111 Years of GMC Trucks

Published on January 12, 2013 in Galleries by Gilles Olivier

Max Grabowsky (left), founder of Rapid Motor Vehicle Co., shown here around 1950. His 1902 truck would pave the way for the GMC brand.

1902 The first Rapid truck – little more than a seat, an engine cover and a frame – was delivered in 1902.

1913 The GMC name takes its place on a truck grille for the first time in 1912 and the mix of trucks offered had either upright front ends or curved “French” fronts.

1927 was a milestone for design features with more stylized fenders, headlights attached to the radiator, and the first chrome-plated radiator surround.

1936 Streamlining in the ?s added sloped grilles, more paint color options and passenger cabs inspired by car design trends, which helped expand the truck market.

1940 Following the war, GMCs of the late ?s featured fully integrated headlights for the first time, as well as wider, lower, and bolder grilles.

1955 Cars again influenced truck design in the ?s, resulting in more safety, comfort and performance. 1955 highlights were hooded headlights and panoramic glass.

1960 The first GMC pickup with a full-width hood debuted in 1960. Other design cues included “jet pod” grilles at the front and a pinched-waist body crease on each side.

1970 Padded materials replaced many metal interior surfaces in the ?s.

1987 The Sierra name became standard for all full-size pickups with the introduction of a new, more aerodynamic generation of GMC trucks.

1999 The ?s brought the first rear-hinged three-door Extended Cab model. In 1999, new generation of truck introduced the first use of frame hydroforming.

2007 The new millennium brought the “D” decade: The first Duramax diesel engine for Sierra HD added capability and the first Denali pickup set a luxury standard for trucks.

2014 The Sierra Brings Bold Refinement to Full-size Trucks