GMC Centaur Pickup Truck Concept

[dennyt]

Saw the article here.

Throw an aerocap on that, ditch the mirrors, and it would be quite aerodynamic! Mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, seats 4. I'll take one.

[TheEnemy]

Its payload was rated at 2,000 pounds, and it could pull up to a 5,000-pound trailer.

Beats the capabilities of my Nissan.

The Centaur's cab-forward, jellybean-style shape prioritized passenger
space in a footprint roughly equal to that of a first-generation GMC S-15 or Chevrolet S-10 extended cab pickup. Like the G8 ST, it had only two doors, with bucket seats up front. But the Centaur also added a full-width seat in the rear that provided room for three more passengers.

Make it a 4 door to make getting in and out of the back easy and it would be exactly the truck I'm looking for. Even though GM and I don't get along too well I would probably consider it if they made something like that.

The only potential drawback for me would be the lack of clearance for the rougher roads I sometimes drive on.

[Frank Lee]

One time I saw a really nicely done pickup conversion of a Trans Sport going down the highway...



It wasn't like this ugly thing ^ (only pic online I could find to illustrate the concept)- they'd cut it behind the doors at the window line. Those vans with the 3800 were known for getting exceptionally good fe... due to aero fe would take a hit, but with a tonneau it would be a bit better and with an aerocap it could be better than stock!

Might be a way to salvage one of those hideous Azteks...

I think it's a really cool idea.

Quick'n'dirty Photobucket edit:

[aerohead]

The Trans Sport,@ Cd 0.30,Af 30.0 square feet,3665 pounds curb weight,and 120 bhp tested at:
* road load @ 30 mph------------------------ 7 hp
* road load @ 50 mph------------------------ 17 hp
* road load @ 70 mph------------------------ 37 hp
* top speed--------------------------------- 104 mph
* EPA city----------------------------------- 18 mpg
* EPA hwy----------------------------------- 23 mpg
* CAR and DRIVER observed mpg --------------- 16 mpg
* another mag reported a highway portion only @ 23 mpg

[Frank Lee]

Aero, ever seen Cd for the Azteks?

I've always wondered what that sloped rear gave 'em, but haven't found any Cd values for them.

I've heard several reports of 30 or so mpg for the trans sports, but who knows what the accurate numbers are...

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Aero, ever seen Cd for the Azteks?

I've always wondered what that sloped rear gave 'em, but haven't found any Cd values for them.

I've heard several reports of 30 or so mpg for the trans sports, but who knows what the accurate numbers are...

Frank,I've never had the Aztek's Cd.Maybe GOOGLE could help us out.
I think the slope on the Aztek is kinda fast but the rear spoiler would allow for re-attachment.
Some articles involving GM products in the 1980s indicated that GM has very stringent outward vision requirements for their cars and my guess is that the steep slope on the Aztek is trying to honor that,then the spoiler tries to make up for the damage.
A close friend from college drove down from Colorado for a visit in his new Prius yesterday and he is having difficulty with rear vision.He'll live with it he says,but it's an issue.
Probably explains why the 2nd-gen Insight backlight is also a bit steep.
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30 mpg would be sweet in the Pontiac.I got the V-dub bus to 35mpg a few times so maybe not far fetched.

[Frank Lee]

I've googled until my eyes were googly. Came up empty, but that was some time ago.

[gone-ot]

...again, it's apparent that GM management laid-off/fired people from the wrong END of the employment triangle (pun intended)!

[cfg83]

dennyt -

Gorgeous! Me want those wheel covers. Reminds me of what the 1986 Pontiac Transport concept could have become as a pickup :

1986 Pontiac Transsport - Concepts



I hate what the Transsport became. The concept was so much better.

CarloSW2

[BrianAbington]

GM had some really amazing design concepts back in the 80's and early 90's. Yet they always went for the look were all the vehicles look like a larger or smaller version of each other.

I understand brand identity but seriously if they had made there vehicles way ahead of their time as far as aerodynamics are concerned they would have sold very well.

That pontiac van and the GMC truck both look great and would probably still have wound up with 30+mpg hwy. You know what that would have done for their van/small truck sales at the time?

Really makes me wonder if the oil companies really have been paying the auto makers to make cars with less mileage than they should be getting.