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The GMC Typhoon is an outlier beyond anything ever in the truck world. Ever. Following soon after GMC’s identical pickup version, the 1990 Syclone, they’re both unique, fast, and good-looking. Those three things also make them extremely collectible. And in the case of the Typhoon, so collectible that two recent sales marched right past $100,000.

The Syclone got most of the headlines as it was first. And what got most enthusiasts’ attention, whether you were into trucks or not, was Car and Driver’s famous comparison of the Syclone and a Ferrari 348. The almost laughable comparison put the two in various matchups. In both quarter-mile runs and zero-to-60 mph blasts, the Syclone beat the expected winner, the 348.

Why are GMC Typhoons so collectible today?

Black 1992 GMC Typhoon performance SUV in studio shot
1992 GMC Typhoon performance SUV | General Motors

That left an indelible mark that runs right through today. It’s a badge of honor that no pickup truck can match. And, of course, the joke is that for its reputation and how much it costs, the Ferrari should take the crown. While it can’t do that in these acceleration tests, it was still quite a bit more expensive next to a Syclone or Typhoon until recently.

When the Typhoon came on the scene two years later, the impact of such an outrageous package was now an old idea. Enthusiasts already had the time to soak in the magnificence of the idea of a commercial vehicle beating a Ferrari. But two things make the Typhoon a more collectible SUV.

How can GMC Typhoon prices beat Ferrari 348 prices?

Black 1992 GMC Syclone performance truck on dirt
1992 GMC Syclone performance truck | General Motors

First, both the Typhoon and Syclone were very limited production. For the Syclone’s three-year span, production was less than 3,000. And in the case of the Typhoon, that number eked up to only 4,700 in its two-year existence. And the second reason why the Typhoon edges out the Syclone is that it is more versatile because, after all, it’s an SUV.

Now, to the price situation. Even that category has been overtaken by the GMC Typhoon. Recently a 272-mile Typhoon on Bring-a-Trailer gaveled at $175,000. Some suggest this may have been artificially driven up. Still, during the pandemic, a 1,400-mile Syclone sold for $78,750. And in 2020, according to Hagerty, a 2,228-mile Syclone saw a winning bid of $62,920.

Should you look for one now?

Black 1992 GMC Syclone performance truck studio shot
1992 GMC Syclone performance truck | General Motors

Those aren’t Ferrari 348-beating sales, but they do point to these two GMC performance vehicles ascending into the future. And for the reasons we give here and more. What’s better news is that plenty of higher-mileage Syclone and Typhoon haulers have far lower price tags. While the super-low mileage examples always score record prices, the higher-mileage variants can be just as fun, in almost as nice condition, for less.

This may or may not be the end of truck Ferrari-shaming, but it is no longer hypothetical. We suggest you keep an eye out for nice examples should you be in the market, as prices for desirable vehicles never go down.

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