In today’s world of vehicles like the BMW X5 M, Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, and the 570 horsepower, zero-to-sixty in 3.8 seconds Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, the idea of a high-performance SUV isn’t far off at all. However, this was largely not the case just two decades ago. Back then, people didn’t buy SUVs for performance or handling. GMC, however, sought to change that.
In the 1980s and early-1990s, SUVs were predominately seen in two lights; first as off-road vehicles, and more recently, as family vehicles. Case in point – Among the most popular SUVs of the early-1990s was the Ford Explorer. It came with a soft suspension, undersized tires, high center of gravity, and a 155 horsepower 4.0L V6 bringing the vehicle from zero-to-sixty in a leisurely 12 seconds. The Explorer sold nearly 300,000 units in 1992, but among the many reasons buyers chose it, performance clearly wasn’t one of them. GM’s own Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada trio were a similar story.
Following up on the 1991 Sonoma-derived Syclone, GMC performed a similar testosterone injection into the S-15 Jimmy, calling it “Typhoon”. Using the regular Jimmy’s naturally-aspirated 160-horsepower 4.3L V6 as a starting point, engineers added a Mitsubishi turbocharger and Garrett Water/Air intercooler, along with multi-port fuel injection, for a total output of 280 horsepower and 360 pound-foot of torque. Quite impressive, even by today’s standards.
GMC also gave the Typhoon standard all-wheel drive, upgraded sport suspension, 16-inch wheels, larger anti-lock brakes, and a self-leveling rear suspension, the latter of which was not found on the Syclone. All these upgrades allowed the Typhoon a zero-to-sixty time of 5.2 seconds – faster than a Ferrari 348ts! GMC naturally touted this in promotional material for the Typhoon.
Interior upgrades over the regular Jimmy were minimal: leather sport buckets, a standard console with shifter, and an analogue performance gauge package. The Typhoon needn’t apologize, however. People didn’t buy this car for a comfortable and opulent interior; It was all about performance, and in this respect the Typhoon clearly delivered.
The Typhoon was only sold for 1992 and 1993, with 4,693 examples produced in that time. Sever other high-performance SUVs appeared in coming years, such as the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited and the 2000 Dodge Durango R/T. GM’s next foray in this field was the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS, which featured the Corvette’s 6.0L LS2 V8.
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These were neat and impressive, but to me they didn’t make a lot of sense. A truck with car tires and low hanging ground effects? You could never have conviced me at the time that this kind of vehicle would be popular some day.
Shows what I knew.
It reminds me of when The Three Stooges invented a fountain pen that would write under whipped cream, it just didn’t make sense.
I’m a little surprised the first Explorer had only 155 hp, they gobble up transmissions like they have 300 hp. Seriously, it happened to me. No warning, either. And the transmission rebuild shop was loaded with Explorers.
Because the A4LD/4R55E/5R55E are still based heavily on the Ford C3 transmission that debuted behind the Pinto 2.3
Mine went 225,000 miles on my 95 Explorer before the 2nd gear band snapped, and that rebuild is still going strong at 340,000 miles with a sloppy 2-3 shift thanks to case wear.
Not to discount your personal experiences, but this family of Ford transmissions has not earned a stellar reputation for longevity.
Likely the first SUV that had performance on purpose (and of course it always depends on your definition of performance). This vehicle was as if GM had built a Buick GNX with AWD.
When I describe the Sy/Ty to people that have never heard of it (which is most people), I describe it as a Dodge Stealth R/T with a pickup/SUV body.
Of course, today it’s just as likely that the person I’m talking to doesn’t know what a Stealth R/T is either, 😛
Agreed: this is the successor to the GNX.
I have a friend who bought one new. Not a daily driver, but it spends as much time in the shop as his garage…I will take a 427 Galaxie instead…
Very impressive machines; GM showing the world (again) what you can do with a stout V6, a big turbo, an intercooler, and black paint. (Like the Marauder and Impala SS, there were other colors offered, but black was the correct choice.)
Someone in my aparment complex junior year of college owned one (this was in 2001-02). It wasn’t in the best shape–several of the ground effects pieces were cracked and one missing, the clearcoat oxidized, and the interior ratty–but it sounded mean when fired up. Hopefully he ended up repairing it cosmetically, or selling it to someone who did!
Unfortunately, a Typhoon was crushed after being traded in for Cash For Clunkers: http://wot.motortrend.com/crushing-the-tragedies-of-cash-for-clunkers-5458.html
The loss of that Typhoon is quite unforuntate. But the real killer in that article is the GNX. Not just a Grand National, but an ultimate-version 1 of 550 GN*X*. Even if it was completely trashed that could have easily brought more than $10K on the open market.
I am surprised that the Murkur XR4Ti or the Sterling 827 was accepted. Both get too many miles per gal combined.
In other words, the Impala SS if it was a two door SUV.
