History of GMC
General Motors (GM), an American automaker, has a subsidiary for trucks and utility vehicles called GMC. It was initially known as the General Motors Truck Corporation (1911–1943) or the GMC Truck & Coach Division (1943–1998).
The brothers Max (1874-1946) and Morris Grabowsky founded the "Grabowsky Motor Company" in Detroit in 1900; the company was renamed Rapid Motor Vehicle Corporation in 1902 when the brothers transferred their operations to Pontiac, Michigan. Here is where the origins of the GMC trademark may be found. Rapid Motor Vehicle Corporation was taken over by William C. Durant in 1909, and he turned it into a division of his General Motors Company.
The Chicago, Illinois-based bus and taxicab business Yellow Coach, which was established by John D. Hertz, was acquired by GM in 1925 for a majority stake. Being a GM-affiliated subsidiary, the business is now known as Yellow Truck & Coach Manufacturing Corporation (YT&CMC). General Motors Truck Company's whole production activity is now under the control of YT&CMC. The administrative building at 660 South Boulevard E in Pontiac, Michigan, became home to all headquarters employees when Plant 2 opened in 1928. GMC Truck and Coach Division was established in 1943 when GM acquired the remaining ownership stake in YT&CMC. In 1981, GMC Global Truck & Bus Group absorbed GMC Truck & Coach Division. GMC Truck & Coach was renamed GMC Truck Division after bus manufacture ceased in May 1987. GMC's official vehicle branding changed in 1998 from "GMC Truck" to just "GMC".
Vehicle range
SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, and light-duty vehicles are now produced by GMC. In the past, GMC also manufactured transit buses, RVs, heavy-duty trucks, military cars, heavy-duty trucks, ambulances, and fire trucks.
Nevertheless, since GMC doesn't offer any car models, they are often offered alongside Buick (or sometimes Cadillac) vehicles at multi-brand dealerships. This enables the same dealer to sell a complete array of upmarket automobiles, including both cars and trucks. There are independent GMC dealerships, nevertheless, mostly for those that concentrate on serving the fleet and commercial vehicle industries.
Interesting facts about GMC
In 1916, a GMC truck took a 30-day journey from Seattle to New York City and from New York to San Francisco in five days and thirty minutes in 1926 using a 2-ton GMC vehicle. The business produced the Model 16 3/4-ton truck during the First World War and then changed its manufacturing to produce 1-ton troop carriers and aviation support vehicles. By 1918, more than 90% of GMC truck production was for military use. During the war, GMTC supplied the US government with a total of 8512 trucks, earning them a Distinguished Service Award. For use by the US armed forces during World War II, GMC Truck manufactured 600,000 vehicles.
GMC trucks were sent to Japan in 1923 to aid in the country's recovery and rebuilding after the Great Kant earthquake, and the business continued to provide vehicles while the country's transportation system was restored.
Shortest and longest models
The GMC Terrain will be the smallest GMC SUV in 2022, being just over ten inches longer than the typical subcompact, with a wheelbase of 107.3 inches and a height of 65.4 inches. Although having a tiny footprint, the Terrain is strong in several areas.
The largest truck available from GMC is the Sierra 2500 HD. Between 236 and 266 inches make up the length. The width is 82 inches, and the height is 80 inches. Hence, the Sierra 2500 HD qualifies as a full-size, heavy-duty vehicle.
GMC biggest competitors
Ford Motor, Tesla, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz Group, BYD, Volkswagen, FCA US, and Mercedes-Benz USA are some of General Motors' competitors and comparable businesses.
Pros and cons of GMC models
Most popular models
- GMC Sierra - While it shares many characteristics with the Silverado, the Sierra has a few extras that the Chevrolet doesn't have, mainly a carbon-fibre bed and a MultiPro tailgate. As a result, it would be worthwhile to consider the GMC if you want to often hop into and out of the bed of your truck. The ride is smooth and pleasant, however, the Denali version's magnetic ride suspension gives it a steadier feel. While slow, handling is secure. The huge cabin is so peaceful it nearly seems unreal. The justification for the even bigger Yukon XL is undermined by the considerable cargo capacity.
- GMC Terrain - the most popular GMC SUV model to buy. The GMC Terrains are equipped with a wealth of essential amenities that make traveling anywhere simpler and more enjoyable.
- GMC Acadia - is a family-friendly Vehicle. This mid-size SUV has a ton of amenities that will improve the convenience of your travels.
