If you’re a fan of high-performance vehicles, chances are you’ve heard of the GMC Typhoon. And if you haven’t it’s an iconic SUV from the early ’90s. Its bold styling and turbocharged power made it one of the first SUVs to offer serious performance capabilities. 

But despite its impressive specs, the Typhoon was only produced for two model years. So, how many models were actually made? Let’s break it down. 

A brief history of the GMC Typhoon 

The GMC Typhoon is a sport utility vehicle that was produced from 1991 to 1993 by General Motors. Thanks to its turbocharger and intercooler setup, it came with a 4.3-liter V6 engine that could generate up to 280 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque.

This made the Typhoon one of the first SUVs to offer serious performance capabilities and allowed it to go from 0–60 mph in 6 seconds—impressive at the time!

Unfortunately, despite its impressive specs, production of the Typhoon ended after just two model years in 1993 due to slowing sales and a lack of funds for further development. 

How many GMC Typhoons were produced? 

In total, only 4,697 units were produced across two model years. However, before production started on regular models in 1992, six pre-production models were made for testing purposes. Most came equipped with either an automatic or manual transmission, but all featured four-wheel drive. 

According to Synergy Motorsports, though, the most popular color for the Typhoon was black with black interior. With the numbers totaling 2,270 of the 4,697 Typhoons built by GMC, 1,262 of them were sold in 1992, and 1,008 were sold in 1993. The percentage of total Typhoons ever sold that were in black/black can then be derived to be about 48.3%.

Cost and value of the GMC Typhoon today 

The GMC Typhoon would cost you around $29,000–$30,000, depending on the features and options (which weren’t many). Car and Driver state with the base price of $29,530, you can get a vehicle that rides high above traffic and stands at the head of the performance class with competitors like the Corvette LT1 and Nissan 300ZX Turbo.

Today, you can probably find one on used car lots starting around $15,000–$20,000, depending on its condition and mileage. Given their performance potential, that’s pretty rare.

Was this performance SUV a good vehicle?

The GMC Typhoon was truly ahead of its time when it debuted in 1991. It offered performance capabilities that were like many sports cars at a fraction of their cost. However, due to a lack of funds for further development and slowing sales toward the end of its production run, GMC only made 4,697 Typhoon models. 

Despite this fact, however, they still remain relatively affordable given their performance capabilities, depending on condition and mileage. So, if you’re a DIY car enthusiast looking for something different than your typical sedan or truck, a used Typhoon may be worth looking into.