Overfinch from the UK (formerly known as Schuler, founded in 1975) builds high-performance Range Rovers. Using GM V8 engines back then, 5.0 and 5.7 liter.
A 1991 Overfinch ad, power up tp 335 bhp:
Thanks for posting that, i was going cite Overfinch’s SBC powered Range Rover as the first performance SUV, although the Typhoon deserves the nod as the first factory built model as opposed to a tuner product.
My personal favorite Overfinch ad is the one showing a Golf GTI lifting its inside rear wheel in a corner as an Overfinch Range Rover serenely passes on the outside.
The first time I heard of Overfinch was in this “Ford Focus vs Ford Focus sprint race”.
It was that 1970’s advert of the 3-wheeling GTI chasing the RangeRover that got me interested in FWD hot hatchbacks. I didn’t believe a RR could out corner a GTI. It was a great photo.
Interestingly, there is also a Typhoon article on Jalopnik today:
http://carbuying.jalopnik.com/you-can-buy-this-ferrari-whooping-truck-for-the-price-o-1726315894
I remmember that Jeremy Clarkson did a piece on the Typhoon (or, actually, on Syclone, its pickup sibling) when it was new. Surprisingly, he liked it (not that I care much about his opinions, but still).
I think I only ever saw one of these knowingly on the road and just dismissed the Typhoon badge as an aftermarket add on since the one I saw it on had huge rims and was owned by some teen.
Ford AU’s turbo Territory was advertised as being able to blow the doors off Porsches.
That was a brilliant idea for the time. The Turbo V6 was an epic engine for its day – who knows, with modern comupter controls and an E85 specific tune, it could probably still be an epic engine – so GM was smart to put it practically everywhere it would fit (The B-Car being a regrettable exception).
A jump from 160 hp to 280?! How much boost were these running? Do modern turbo equipped cars benefit from a 75% increase in HP compared to their naturally aspirated versions? I’m guessing no….
This was an Iron Block/Iron Head unit so it could accept mega levels of boost.
Same basic engine ran in the Indy 500 and with methanol fuel and maximum boost they were good for +700 HP. They were consistent competitors for Pole Position for a lot of years (poor finishing record though compared to the purpose built racing engines).
I think that’s indicative of how much power had yet to be wrung out of NA engines in the 80s.
I think this guy was the first real attempt at injecting performance into an “SUV”, although it is a bit slower than the Typhoon, and the price of admission was obviously restrictive to the vast majority:
I was gonna post that one, althought I suppose it’s not technically an SUV. It will always be one of my favorite cars just for being so goddamn stupid.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think the Typhoon or Syclone were imported into Canada so they are very hard to find up here. I have seen one or the other at a car show a long time ago.
If not, some certainly made their way up here. I used to see them run at the dragstrip occasionally.
I saw a Syclone in a local wrecking yard traded in the cash for clunkers program. It was one of the lást cars they brought up from the back of the yard. I got the seats and some interior trim. Someone beat me to the big money body trim parts.
Having owned and driven several transplanted V8 powered, first generation S10 trucks, I can appreciate the all wheel drive application.
With all that power available, a V8 powered, S10/Blazer would be uncontrollable by most lead footed drivers without power being diverted to all four tires. My 2 wheel drive, V8 S10’s were wheel spin monsters from stop signs unless carefully feathering the gas…and darn near undriveable in the rain.
Here in New Orleans, the S/T trucks were few and far between, highly sought after and astronomically priced. Darn it.
Always thought one of these would been fun to own.
I really wanted to trade in our Blazer for a Typhoon, but it didn’t work out. A friend’s brother had one until recently, and it just got quicker and quicker as time went by. When he finally sold it, with the original, totally rebuilt engine included, it had a small turbo/huge turbo combo feeding a stroked 4.3 that I think was about 325 Ci. It was a rocket with almost zero turbo lag and ran low 11 sec quarter mile ET’s on street tires, and was totally fine to drive to and from the track. He drove it to work most days except when the salt was out. The interior was like my Blazer, the headlight switch was the sole, and constant problem it was too small and was always hot when the headlights were on. He got tired of replacing it and rewired the headlights through a relay that dropped the current through the switch so it wouldn’t cook itself. I had him do mine the same way after the second switch under warranty was put in. It went over 400,000 miles on that switch.
I’ve always liked the two-door Blazers: about the only SUV I would ever consider owning. And the powerful Typhoon is a particularly appealing (if elusive) iteration of the format.
My only complaints would be:
1) No manual tranny available;
2) Viewed full-face it bears an unfortunate resemblance to a Chevette.
Meanwhile, here’s a Chevette that bears an unfortunate resemblance to a Blazer.
NOTE: I’ve now made three unsuccessful attempts to upload the relevant photo. So instead here is link where the pic I wanted to include is found (top of page). Maybe someone else could upload it here?:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198557