in the high revs but the potential for the 3800 is never ending.

Compare the 3800 to a 3.5 Vq engine (the Nissan one). It'* now at 300 HP N/A, and it'* got the balls to match it up. It'* also significantly lighter....

Potential is the keyword and Im glad its there. The possibilities for a fast Bonneville are there. Super Charge,Turbo Charge or a Stroker Kit.

This is by no means an insult but I almost feel bad for Ford Taurus guys. Theres a site for non-Sho Taurus fans but they are having a hard time finding performance parts for their cars. I think its a shame cause not everyone starts off with SHO'* or Supercharged Bonnevilles.

Im glad us N/A guys have options for "Fastness"

True but not entirely. The Ser2 NA or */C has 90% of its torque available between 1500-5000 rpm. Every NA Ser 2 car i've driven has been signifigantly quicker than the Ser 1 NA'* i've driven. The 2005 LeSabre with 2.83 gearing would blow the doors off my Old 93' 88 with similer 2.84 gearing.

The rated torque peaks are within 5 lb/ft, but the HP difference comes from more torque @ higher RPM. It also revs slightly higher, both of these account for the 30 odd Horsepower difference. It'* a nice change, but frankly both still need more upper RPM power to be very competitive...

Another thing to keep in mind the ratings between 92-93 L27'* were the same, even though the engine was modified. The L27 could get off the line better, but it will be caught later on by an L36. The L36 has the advantage in the long run of being supported because of the grand prix community while the series 1 isn't. Comparing a new car to a 13 year old car isn't the best either, take a 94 SE and a 95 SE and run em, that'll show you the differences.

I have driven spiritedly next to L27 bonnies before in my 97 and my car was faster the whole way through.