Media Middle East

Ten Little Known Facts About GMC

2012-02-15

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DUBAI – GMC is one of the longest-running brands in the General Motors collection, the second-largest of the three GM brands in Middle East sales, and a standard bearer for engineering in pick-up trucks, SUVs and crossover vehicles. It is a collection with history and heritage. Here are ten facts about the GMC.

1 – The GMC name turns 100 years old in 2012.  In 1912, Rapid Motor Vehicle Company was merged with two others – Reliance and Randolph – to become GMC.

2 – On August 1, 1909, a Rapid F-406-B – a GMC predecessor – was the first truck to reach the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak, a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, U.S.

3 – GMC built some of the world’s earliest electric vehicles from 1912-1917.  These trucks had single-digit model names, each denoting load capacity, from one-half-ton to 12 tons.

4 – GMC entered the Middle East market in the 1930s, with 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles that were specifically developed for desert use.

5 – In 1937, GMC introduced its first sports utility vehicle, the GMC Suburban, which is known as the Yukon XL.  It was followed by the Sierra in 1962, the brand’s first full-size personal-use pickup and the GMC Jimmy in 1970.

6 – GMC’s luxury-focused Denali trim level currently outsells the entire product lines of some premium automakers.

7 – The Middle East market has always been a key market for GMC and is the only region outside North America where the brand is offered.

8 – Kuwait’s GMC dealer, Mohammed Saleh and Reza Yousef Behbehani, is the world’s largest standalone GMC dealer in sales volume. He has held this accolade for the past six years.

9 – During World War II, GMC manufactured approximately 584,000 military vehicles, including the CCKW-353 “Deuce-and-a-half” and the amphibious “Duck”.

10 – In the Middle East, the GMC is affectionately known as the ‘Jims’.

About GMC
GMC has built trucks since 1902. Today GMC is evolving to offer more choice, including the Terrain and Acadia crossovers. The GMC Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks in the market.  Innovation and engineering excellence are woven into all GMCs. The GMC Denali represents the pinnacle of GMC’s offering by bringing upscale refinement and performance to its lineup.  For more media material about GMC in the Middle East, please visit http://media.gmcarabia.com