1988 GMC Centaur - AllCarIndex

PRESS RELEASE:

GMC CENTAUR CONCEPT TRUCK DETROIT, Jan. 5 — The futuristic Centaur — a GMC Truck concept vehicle which blends sleek passenger car lines with the rugged utility of a pickup truck — exemplifies the universal appeal of light trucks in today's motor vehicle market.

Named for the fabled half-man, half-horse creature of Greek mythology, the all-wheel drive Centaur molds the advanced automotive styling and the workhorse utility of a pickup truck into a single, all-purpose vehicle.

The Centaur's smooth, flowing exterior shape sports a translucent bright metallic red and silver paint treatment. Flush glass and small frontal area provide exceptional aerodynamics.

Its spacious interior compartment is equipped with two front bucket seats and rear seating for an additional three adults in a passenger car sedan environment.

The Centaur features a 2,000-pound payload capacity pickup box and pulls a 5,000-pound trailer. It is powered by a 3 liter, horizontal in-line six cylinder engine with a 24-valve high compression cylinder head. The high performance engine is teamed with an experimental 5-speed automatic transmission.

An advanced self-leveling air spring damper system, electric four-wheel steering and anti-lock brakes contribute to the centaur's car-like ride and handling characteristics.

The futuristic GMC "car-truck" is approximately the sane length and width of the current GMC S-15 compact pickup truck, but slightly lower.

The Centaur design incorporates systems and components which reflect state-of-the-art and 21st Century technologies.

Although there are no firm production plans for the Centaur, many of its advanced systems and components are in the research and development stage for possible adaptation to GMC truck designs in the years ahead.

But, for today, the Centaur gives added meaning to GMC Truck's current marketing theme — "It's not just a truck anymore."