GMC Granite Concept at Detroit Motor Show

The GMC Granite Concept has previewed at the Detroit Motor Show

We have to get used to US car makers coming up with cars that really don’t fit with the universal impression of a Yank-Tank. Times they are a changing’ and the US car industry is being dragged in to the 21st century.

Latest Euro-Asian style offering comes in the form of a GMC. Yep, that purvey of huge Yankee lumps has had a bash at producing an American version of the Nissan Cube. Sort of.

The GMC Granite is 5′ tall, 5’10″ wide and nearly 13’5″ long. Probably small enough to fit in the boot of one of their normal re-badged Chevy trucks. The GMC Granite gets a huge front grill, 20″ alloys. a set of rear-hinged doors (just like the new Vauxhall Meriva), a set of LED lights and a spoiler on the roof. Seats, including the passenger seat, all fold up turning the Granite in to a mini-van.

Inside, apart from the trick seats, the Granite gets a set of ‘Aircraft-Inspired’ instruments, a set of LED screens, two-tone seats and a gear knob similar to the one you’d find in a Jaguar XF. But most of this stuff is probably ‘Concept-Fantasy’ and won’t actually make production.

Power comes from a 1.4 litre 4-pot turbo with 138bhp and 148lbs/ft torque. The concept gets an auto ‘box, but if it does make it in to production there will no doubt be a manual option.

At this rate the Land of the Free will end up being the Land of the Compact Car.

By Cars UK