GMC Typhoon and Syclone. All-Wheel-Drive Sleepers. Faster Than A Ferrari! In 1:64th Scale

January 20, 2021 

#414

Gentle reader,

General Motors was the first North American car manufacturer to add a turbo-supercharger, better known as turbocharger or simply as turbo, to a gasoline engine passenger car. 

It was for the 1962 model year and the cars were the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire V8 coupe as well as the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder.

For more on forced induction engines, check out this excellent article:
History of the Turbocharger | Articles | Grassroots Motorsports

But never before these unique vehicles had an American passenger truck with a gasoline engine been outfitted with one.

Excellent photo courtesy of DRIVINGLINE.

For at-the-time reviews of these then-new vehicles check out these Motorweek episodes on YouTube:

1991 GMC Syclone | Retro Review - YouTube

And: MotorWeek | Retro Review: '92 GMC Typhoon - YouTube

Like the Model T Ford, the Buick Grand National and (mostly) Chevrolet Cosworth Vega, you could get it in any color you wanted as long as it was black.

The next year, 1992, GMC premiered the more passenger friendly Typhoon. Based upon their S15 small SUV. There were a number of colors available many in two-tone. 

Hot Wheels recently came out with their version of the 1991 Syclone. By the way, they spelled Cyclone with an S because Ford owned the Cyclone name for vehicles.

I snatched up the Hot Wheels Syclone when I spied it in the bin in our local grocery store. Nancy later found a red one online. 

However, Mattel has not yet produced the SUV version of the Syclone, called the Typhoon. So, I turned to Greenlight. 

Greenlight, as you know makes premium diecast vehicles not meant to be played with. As a result, they have more painted details and rubber tires on plastic wheels instead of one-piece plastic wheel/tire combinations which are much better for speed.

Greenlight artisans have carefully painted all the lights and even the GMC grille badge. I do not have the steady hands to try and do so on the Hot Wheels Syclone.

Like many Hot Wheels cars, the wheels are vastly oversized and they had to enlarge and flare the wheel openings on the body to accommodate them.

Also, as is often the case, the Syclone is larger than 1:64th scale.

Greenlight and other premium brands mostly strive to make their 1:64th scale vehicles "True 1:64".

I made these shots to show what I could of the interiors of the two to highlight the difference premium makes.

And lastly, the chassis, like so many Hot Wheels of late, the Syclone's chassis is plastic whereas the Greenlight is diecast metal. Frankly, the tires on the Greenlight Typhoon ARE larger than they are on the real vehicle.

For a more humorous look at the Syclone and Typhoon, check out this video:

GMC SYCLONE / TYPHOON - Everything You Need to Know | Up to Speed - YouTube  

I know he is just trying to be funny, but sometimes I roll my eyes at his antics. Still, an informative video. 

Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear did a review on the Syclone and took it to a local drag strip to challenge others to races.

I thank you for taking the time to read my humble blog. It is a labor of love.

Scott & Nancy

#414

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