GMC concept vehicles: from the Terradyne to the Granite

Between 2000 and 2019 GMC produced a series of concept vehicles that showed ideas later used in production. They ranged from a full-size pickup with four-wheel steering to a compact crossover that was never built.

GMC concept vehicles at a glance

Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on GMC concept vehicles of 2000-2019. No free photographs were found.

History of the GMC concept vehicles

Terradyne (2000)

The GMC Terradyne pickup was the first concept car produced by GMC and was shown at the 2000 North American International Auto Show. It had a 6.6-litre Duramax diesel V8 and GMC’s Quadrasteer four-wheel steering, which became a production option on full-size pickups for the 2002 model year. All four doors were designed to part in the middle and slide towards the front and rear like minivan doors rather than swing outwards, and the extended cab was pushed forward to give passengers more room. The cargo bed could grow from six feet to eight with an extending tailgate and had 110 and 220 volt power outlets fed by an engine-driven 5,000-watt generator.

Terracross (2001)

The GMC Terracross was an all-wheel-drive concept SUV unveiled in 2001. It followed a design language similar to the Terradyne and shared its sliding rear doors, which opened towards the rear parallel to the sides of the vehicle. It had a three-panel sliding glass roof and a reconfigurable mid-gate and window that could create a rear cargo compartment separate from the passenger area, an idea later used on the GMC Envoy XUV and Chevrolet Avalanche. There were no B-pillars, the front passenger seat could swivel to face the rear, the interior was surrounded by translucent green lighting and the equipment included a laptop computer integrated into the dashboard and an OnStar system.

Denali XT (2008)

The GMC Denali XT was a concept coupe utility revealed in February 2008 at the Chicago Auto Show, based on the Zeta platform. Its two-mode hybrid powertrain used a flex-fuel direct-injected 4.9-litre V8 with cylinder deactivation and 326 hp. Behind the four-door cab was a 4.5-foot cargo bed that could be extended to six feet with the mid-gate lowered.

Granite (2010)

The GMC Granite was a compact crossover SUV introduced at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Had it been produced, it would have been GMC’s smallest crossover. It was powered by a 1.4-litre EcoTec turbocharged four producing 138 hp and 148 lb-ft, matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Design and features

• Quadrasteer: the four-wheel steering shown on the Terradyne became a production option for 2002.
• Sliding doors: both pickups and SUVs in the series used doors that slid rather than swung.
• Mid-gate: the Terracross idea later appeared on the Envoy XUV and Chevrolet Avalanche.
• Hybrid pickup: the Denali XT used a two-mode hybrid with a flex-fuel V8.
• Compact crossover: the Granite previewed a smaller GMC that was never built.

GMC concept vehicles versions

• Terradyne (2000): a full-size pickup concept with a Duramax diesel and Quadrasteer.
• Terracross (2001): an all-wheel-drive SUV concept with a sliding glass roof and mid-gate.
• Denali XT (2008): a rear-drive-based hybrid coupe utility.
• Granite (2010): a compact crossover concept with a 1.4 turbo engine.

The Terradyne’s four-wheel steering reached production on the GMC Sierra, and the Terracross mid-gate idea appeared on the GMC Envoy XUV. More cars are in the GMC collection.

Sources

• GMC concept vehicles (2000-2019), English Wikipedia: Terradyne, Terracross, Denali XT and Granite details