The History of GM Trucks

Chevrolet joined General Motors, Inc. in 1911 and this partnership set the stage for the production of high quality, durable, rugged midsize trucks, pickup trucks and SUVs in the United States market. General Motors (GM) has been serving the U.S. market for over 100 years, and has played a pivotal role in supplying the military with utility vehicles, cargo trucks and automotive parts. GM trucks have been available for both commercial and consumer use, and GM continues to be one of the most-recognized automotive brands in the Western world.

History

General Motors was founded by William C. Durant in 1908, and emerged as the buyer of the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company owned by Max Grabowsky. GM grew quickly after the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company acquisition, and the General Motors Truck Company (GMC) introduced a line of trucks by 1912. In 1916, the first GMC truck was driven from Seattle, Washington to New York and back, and took a total of 21 weeks. Just five decades later, GMC had become the market leader in full-size pickup trucks that were capable of traveling that same route in just six days.

Types

GM has produced several different types and styles of trucks throughout its production history. These include: AA trucks, searchlight trucks, cargo trucks, troop carriers for military use, refrigerated trucks, trailers, half-ton pickup trucks, six-wheel-drive military trucks, dump trucks, sports utility vehicles and consumer pickup trucks.

Truck Production Timeline

GMC was responsible for supplying the U.S. Army standard AA trucks in 1917, and the Model 16 was produced specifically for military use. This truck was primarily used as an ambulance on the battlefield, and GMC continued to produce specialty trucks for the military, including troop carriers, searchlight trucks and cargo trucks.

GMC produced its first refrigerated truck and trailer in 1931, allowing companies to carry cargo and perishable goods across the country. By the late 1930s, GMC was producing half-ton pickup trucks, ten-ton trucks for commercial use and trailer chassis for plants and factories.

By World War II, GMC had taken on truck production projects to create six-wheel-drive military trucks, dump trucks, tankers, bomb transporters and fire engines. It wasn't until the postwar era that the company focused most of its efforts on the consumer market.

Postwar trucks included sports utility vehicles, the Suburban pickup, motor homes and off-road models. The company continued to produce several series and styles of pickup trucks for consumers, improving horsepower and fuel efficiency, and streamlining the design with each production run.

Models

Examples of the most-recognized GMC pickup trucks, vans, SUVs, and heavy-duty trucks include the Caballero, C and K Series, Sierra, Sonoma, Sprint, Syclone, Handi-Van, Handi-Bus, Vandura, Savana, Envoy, Acadia, Suburban, Yukon XL, Astro 95, General, Brigadier, TopKick and the S-Series (school buses made with GMC truck engines and parts).

Misconceptions

Rumors that the GMC line would be axed reached their peak in April 2009. However, General Motors announced that it would be preserving its GMC truck line, along with Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick brands as it restructured. The company planned to drop only the Pontiac brand by June 2009 if certain financial goals were not met.