GM is one of the largest automotive conglomerates in the industry and over the decades has created some of the most technically and visually savvy and innovative designs across its various brands/divisions. That innovation has resulted in some of the strangest and quirkiest vehicles ever released on public roads. Whether it’s funky cars, trucks, SUVs, something in between, or a combination of all three, GM has tried it all. Here are 10 of the most interesting and quirky cars to come out of the company.
Ten GMC Envoy XUV
If you need to carry cargo in the open roof cargo area at noon, but pick up the kids from soccer practice at 5:00, the GMC Envoy XUV is your vehicle. A special trick of his XUV for 2003 was to turn the rear cargo area into essentially an open truck bed. A retractable roof slid forward to allow an open compartment, and the rear doors could be opened as regular doors or a truck-like tailgate. Folding down the rear seats essentially merges the cabin with an open-air cargo bed to increase the available cargo space. This type of vehicle is useful for moving tall objects such as furniture and tall plants, and provides a covered cargo area in his SUV if needed.
9 Cadillac ELR
Front 3/4 view of a parked silver Cadillac ELR.
Top badge engineering, the oddly proportioned Cadillac ELR was actually a Chevrolet Volt. In a rather bizarre decision, Cadillac decided to make his ELR a two-door coupe rather than retaining his four-door design of the Volt. This made the ELR unsteady in shape and had to accommodate the battery pack, making it unusually tall for a coupé. ELR was introduced on his 2014 model year and production ended in 2016.
8 Chevrolet SSR
A side 3/4 view of a parked blue Chevrolet SSR.
What about a Corvette-powered truck that’s also a convertible and looks like a retro hot rod? Rather than master it, the result is a hilariously quirky vehicle that combines many elements people loved from GM old and new. Chevrolet introduced his SSR in 2003 and in 2006 offered his 400-horsepower V-8 from Corvette paired with his Tremec six-speed manual.
7 Chevrolet Corvair
Front 3/4 view of a parked yellow Chevrolet Corvair.
The 1962 Chevrolet Corvair was the second production car to be turbocharged, the first to have a turbocharged engine in the rear, and, above all, a quirky American response to the Volkswagen Beetle. Aiming to be more stylish and sporty in nature, the Corvair debuted as a concept variant of the Corvette. The Corvair was never quite as successful as the Beetle, but it would remain a whimsical little rear-engined GM experiment worthy of appreciation.
6 Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky
Front 3/4 view of both Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice studio shots.
The tiny GM Roadster Twin debuted in the mid-2000s as an affordable yet very stylish convertible. The Pontiac Solstice first appeared in his 2004 as his 2005 model, and the Saturn Sky appeared in his 2006 as his 2007 model. Both were powered by his GM’s corporate inline four and both were offered with manual transmissions. These were his two outlandish attempts to build a domestic Mazda Miata fighter. The Solstice was later offered both in coupe form and in his higher performing GXP trim. The design is very rounded, giving the summer solstice a playful nature. Although it had the same foundation, the Saturn Sky was the opposite in design, with a very boxy and rectangular look. Sky always reminds me of his smaller C6 Corvette with triangular headlights. Later, a faster “Red Line” edition was offered, corresponding to his GXP variant of Solstice.
Five Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS
A front 3/4 view of a parked blue Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS.
How do you turn a mediocre mid-2000s sedan into something interesting? Make it a hatchback, then an SS model. The Chevy Malibu Maxx SS is a true unicorn. Malibu His Max, essentially a saloon modified hatchback, was already a quirky car in its own right, but then Chevrolet decided to create a ‘hot hatch’ by creating an SS variant of him. Did. Very strange, but it turns an otherwise very boring people mover into an interesting sporty hatch sedan.
Four chevrolet tahoe two door sport
Front 3/4 view of a red 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe 2-Door Sport Parked.
You’re no ordinary mom, you’re a cool mom. The 2-door Chevrolet Tahoe Sport was the coolest way to own a Tahoe in the 90’s. This Ford Bronco Fighter boasts a two-door sporty look, but with a lot more room inside. It may seem a little strange now, but back then he was much more popular with two-door cars. Ultimately, the more practical four-door entryway proved to be the more popular configuration, prompting GM to do away with the quirky two-door sports model.
3 buick grand national
1987 Buick Front 3/4 view of Grand National Park.
Turbo V-6 muscle car? Blasphemy, but that happened in 1982 and today he is highly regarded as his iconic GM sports car of the 80’s. Based on Buick Regal, GM decided his V-6 needed a turbocharger. At one point, the Grand National was the fastest accelerating car in the world. Only available with a 4-speed automatic and painted only in Darth Vader Black, the Buick Grand National was odd, then legendary.
2 GMC Cyclone/GMC Typhoon
Front 3/4 view with both GMC Syclone and GMC Typhoon parked.
Thanks to the success of the Grand National with turbocharged V-6s, the 1991 GMC Syclone and Typhoon twins also used turbocharged V-6 powertrains (albeit slightly larger) and otherwise We created variations of street trucks and SUVs that were very fast. normal vehicle. Towing these vehicles is not recommended and the Syclone carried only 500 pounds. Still, these turbo trucks were as powerful as the Porsche 911s of their time.
1 Pontiac G6 GXP
Front 3/4 view of a black Pontiac G6 GXP studio shot.
In theory the G6 GXP was a great idea and the concept car was amazing. However, the retail version was a bit of a let down in design and performance. After all, not every car design lends itself to exaggerating every component. The G6 GXP’s elongated grille and oddly shaped rear wing made the whole car look like a cheap aftermarket job, and you could tell BMW wasn’t doing the worst by not fitting its proportions. I was. An upgraded V-6 engine was a welcome addition, but Pontiac did away with his manual transmission option on his G6 by the time his GXP came out in 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does GM make weird cars?
For decades, GM experimented with exotic concepts to see which ideas would grab market attention, trying to steal market share from existing competitors.
Q: Does GM still make weird cars?
The new GMC Hummer Ev was in some ways a conceptual risk, but GM has somewhat shied away from the concept of an adventurous vehicle.
Q: Are any of these cars still in existence today?
The only surviving name is Chevrolet Tahoe, a great seller for GM.
Q: Are any of these wacky vehicles going up in value?
The Buick Grand National and GMC Syclone & Typhoon are gaining some traction within the collector’s realm. The rest of the vehicles have yet to reach their nostalgic heyday.
Q: Where are these vehicles?
Most can be found on car sales/auction websites such as bringatrailer.com.
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