The 280-horsepower GMC Typhoon, released in 1992 for the 1993 model year with a turbocharged 4.3-liter V6, is widely considered the first performance SUV. The Typhoon was based on the GMC S-15 Jimmy and lasted only a single model year, with 4,697 units built, but it kicked off a whole new way of thinking about the sports utility vehicle. In the 1990s, SUVs were the new station wagons, functioning as family cars that were roomy, comfortable, and capable, but not exactly sporty. The Typhoon was a real have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too moment, with its 5.3-second 0-60 time proving that these big, bulky rigs didn’t need to be a chore to drive.
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