What is it?
GMC Granite Concept
What's special about it?
Well, we dodged a bullet here with this concept vehicle. We were beginning to suspect that the 2010 Detroit Auto Show would see the death of that oldest of auto show concept tropes, the concept car with suicide doors. Then along comes this nifty little gray box, the GMC Granite concept, and it has rear-hinged rear doors. Whew!
Of course, GMC doesn't call them suicide doors, lest that remind people of, you know, suicide. They are now "French doors," like the ones you might have seen on HGTV. (We wonder if the "French" reference might be a little too wimpy for the professional-grade brand. Maybe "Sub-Zero doors," would work better.)
Built upon a 103.6-inch wheelbase, the Granite is dimensionally similar to its spiritual brother-from-another-mother, the Scion xB. And it's not much bigger than a Nissan Cube, with which it also shares a cubic similarity. But compared to the cutesiness of the Nissan and Scion, GMC goes for butch.
No water-ripple texture to the headliner for the GMC. Instead, its interior features a gearshift knob that "rotates with the precise clicks of a torque wrench." Torque wrenches aren't cute, see? GMC describes the exterior styling as "creating the impression of an industrial machine." And the concept is trimmed with serious materials such as anodized aluminum and brushed metal, not that frivolous, shiny chrome. According to GMC, even the paint color was supposedly mixed to evoke that manliest of stones, granite.
The Granite's boxy nose is filled with a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-4 engine. That would be the same motor that will power the upcoming Chevy Cruze sedan.
If GMC has overextended its self-appointed Professional Grade persona a bit too aggressively here, we think that's forgivable. Concept cars are not supposed to be subtle. They aren't supposed to equivocate. This whole non-truck-and-SUV thing is unexplored territory for GMC. Consider this little "urban utility vehicle" as the company's first tentative steps in this direction.
Inside Line says: Do the children of people with commercial-grade cooking ranges in their designer kitchens demand a commercial-style wagon? — Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
Add A Comment »
rmf_nc says:
02:36 PM, 05/14/2010
If they offer this 'buggy' in AWD and just single color interiors, how could I resists?
There is a market for uniqueness and when combined with quality, small utility and performance with good mileage... I'll buy one!
tonydb says:
09:23 AM, 01/14/2010
Need to offer an AWD or partime 4WD option & a sunroof & the versatility of the Element (back seats removeable) and this will sell. Either that or offer it in the Chevrolet version (Orlando). With only FWD, this is just another good looking boxy vehicle in a crowded market.
Looks good!
gordancin says:
06:45 AM, 01/13/2010
The sooner they refine and build this vehicle the better. This is a really sharp design in the Element, Cube, Soul, Xb vein. All they need do is keep the weight down, the "fun to drive" and "fuel economy" up... and they'll find themselves with a runaway success on their hands.
That is... if they don't wait another 18 months to put it on the road.
autoboy16 says:
05:30 AM, 01/12/2010
This car just makes sense from a business standpoint. Remember, automakers need high mpg vehicles to meet that new fuel economy goal. This engine iirc can get 40mpg. So high mpg and the ever well selling box. Can't really go wrong with that. Honestly, it looks really good! I think i would rather have this than an XB or Cube, but its real competition is the Kia Soul....
cjw88 says:
05:12 PM, 01/11/2010
Now that GM deleted some of it's nameplates it must open up its remaining brands and broaden them to accommodate different market segments.
I love the front and doors. Too bad the back doesn't portray the same presents as the rest of the vehicle.
uponfurtherrev says:
01:29 PM, 01/11/2010
Great addition for GMC to expand its line-up, move toward tougher mileage and CO2 standards, create a GMC entry for possible future Voltec applications, make a greater GMC impact with a younger - less affluent demographic, while gaining additional mileage from the Cruze-Orlando platform.
luxurycarlover says:
12:04 PM, 01/11/2010
ugly as heck
stingray454 says:
07:08 AM, 01/11/2010
FAIL. Then again, the Scion xB should be a FAIL too, yet idiots everywhere are buying them up as fast as they can make them. Go figure.
zoomzoomn says:
05:08 AM, 01/11/2010
smilez says:
10:52 PM, 01/10/2010
Agreed! This is the kind of stuf that got GM in trouble to begin with...brand identity problems. Now, call me silly, but this would have made a cool Pontiac Vibe. Oh, I'm sorry. Pontiac is dead. Who needs excitement, anyway.
smilez says:
10:52 PM, 01/10/2010
If there's one thing I think of when I think of GMC...this would be it. A Scion xB/Nissan Cube/Chevy Cruze competitor.
What is happening? I just flat out don't know what is going on in the minds of GM execs. It seems like instead of deciding which vehicle best fits the moniker of each division, they are making concepts and throwing at a dart board to decide which division gets it.