Every so often, and idea comes along that is just ever-so-slightly ahead of its time. To many people, it may seem too radical, too abrupt, and too extreme a change to visualize in their current world. But to others, it can be the spark to a new wave of thinking or being, or the harbinger to an entirely new industry. Cars like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and even the Jeep Cherokee revolutionized and created a whole new niche market that took the world by storm. One such truck came to us in 1991, and while it didn't sell much, and continued past the '91 model with just three more trucks, the GMC Syclone knowingly or unknowingly began (and dominated) a fascination with incredibly fast trucks that has lasted for the last thirty years and is still going strong. So with all the fanfare and excitement about the upcoming resurrection of the Syclone, we thought it is a good time to look back on the speed demon that started it all.
1991 GMC Syclone
- Turbocharged V6
- Svelte 3,600 Pound Chassis
- 45/65 Front/Rear Drive Bias
- Model: Syclone
- Engine/Motor: 4.3-Liter Turbocharged V6
- Horsepower: 280 @ 4,400 RPM
- Torque: 350 Pound-Feet @ 3,600 RPM
- Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission: 4-Speed Automatic
- MSRP: Originally $25,970
- Faster Than Same Year ZR-1
- Subtle Sleeper Good Looks
- All-Wheel Drive Traction
- Sparse Interior
- Relatively Expensive Compared To Base Sonoma
- No Truck Features Outside Of A Bed
GMC Syclone Powertrain
This pint-sized pickup started off life as a garden variety GMC Sonoma, which in today's world would have probably been the GMC Canyon, and then went on to be the first hot rod truck ever produced by a dealer. Starting with a very Spartan 3,600-pound chassis, GMC sent their generic pickup to Production Automotive Services, Inc., which is the same company that produced the 1989 Turbo Trans Am that went on to become one of the quickest Firebirds Pontiac ever released. PAS took a 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine and stuffed it into that same mild-mannered truck. By doing so, they created a monster, of the best possible kind. The Syclone was born, and allegedly made a more than likely, very underrated 280-horsepower at 4,400 RPM and 350 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 RPM.
GMC Syclone Drivetrain
Once made from that mighty mouse motor, power was then sent through a 4L60 four-speed automatic transmission. Then those ponies were sent to all four tires. The bias was not 50/50 like in some modern family movers, but a rearward biased 35/65% front/rear split. Not only did this afford the Syclone maximum traction, and minimal wheel spin, but the rear bias gave it a performance-oriented feel for the driver, much in the same way we see cars and trucks like the Bentley Bentayga and BMW's X3 have adopted in recent years.
GMC Syclone Performance And Handling Ability
In short, the Syclone was a turbocharged terror. The svelte 3,599 pound Syclone was capable of rocketing from 0-60 mph in a scant 4.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in just 13.4 seconds. Top speed got limited to just 126 mph, but that was more than most owners needed anyway. To put just how quick the Syclone was into context, from a 0-60 mph standpoint, the Syclone was quicker than even the mightiest of Corvettes. That's right, that little pickup truck could outgun a ZR-1, at least until around 126 mph.
The legend of the Syclone only grew after one pithy GMC dealership decided to put their Syclone up against the mighty '80s hero from Italy, the Ferrari Testarossa. The Syclone bested the Ferrari in two out of three runs down the quarter mile, and gave the GMC giant-killer street cred. Of course the little detail about the contest being held in Colorado at an elevation of 5,800 feet, where the Syclone's turbos would be much more efficient than the Ferrari Testarossa's naturally aspirated, oxygen-starved V12 was casually left out of the lore... but no one outside Marenello ever seemed to mind.
GMC Syclone Interior Space, Quality, And Technology
Unlike a specialized car like the Plymouth Prowler, GMC decided to use the money it had for the Syclone where it mattered most - the drivetrain. But that also meant that in terms of interior, the Syclone was nothing more than a basic early 1990s pickup truck, with nothing like Mercedes' Hyperscreen even in the imaginations of the Syclone's engineers. The Spartan environment allowed for two cloth-covered bucket seats, a basic gauge setup sat behind a thin two-spoke steering wheel for the driver with a speed and tachometer front and center. An AM/FM cassette stereo system was about the biggest feature aside from the dual cupholders.
GMC Syclone Pricing
GMC produced a total of 2,995 trucks in 1991, and then produced three models in 1992. When they were new, the Syclone could be bought for anywhere between $25,000-$26,000, which was almost a full ten grand more than the base GMC Sonoma. In today's dollars, that number would be about $50,000. According to Classic.com, the average resale for a Syclone is $37,824, with the lowest sale being $13,250 and the highest being a lofty $108,000.