Image via Complex Original
Tomorrow (December 13, 2012), GMC will unveil the all-new 2014 Sierra full-size pickup. The truck is the latest in a bloodline stretching over 111 years. Before the GMC badge was born, its predecessor Rapid was churning out Detroit's first commercial trucks. The brainchild of Max Grabowsky, Rapid lead the way for GMC's legacy of design and engineering innovation. Since then, GMC has set trends and industry standards becoming a staple on American roads and a symbol of American ingenuity and hard work.
In preparation for the new Sierra, we take a ride through GMC history in 11 trucks.
1902 Rapid
Before there was a true blue GMC pickup, there was the Rapid. The first truck from Max Grabowsky's Motor Vehicle Company—little more than a seat, an engine cover, and a frame—was delivered in 1902. It stands as the first commercial truck operated in Detroit.
1913 GMC 2 Ton Pickup
In 1912, the GMC nameplate was applied to a truck for the first time. During the early years, the company offered a mix of trucks that featured either upright front ends or curved "French" fronts.
1927 GMC Cab Chassis Two Ton Tanker with Spirit of St. Louis
GMC design hit its stride in the 1920s. The milestone year was 1927, when more stylized fenders, headlights attached to the radiator, and the first chrome-plated radiator surround gave the trucks a distinct and unique look.
1936 GMC Half Ton Pickup
The truck market expanded in the 1930s. GMC responded by streamlining and adding new design elements—sloped grilles, more paint color options, and passenger cabs inspired by popular car trends. These features helped push the pickup to new customers across the nation.
1948 GMC FC101 Half Ton ST SP 715
Innovation was the name of the game following WWII. GMC's great contribution to American highways was the first fully integrated headlights for trucks. Additionally, pickups of that decade featured wider, lower, and bolder grilles.
1955 GMC 100 Series Deluxe ST CT208
Hooded headlights and panoramic glass highlighted GMC truck design in the 1950s. The pickups drew influence from the car market, once again, and gave drivers increased comfort, performance, and safety.
1960 GMC Model 1000 Half Ton Wide Side ST
The 1960s were another watershed year for GMC pickups. For the first time, a full-width hood was fitted to a truck. New design cues extended to "jet pod" grilles and a pinched-waist body crease on each side.
1976 GMC 2500 Sierra Classic 3+3 Crew Cab Wideside
Consumers wishing to haul more than equipment in their pickup were appeased in the 1970s. GMC offered, for the first time, a Crew Cab. Interiors were also improved—useful for when trucks become people carriers—as padded materials replaced metal fittings along the surfaces. Truck developments continued to improve commercial uses too—heavy duty models began to offer dual rear axels to push capacity.
1988 GMC C1500 Sierra SLE Ext Cab Wideside
A new, aerodynamic generation of GMC trucks debuted in 1987. Along with fresh looks, the company lofted the Sierra badge to standard name for all full-size pickups. GMC trucks as we now know them were official born.
1999 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT
The challenge of wedging yourself in the rear seats of an extended crew cab were alleviated in the '90s. All praise due to the radical rear-hinged third door! In 1999, GMC introduced the next generation truck and with it the first use of frame hydroforming.
2007 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Duramax diesel engines were added to the Sierra HD in the '00s. Additionally, GMC muscled its stake in the luxury truck market with the addition of the Denali pickup. Add those two things together and you get what the folks in Michigan call "the 'D' decade."
