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GMC Syclone spools up a storm on Jay Leno's Garage

A storm was brewing on American roads in the early 1990s. That's when Detroit's automakers were producing some of the hottest performance trucks ever devised – models like the Ford Lightning, GMC Typhoon, and its flyweight pickup sibling, the GMC Syclone. Jay Leno just happens to have one of the latter in his garage, and took it out to showcase in this latest video segment. The Syclone was an exercise in absurdity, and could not only trounce any other pickup on the road, it could outrun anything else GM made and just about anything else on the road – beating Ferraris and Porsches off the line. In a pickup, for crying out loud. The kicker is that its engine wasn't such a monster, either: under the hood sat a 4.3-liter turbocharged V6 pumping out what would seem by today's standards to be an adequate 280 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Even the smaller of the EcoBoost V6s available in today's Ford F-150 produces more than that. But in a lightweight, compact pickup, those figures were enough to propel the Syclone to 60 in 4.3 seconds and run the quarter-mile in 13.6 seconds. Long before the dune-jumping Ford F-150 SVT Raptor or even the Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT-10, GM made fewer than 3,000 Syclones based on the compact Sonoma (sister to the Chevy S-10) and another 4,700 of the Typhoon, which was mechanically similar but more practical (albeit heavier) wagon bodywork from the Jimmy. But as Jay aptly points out, the Syclone was the one you wanted. Scope it out in the ten-minute video clip above.

Mary Barra reportedly confirms GM's electric pickup truck plans

According to Motor Authority, CEO Mary Barra confirmed General Motors' intentions to build an electric pickup truck this week. Whether or not it would be an all-new vehicle is unknown. The news comes not even a week after Ford announced a $500 million investment in electric-vehicle startup Rivian. First, electric powertrains were integrated into cars. Then came the crossovers and the SUVs. Naturally, then, the next wave will be pickup trucks. Ford is set to produce an electric F-150, Rivian has the R1T, and now General Motors has reportedly confirmed its plans to introduce a competitor into the field. The article says the topic was brought up in a recent investor call as part of a brief overview of the automaker's electrification strategy. That's where the details end, however, as there is no indication of a timeline, what GM brand would carry the truck, or whether it would be an entirely new product or an adaptation of a current model. The latter seems most likely, which points to the Chevrolet Silverado or the GMC Sierra as possibilities. Chevrolet has been GM's electrification leader this decade with the Bolt and Volt, so an electric Silverado would align well with that messaging and branding. However, an electric pickup would likely be a pricier premium product, which could align it better with GMC. Autoblog has reached out to GM for comment and will update this space when we get a response. Green Rumormill Chevrolet GMC Truck Electric Future Vehicles Mary Barra electric truck chevrolet silverado

GMC Canyon, Chevy Colorado diesels finally heading to dealers

Customers who have been waiting to receive their diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorados and GMC Canyons should be relived to hear that GM will finally start to ship them out of the Wentzville Assembly Plant. "The highly anticipated 2016 GMC Canyon diesel has begun shipping to dealers," a company spokesperson confirmed to The Detroit News. The trucks originally had a fall launch date, but a final review forced a delay in deliveries. The 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel in the midsize trucks produces 181 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and the company touts the engine's low emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board even put the mill through extra scrutiny with a real world test in the wake of VW's diesel scandal, and the Duramax passed with no problems. At that time, a Chevy spokesperson told Autoblog that the models' launch was on track. The Duramax engine adds $3,730 to the price of a comparable V6 model, but they're the most fuel-efficient pickups on the market. The EPA estimates the twins at 31 miles per gallon highway, 22 mpg city, and 25 mpg combined in two-wheel drive form and 29/20/23 with four-wheel drive. Buyers likely can't wait to finally experience these pickups after reading a heap of positive reviews. The Colorado diesel recently earned Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award. We also came away impressed with it during our First Drive and liked the Canyon during our Quick Spin. Related Video: