Only the 1991 Syclone was the fastest production pickup of its day. Although GMC has built fewer than 3,000 Syclones, this compact technology boasts performance far beyond its time. Today, only a few Elite trucks are faster than the original GMC Syclone.
How was the GMC Cyclone so fast?
The 1991 GMC Cyclone was based on the GMC Sonoma compact pickup truck. It shares a 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine with the Buick Grand National. But unlike the Grand National, the 1991 GMC Syclone also showed up, making it one of the fastest trucks ever made.
– Ashley Winston (TheCarGuru)
The 1993 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning was a full-size, rear-wheel-drive truck and thus only slightly slower than the retired GMC Syclone (7.2 seconds to 60 mph, according to Car and Driver). Chevrolet’s 454SS pickup had similar performance numbers as the Lightning (7.1 seconds).
For 2004, Dodge transplanted the Viper’s V10 engine into a Ram minivan. The result was the Dodge Ram SRT-10, which sprinted to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds in its Car and Driver test.
I’ve already got you covered. This dealer-selected pickup can, in certain configurations, hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds—according to a MotorTrend test.
GMC kept the Syclone powertrain alive with the 1992-1993 GMC Typhoon Jimmy SUV. In its testing, the Hurricane reached 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds.
The GMC Syclone has clung to the “world’s fastest truck” record for an amazing 30 years. It is finally dethroned by the Ram 1500 TRX in 2022.
What is the fastest truck now?
The fastest truck in the world is the Rivian R1T. With four electric motors that collectively produce 835 horsepower and 908 pound-feet of torque, it’s no surprise that this compact start-up car hits 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds—according to MotorTrend. He finished the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 110.8 mph.
Factory-built monster trucks are much more common than they were in the GMC Syclone’s day. The Hellcat-powered (full-time 4WD) Ram 1500 TRX is the fastest internal combustion-powered pickup in the world, hitting 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds and completing the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds at 106 mph. the hour.
But TRX watches its back better. GMC has announced a 2023 Cyclone revival. This new truck is based on the full-size GMC Sierra 1500 engine. Its top engine is an 800-hp 6.2-liter V8. Will it be faster than the original GMC Cyclone? We just have to wait and see.
Next, watch or dive into the history of the 1991 GMC Syclone in the video below:
Watch the 1991 GMC Syclone in action in this latest video:
