STACKED PERFORMANCE

During the early 1990s, the definition of performance and power in the automotive industry was mainly confined to the sports car category. Well-known companies such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and even Chevy with its ZR1 Corvette, were at the top of the league and were looked at as the pinnacle of automotive performance around the world. When we think of pickup trucks, the first thing that comes to mind is their utility for hauling heavy loads or performing farm work. In the past, it was considered absurd to convert a regular production pickup truck into something more than a work vehicle.

In 1978, Dodge introduced the Lil Red Express which boasted a modified 360ci 4-barrel small block V8 producing 225HP at 3800RPM. Built for speed and performance, this step-side truck with its unique look of dual exhaust stacks behind the cab had some outstanding track times. From 0 to 60, the truck could rip the quarter mile in around 15 seconds and reach 60 from a dead stop in about 6.7 seconds. On a straight track, the Lil Red Express outperformed the Chevy Corvette every time. In 1978, the Dodge Lil' Red Express was the fastest American-made vehicle from 0 to 100 MPH as tested by Car and Driver magazine. In 1989, Dodge once again led the way in truck performance when they teamed up with Carroll Shelby to produce the Shelby Dakota. While not the same powerhouse as the Lil' Red Express, the Shelby Dakota powered by a 318ci V8 with 175HP sprinted from 0 to 60 a half-second quicker than the 4.3L V6-powered Chevy S10 and maintained that lead through the quarter-mile. The Dakota's top speed was more than 100 mph and was more than enough to leave most mini-trucks looking at tail lights. During the 80s into the 90s, the mini truck scene primarily featured custom paint jobs, lowered suspensions, and powerful sound systems - not winning races.

In 1991, things were about to make a significant change, and this time, it wouldn't be Dodge to bring the heat to the street. Under the guidance of Project Manager Kim Neilsen, the GMC Truck Division would join forces with Production Automotive Services (PAS), the same company that built the legendary 1989 3.8L V6 Turbo Trans Am. With this partnership, they set out to turn an impractical idea into a reality - a truck that was built around pure raw performance, be extremely fast, and only haul one thing - ass.

THE SPORTMACHINES

The 1991 GMC Syclone and 1992-93 GMC Typhoon trucks are high-performance versions based on the 1st generation 4x4 Sonoma and Jimmy platforms. The 1992 Sonoma GT, built upon the 2WD Sonoma platform, was also introduced into the lineup, making up the Sportmachine trio of trucks from GMC. A limited number of each truck model was produced, which makes these trucks rare and highly collectible. In total, only 2,995 Syclones, 4,700 Typhoons (combined), and 806 Sonoma GTs were ever manufactured.

The Syclone and Typhoon both utilized GM's LB4 4.3L V6 engine paired with a Mitsubishi TD06-17G turbo and Garrett intercooler to generate power. With this combination, the Syclone and Typhoon could produce 285HP at 4400RPM with 350 lb-ft of torque. To transfer this power to the ground, both trucks were equipped with a 4-speed 700R4 automatic transmission and a full-time AWD system borrowed from the GMC Astro van. These trucks could go from zero-to-sixty in 4.2 seconds, which was enough to keep up with the hottest muscle and performance cars of the time. The Syclone could easily cover the quarter-mile in a low 13-second run. Even with 400lbs of extra weight compared to the Syclone, the Typhoon was able to run mid to high 13-second runs itself. These performance numbers crowned the Syclone as the fastest production truck in the world in 1991. Car & Driver Magazine set up a drag race between a Syclone and a new $122,000 Ferrari 348ts, and the Syclone was able to edge out the Ferrari. This race cemented the Syclone's fame of performance and power in history. The September 1991 issue of Car & Driver featured both vehicles on the cover page with the famous headline "The $96,000 Sting."

The GMC Sonoma GT was offered as a sport package with the stylistic looks of a Syclone but without the price and performance of its fire-breathing turbocharged predecessor. With a MSRP much less than the Syclone (but higher than your loaded Sonoma), the Sonoma GT was a cheaper alternative for those who still wanted the look but lacked the power. Because of this, the Sonoma GT adopted the moniker of the “poor man’s Syclone”.  Unlike the Syclone, the Sonoma GT was offered in a variety of color combinations. Both the Sonoma GT and Syclone were assembled by GMC Truck and finished their final trim through Production Automotive Services (PAS) in Michigan.

Both the Syclone and Typhoon had minimal capabilities when it came to being a truck due to suspension limitations and the risk of damage to the drivetrain. Both platforms had a payload capacity of 500lbs, which means hauling anything of any significant weight in the back of either truck was an absolute no-no. Towing potential was also very limited at 2000lbs, which once you factor in a trailer isn't very much.  Want to go offroading? Forget it. The lowered stance of the Syclone and Typhoon wasn't set up for any sort of non pavement activities and the likelihood of breaking cladding, damaging the intercooler system, or bending a rim was a high probability.  So what was the point of making these trucks? GMC's mindset was "to stand apart in a parking lot of vanilla-engineering vehicles."

It wasn't about making a ton of money. It was about the halo effect you get on your brand about putting your own heart and soul into products that made a difference for your brand and got dealers and the public excited about some of our offerings."
- Kim Neilsen, 1991 GMC Syclone Project Manager

QUICK PASSING STORM

Even with the impact the Sportmachines made on the automotive scene with the performance records it broke, production quickly ceased for all three trucks after a few brief years. This short production schedule was attributed to a variety of factors. In 1990, the US entered into a recession and the Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) both which lasted into 1991. With all three trucks having a much higher MSRP than many popular compact sports cars or fully optioned trucks of the day, the Sportmachine trucks didn't exactly fly off all showroom floors. With almost zero work truck capabilities, the Syclone and Typhoon were considered novelty trucks. While the idea of a performance truck wasn't a brand new concept, the Syclone, Typhoon, and Sonoma GT seemingly were ahead of its time for the era of a sport truck made to outperform sports cars. Once the production of the 1993 Typhoon was completed, GM would not renew its contract with PAS to continue building the Sportmachines. With the 2nd-generation S-Series body style getting ready to be released in 1994, the sales numbers and budget didn't justify a continuance of production. In 1994, PAS would close its doors for good. Much of the paperwork, parts, and misc tooling related to building the trucks was taken by employees, sold off internally or bought by collectors, or trashed.  There is still original documentation that exists with much of it being the only available references for history and information. There is still much information that is continually being discovered and learned about these iconic trucks even 30+ years after production ended.

At ISTR we are always looking to add to the history and information of the Sportmachine trucks. If you have any information, official documentation (GM, PAS, Chevy, Phillip Morris, ASC, or Larry Shinoda) or you are a former employee of GM /PAS that worked directly with the production of the GMC Syclone, Typhoon or Sonoma GT and would like to share your information and stories, please contact us direct.