Automakers launch more limited-edition vehicles than ever nowadays. And while it's cool that we get to buy so many cars that will become collectors' items in just a few years, we also have to deal with insane dealer markups. On top of that, many customers buy low-volume cars to keep them in storage and sell them as low-mileage collectibles after a few years.
But while it may be more common nowadays, this practice isn't exactly new. People have been sitting on rare supercars like the McLaren F1 and the Ferrari F40 (just to name a few) since the 1980s. Pickup trucks rarely get this type of treatment, but some enthusiasts did purchase high-performance haulers to keep them in storage until they become six-figure classics. The GMC Syclone you see here is one of them.
Produced in the early 1990s, when beefed-up trucks weren't as common, the Syclone was created by GMC and Production Automotive Services (PAS) as a high-performance alternative to the Sonoma. A more aggressive-looking hauler fitted with a sporty suspension and offered only in black, the Syclone left the factory with a turbocharged, 4.3-liter V6 engine.
The mill provided more oomph than most V8 engines available at the time, producing 280 horsepower and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm) of torque. And needless to say, it was quite impressive for a truck, especially since it enabled the Syclone to hit 60 mph (97 kph) in 4.3 seconds, toward a quarter-mile run of 13.4 clicks at 98 mph (158 kph). It was also quick enough to beat a V8-powered Ferrari 348 ts in a now-infamous test put together by "Car and Driver."
Come 2023 and the Syclone is a sought-after collectible, but examples that spent a lot of time on the road aren't particularly expensive. Specifically, they rarely change hands for more than $50,000. However, low-mileage units that show fewer than 10,000 miles (16,093 km) on the odo are known to fetch more than $75,000. The Syclone you see here is also a low-mileage gem. But this one spent most of its time in storage at only 278 miles (447 km). So much so that it didn't get its first proper cleaning until 2023.
After more than three decades in storage or on display at various events, the truck was taken to "AMMO NYC" for a much-needed refresh. Not because it needed to be saved from under a thick layer of dust and grime. The goal was to remove 32 years' worth of fine scratches and swirl marks, as well as give the hauler its first professional detailing.
And while it sounds like an easy thing to do, it was quite the challenge for our host due to the truck sporting a really thin layer of paint that wasn't even three mm (0.12 inches) thick on most body panels. All told, this video is also a cool tutorial on how to polish old and really thin paint without burning through it.
Fortunately, the Syclone ends up looking like new, which is great news given that it's one of the lowest-mileage examples out there and one of only 2,998 units built. How much is a Syclone worth in this condition? Well, there aren't many of them out there, but one in similar condition sold for more than $100,000 in 2022. I have no idea whether this one is being prepped for the auction block or not, but it looks fetching, to say the least.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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