SVE Syclone: GMC’s Legendary Sport Truck Returns With 454 Horsepower
A modified GMC Canyon pays tribute to the original by way of a centrifugal supercharger and numerous chassis tweaks.
The early 1990s was the era of the sport truck. At the top of the heap was the GMC Syclone, a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive monster that was faster than just about any sports car.
Now, New Jersey company Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) has brought the Syclone back. Like the original, it utilizes a force-fed V6 to stomp on anything in its path. Despite the site’s focus, this is LS1Tech, after all, we figure you’ll enjoy anything fast and GM.
Writer Simon Gomez, over at Motor1, recently had the chance to slide behind the wheel of the reborn Syclone. The heart of SVE’s package is a viscous planetary drive centrifugal supercharger of their own design. That unique drive system means no muss, no fuss, and no whining, a feature appreciated by Gomez.
Even on the surface, a lot has changed since 1991. While 280 horsepower in a V6-powered pickup was a revelation back then, the new truck needs extra oomph – to the tune of 454 rowdy, stampeding horses – to make a similar impact.
Things are very different on the outside, too. The slab-sided bodywork of the original Syclone stands in stark contrast to the bulbous, curvaceous flares of the current GMC Canyon-based iteration. While the original had a single cab, the new truck comes with the convenience of an extended cab – mostly because no single cab is available. For a smoother look, SVE also adds subtle side skirts to hide the frame.
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Of course, going fast doesn’t mean much if you can’t stop fast, too. SVE beefed up the brakes with 13.6″ slotted rotors and six-piston calipers up front for serious whoa to go along with all that extra go they shoved under the hood. The suspension was lowered all the way around. SVE also added beefy sway bars, stiffer shocks, and Michelin Pilot Sport 2S tires. That means that this truck can hang with serious sports cars even when the going gets twisty.
The SVE Syclone is covered bumper to bumper with a multitude of badges and a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. Just 100 units will be produced, which makes it rarer than the 1991 model. Gomez seems to think that the truck is a worthy successor to the sport truck throne. Whether or not that makes it worth an extra $39,995 on top of the price of a new Canyon is up to you.
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