GM has reportedly revived plans for a body-on-frame GMC Jimmy off-roader. The Jimmy would target the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota 4Runner. Canyon architecture is the reported foundation, placing it below the Acadia. When Chevrolet brought the Blazer badge out of retirement, it seemed to completely miss a very clear target. Rather than make the Blazer something akin to the original, a rugged off-roader, it was (and still is) a soft crossover made for malls rather than trails. Now, GM might get a second crack at the apple by reviving the GMC Jimmy as a Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco fighter, and reports suggest it’ll come with a V8. According to GM Authority, General Motors has revived plans for a new body-on-frame GMC Jimmy after previously shelving the project several years ago. The original idea was reportedly killed as GM poured billions into electric vehicles and autonomous driving, while tightening fuel economy regulations made a thirsty off-roader harder to justify. Read: This 13k Mile 1987 GMC Jimmy Is A Time Machine That Costs Almost As Much A New Terrain Now the landscape has changed. GM’s EV and autonomous investments haven’t delivered the returns many expected, emissions and fuel economy rules have become less stringent, and suddenly a rugged midsize SUV doesn’t look quite so risky. The proposed Jimmy would reportedly be based on the same general architecture as the current GMC Canyon, giving GMC a proper off-road SUV to slot beneath the Acadia and above the Terrain. More importantly, it would finally provide GMC an answer to vehicles like the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Toyota 4Runner. Perhaps the biggest piece of this new report is that the Jimmy could get a V8. That’s a huge deal considering that the 4Runner and Bronco aren’t available with such a powertrain. The Wrangler has a V8, but only at the very top of the lineup. Not even the potentially related GMC Canyon or Chevrolet Colorado is available with a V8. Putting one in a Jimmy would immediately give that badge a bit more cache. Also: Modern-Day GMC Jimmy Looks Awesome GM is also said to be improving its TurboMax four-cylinder and preparing a new generation of small-block V8 engines, so both powertrains could theoretically end up in the Jimmy. Of course, there’s still a major caveat. GM hasn’t confirmed anything, there’s no timeline, and every detail comes from anonymous sources. But if this rumor turns into reality, GMC may finally have the SUV it should have built years ago. Lead image Flat Out Autos GMC Jimmy build
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