A new infographic from GMPartsOnline.net reveals how a 1991 GMC Syclone matches up to a 2017 Camaro SS 1LE. The state-of-the-art Camaro just edges the old truck by two tenths of a second in a 0-60 run. The graphic represents the Syclone’s feat of acceleration and compares a variety of specs between the muscle truck and muscle car.
“The Syclone was a street racer, said to be great at cornering,” says Angel Vigil, director of GMPartsOnline.net. “After comparing the 0 to 60 times, we wondered if the truck had the tech of today and GM’s more advanced engines, could it leave the 1LE in the dust?”
The Syclone is no ordinary truck. It’s one of the fastest production trucks ever built. The concept of the Syclone came from Buick engineers. The Buick Grand National had been discontinued in the late 80s. The engineers from the Grand National project took the 3.8L engine from the car and put it into a Chevy S-10. The Buick Grand National Pickup was pitched to General Motors management, but they shot it down. The team approached Chevrolet management with the concept. Chevy also declined, as the little truck would compete with the 454 SS Sport Truck. Finally, the GMC division, seeking to compete with Chevy, jumped at the opportunity.
The production version of the Syclone used a 4.3L turbocharged V6. The engine was rated at 280 hp and 355 lb. ft. To put that in perspective, the 1991 Corvette L98 engine only produced 250 hp / 350 lb.ft. It was rumored that the Syclone engine was underrated so as not to challenge the Corvette ZR-1 LT5 engine, which produced 375 hp / 370 lb.ft.
Although the Syclone delivers respectable power, the comparison chart uses the 2017 Camaro’s optional 6.2L V-8. That track-ready engine puts out 455 hp and 455 lb. ft. of torque.
The all-wheel drive system used in the Syclone was advanced for the time. It featured a viscous coupled center differential that split power 35%/65% front to rear. It also had a limited slip rear differential. Even though the Syclone has less power than the Camaro, its drivetrain excels at getting the power to the ground. The truck’s all-wheel drive system was strictly for on-road adventures. It included exclusive 16×8-inch aluminum wheels with 245/50/16 Firestone Firehawk tires.
The newer Camaro boasts a Magnetic Ride Control™ suspension system and an electronic limited-slip differential. It is a rear-wheel drive car that comes equipped with summer-only tires.
Another component of the Syclone’s quick acceleration ability is its relatively light weight. Even though it’s a body-on-frame truck, it only weighs 3525 lbs. That’s almost 250 lbs lighter than the 2017 “track package” Camaro SS 1LE.
Only 2,995 Syclones were produced in 1991 before the truck was discontinued. It was a limited production, high performance truck, whereas the Camaro SS celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
If GMC had continued producing the truck, it would surely have all the tech of the day and most likely be priced higher than the Camaro. When the Syclone’s original MSRP is adjusted for inflation, its sticker price jumps to $47,278 compared to the 2017 Camaro SS 1LE’s MSRP at $44,400.
See the entire chart here: https://www.gmpartsonline.net/blog/syclone-vs-camaro
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