Performance Pickup Trucks: GMC Syclone

GMC built a small truck capable of outsprinting a Ferrari.

Ronan Glon | 

Aug 28, 2024 | 3 min read

GMC

GMC took a step out of Chevrolet's shadow when it launched the Syclone pickup for 1991. Based on the Sonoma compact truck, the firm's first super truck famously outran the prestigious Ferrari 348ts in a quarter-mile race conducted by enthusiast magazine Car and Driver.

GMC

Farm Truck Roots With Exotic Car Performance

General Motors engineers reportedly began experimenting with the idea of a small, high-performance pickup in the late 1980s. They built a Chevrolet S-10-based prototype with a sportier-looking exterior design and a Buick Grand National-sourced 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 in 1987. Chevrolet didn't want the truck, but sibling company GMC liked the idea of turning the S-15 — its version of the S-10 — into a hot rod.

Using the Grand National's V6 was ruled out for cost reasons, so GMC started the project with a turbocharged version of the 4.3-liter V6 available in the regular-production S-15. Forced induction increased the six-cylinder's output to 280 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque up from 160 horsepower and 230 lb-ft in the naturally aspirated series-produced truck. The new engine spun the four wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system. The changes also included variable-ratio power steering and a redesigned suspension system that lowered the ride height.

GMC's S-15 became the Sonoma for 1991, but the high-performance model released that same year adopted the Syclone nameplate. It stood out from the Sonoma with a model-specific body kit designed to reduce drag that included a deeper front bumper and side skirts. It also received black exterior trim, a red Syclone emblem on each door, and a pair of cloth-upholstered bucket seats with red piping.

GMC

Injecting 120 horses into the Sonoma's driveline unlocked impressive performance numbers. GMC quoted a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.6 seconds and a 13.4-second quarter-mile time. Car and Driver put those numbers to the test in 1991 by racing a Syclone against a 296-hp Ferrari 348ts. While the Syclone was slower to 60 mph than GMC claimed, it beat the exotic coupe in a quarter-mile race by four-tenths of a second. It also braked from 70 mph to a full stop in 183 feet — 4 feet shorter than the Ferrari.

Exclusivity was part of the Syclone's appeal. GMC built 2,995 units for the 1991 model year and only three for 1992. The truck passed the torch to the Typhoon, which featured a similar formula for performance: taking the mass-market Jimmy SUV and throwing in the high-performance drivetrain developed for the Syclone.

GMC

How Much Is a Syclone Worth Today?

Quick and relatively rare, the Syclone is one of the most sought-after trucks of its era. Classic-car insurer Hagerty in July 2024 valued an example in "good" condition at $30,900, up from $27,300 in January 2023, and low-mileage trucks often exceed that figure. In 2022 a 6,000-mile Syclone sold for $90,000 on automotive auction website Bring a Trailer.

Is There a Modern Equivalent to the Syclone?

GMC doesn't offer a single-cab variant of the Canyon, the brand's midsize truck, so enthusiasts who want to configure a modern-day Syclone need to start with a standard cab Sierra 1500. The entry-level Pro trim is available with a four-wheel-drive system and a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. Onyx Black and a soft tonneau cover are roughly $500 options each, but blacked-out front and rear bumpers are available at no extra cost so our 21st-century Syclone-like truck costs $44,000.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Ronan Glon

Ronan Glon is an American journalist and automotive historian based in France. He enjoys working on old cars and spending time outdoors seeking out his next project car.