GMC Syclone and Typhoon: First Factory-Built All-Wheel-Drive Drag Racing Performance Success

 

Back in 1991, the dog days of the sad, slow, so-called economy-efficient sports cars were starting to come to an end. The Tuned-Port Injection (TPI) setups that General Motors was using for their sports were about to be replaced by a much more stout performing LT1 350-cu.-in. engine.

But before the change, the GMC truck division of General Motors made an interesting move to get involved in some of the performance hype GM was encouraging at the time. GMC signed a contract with an aftermarket performance company called PAS (Production Automotive Systems). PAS and GMC joined forces to create the fastest production trucks of its time: the 91 GMC Syclone pickup truck and the 92-93 GMC Typhoon SUV.

The PAS company was no stranger to this type of work. Pontiac called upon them to help build the now-famous

1989 Turbo Trans Am 20th Anniversary Edition. Oddly enough, Pontiac kept it simple when building this sports car and went with what already worked for Buick by using the very successful 86 and 87 Grand National drivetrain setup. The turbocharged intercooled 3.8-liter V6 was already tormenting sports cars on the streets and at the track.

A Turbocharged Truck Was Buick's Idea

Originally, Buick came up with the idea for the turbocharged truck, but to avoid conflict with the GMC truck production branch, Buick handed the idea over to GMC. There was some hesitation to take on the project since Chevrolet already had a similar black regular cab pick-up truck on the market with a 454 cu.-in. engine. 

But some forward-thinking engineers and designers saw the potential in smaller engines. Assuming Buick could make it work in a G-Body grocery-getter with much success, doing the same in a small truck and an SUV should work just as well, and to nobody's surprise, it did.  

Similar Buick Setup But A Bigger Engine For The Syclone and Typhoon

The PAS company engineered a 4.3-liter Vortec engine equipped with a turbocharger and an intercooler to fit in both the Syclone and the Typhoon.

To efficiently transfer engine

power to the wheels, both models would receive the four-speed 700R4 automatic transmission, the same transmission that many GM vehicles came with including GM sports cars and the Buick turbo cars.

The First Factory-Built All-Wheel-Drive Technology Used For Drag Racing Performance

What made the Syclone and the Typhoon so unique from other trucks is that they used a very performance-efficient all-wheel-drive system. This technology helped these trucks with an underrated, unofficial horsepower rating of 280 get down the quarter-mile with times that would stop the clocks somewhere in the high-to-mid 13-second range. 

Since the GMC 4.3-liter turbo technology was so similar to the successful Buicks 3.8-liter turbo cars, aftermarket part dealers and car enthusiasts knew exactly what easy upgrades could be made to make these trucks amazingly performance efficient. I've personally seen Typhoons run in the high 10-second range and Syclones being lighter in weight, stop the clocks in the 9s. 

GMC Syclone and Typhoon: Unbeatable Deal

With great gas mileage, excellent performance, and the fact that they were limited production, the GMC Syclone and Typhoon were and are still collector items for all car enthusiasts alike. 

With production numbers of only 2,998 '91 Syclones, 2,500 in '92, and 2,200 '93 Typhoons built, the price tags on these rare trucks still stay up in the $15,000 to $25,000 range for the ones that are still in good condition.

Unfortunately, the PAS company based in Troy, MI., which was responsible for the GMC Syclone and Typhoon's engineering and design would go out of business sometime after GM decided not to go forward with any more specialized GMC vehicles. 

The decision to move forward without PAS-specialized vehicles was mostly due to the progression of the Corvettes, Camaros, and Trans Ams, and the need to focus on the new technology of electric vehicles.

That may have sounded silly then, but now, all auto companies have moved in the electric vehicle direction, and GM predicts by 2035, the only vehicles they will be producing are going to be all-electric vehicles. We'll see how that works out!

             

Syclones and Typhoon GENERAL SPEC

Type:      V6 GMT300

Disp.:      262 C.I. (4.3L)

Transmission: 700R4

Drive: All-Wheel Drive

Syclone Horsepower: 280 Horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of Torque

MPG: 17 city and 19 highway

Typhoon Horsepower: 285 Horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of Torque

MPG: 14 city and 17 highway

1989 Trans Am 20th Anniversary: Stock V6 Buick Motor

1989 Trans Am 20th Anniversary

To honor Pontiac's 20 great years of Trans Am success, this rare 1989 Pontiac Trans Am turbo was rewarded by being named the official pace car of the 73rd 1989 Indianapolis 500. 

The Back Bone To This Badass Trans Am

Back in the 1980s, production sports cars were considerably slower compared to the fast, technology potent sports cars that are being produced today. Thanks to the shortage of fuel and the bad economy, the '80s were a breeding ground for poorly performing Mustangs, Camaros, Trans Ams, and Corvettes. 

But in the late '80s, Buick brought some relief to the unimpressed gear heads with their 1986-'87 Grand National and Regal T-Types. The two very similar models were technically two-door sedans that came with a 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine and used a turbocharger and an intercooler to produce 235-hp and some very impressive quarter-mile time slips. In fact, for those two years, the sluggish-looking grocery-getters were the fastest, most efficient American-made production vehicles that ever rolled off the assembly.

Fastest Trans Am Ever Put Into Production Is Born 

In 1989, Pontiac would prepare to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the beloved Trans Am. For the anniversary edition, Pontiac would go in a different direction and for the first time would produce a Trans Am with a V6 motor, the same V6 motor that Buick used for the dominating Grand National and Regal T-Types. For this special anniversary edition, there would be 1,550 Turbo Trans Ams produced in different combinations of hard-tops and t-tops along with a leather or cloth interior option.

Pontiac did not offer a factory convertible Turbo Trans Am, but one was created for Jeff Beitzel the President of PAS, a custom car production company. The car is unique in that its origins were shared with other custom-made vehicles that PAS were involved with building such as the Syclone, the Typhoon, and the ASC-built GNX. The world's only rag-top Turbo Trans Am has changed hands several times and is presently owned by a wealthy Mexican oil baron who loves Pontiacs.

Performance And States

So just what kind of performance stats can this Turbo Trans Am produce? Since Pontiac used the higher-performing drivetrain from the Grand National GNX, they managed to pull 300-hp out of the 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine. You can expect 0-60 times of 4.6 seconds while stopping the clocks in the quarter-mile at an average of 13.4 seconds. And if you keep going with your foot on the gas past the traps, you will reach a top speed of about 158 mph. But just like the Buicks, the possibilities of much faster times and better performance are completely feasible with affordable upgrades and the correct tuning.

Completing The 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am Package

To complete the package, the Turbo Trans Am would come with a 200-4R 4-speed transmission with a lock-up converter. Four-wheel disc brakes and aluminum calipers with dual-piston and vented rotors were also installed. The Trans Am suspension includes front MacPherson struts and a limited-slip rear live axle with front and rear torque sway bars – meaning not only does it go fast in a straight line, but it also hugs the corners as well as any other American or European sports car. 

The sticker price for this Turbo Trans Am was around $32,000. Nowadays, depending on condition and how many miles are racked up on one, you can find them for sale anywhere from $16,000-$45,000 give or take. Finding one that is cheap and needs some work is extremely hard if not impossible. Most people keep these T/As garage-kept and in great shape. 

With only 1,500 produced, the 1989 Pontiac Trans Am turbo is definitely a rare American classic, and if you're lucky enough to own one, it would be in your best interest to take care of it.