- GMC Yukon - The ride is smooth and pleasant, however, the Denali version's magnetic ride suspension gives it a steadier feel. While slow, handling is secure. The huge cabin is so peaceful it nearly seems unreal. The justification for the even bigger Yukon XL is undermined by the considerable cargo capacity.
The worst models and their imperfections
- 2001 GMC Jimmy - Low ratios slid much too often, and there were fuel leaks, corrosion, and rust concerns. The reverse gear would simply not engage, leaving Jimmy trapped in a parallel-parked car until the vehicle in front moved, which is another typical complaint. Jimmy eventually departed GMC permanently in 2005 after a few transmission issues were also revealed.
- 2003 GMC Savana - There were around ten recalls involving it in 2003 alone. The brakes felt sluggish and unresponsive, and hydraulic pump failures, semiconductor issues, and many other issues. They are just utilitarian cars, lacking in power and aesthetic appeal.
- 2002 GMC Sonoma - The Syclone, Sonoma GT, and Typhoon were all put on the back burner, and the models originally lacked airbags. There were concerns about the airbags not deploying when they were installed. Sometimes gasoline tanks developed rust holes, which led to gas leaks. And in other complaints, windshields often became cloudy in a similar fashion.
- 2015 GMC Canyon - GMC seems to have had a problematic transmission year in 2015 since, in addition to the Canyon, the 2015 Yukon and Sierra 1500 models also received similar concerns. The GMC Canyon and its brother, the Chevy Colorado, were both the subject of several recalls as the brand's dependability ratings continued to decline.
- 2004 GMC Envoy - Mattel-like gimmicky interiors, a very poor gas economy that drove up gas prices, and technology that was so outdated that no one understood what to use with it. The cluster gauges would often malfunction, and the Envoy would also leak gas, mostly due to a subpar component: the gas tank filler neck. Not an automobile that ought to have been produced, and not at the period that it was produced.
- 2003 GMC Envoy XUV/XL - The concept was to add a retractable top, a moveable watertight barrier in the rear, and an extended wheelbase to the current Envoy, making it essentially a modular vehicle.
- 2015 GMC Yukon - The 2015 GMC Yukon did not fare much better; similar to the 2015 Sierra's headlight issue, the 2015 GMC Yukon experienced a brake and taillight issue.
- 2008 GMC Acadia - Its dependability scores are dismal, and despite the mid-size SUV's abundance of technology, not all of its functions well. The Acadia deserved to get a negative rating due to complaints of the LCD panel abruptly going dark.
- 2015 GMC Sierra – When it came to dependability problems, the model was the worst, with headlights that barely lighted the road for this truck and a tendency to go out at the worst possible moments
Innovations made by GMC
GMC had their own line of six-cylinder engines from 1939 to 1974. From 1939 to 1959, these engines were known as "Jimmy's," and from 1960 to 1974, they used their own V6 engine, which also came in V8 and V12 variations.
From 1962 and 1972, the majority of GMC cars used quad-headlights, whereas Chevrolet copies had dual-headlights.
Safety and reliability
The GMC nameplate is well-known for its capacity to produce tough vehicles with outstanding off-road styling. They have a well-established reputation for creating robust vehicles that can withstand any challenge. When you need power, strength, and toughness, GMC is the brand you choose.
GMC is a reputable company. It's undeniable that GMC makes some excellent SUVs and trucks, but it appears like they focus most of their manufacturing efforts on enhancing the designs of their full-size trucks and SUVs while ignoring the rest of their lineup.
With a 3.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating, GMC is ranked 22nd overall out of 32 automobile manufacturers. This evaluation is based on the average of 345 different models. A GMC has ordinary ownership expenses since its average yearly repair cost is $744. Further elements that affect GMC dependability include the typical 0.3 repair visits made per year and the likelihood that a repair would be severe 17% of the time.
GMC electric models
The 2023 GMC Hummer EV is the Hummer back, and it's electric this time. Both the truck and the SUV versions of the Hummer EV are currently offered for sale under the GMC name and are based on the Ultium platform from General Motors. Despite its size and off-road aspirations, the Hummer EV can reach 60 mph in less than 3.3 seconds.
GMC will have not just one but two electric pickup trucks when the 2024 Sierra EV makes its appearance to go along with the massive, expensive Hummer EV AT4 and Denali Edition.