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GMC Appears to Be Reviving a Long-Lost Favorite from the Dead

The General is finally attempting to take aim at the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.

Front view of a two-tone brown and white vintage GMC truck with California license plate in sunlight.BringATrailer
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A black and white portrait of a smiling man with short, dark hair. He is wearing a light-colored blazer over a collared shirt. The background is plain and unobtrusive.

By Chris Chin

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GMC may be reviving a long-forgotten nameplate to build a dedicated off-roader. Enthusiast site GM Authority reports the automaker is working on a new dedicated, body-on-frame four-wheeling SUV and could potentially name it the Jimmy.

The new SUV will apparently have its sights set directly on the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner and company. Should such a model come to fruition, it would be GM’s first dedicated enthusiast truck in ages, not based on a preexisting model.

GMC’s supposedly, finally bringing back the Jimmy

Two-tone brown and white vintage GMC SUV with off-road tires parked on sandy terrain at sunset.
The Jimmy is a GMC model that dates back to the 1970s as GM’s answer to the original, second-generation Ford Bronco.
BringATrailer

Over the past several years, rumors began surfacing, hinting at GM’s desire to revive the Jimmy. Some of those rumors suggested the model could be a new midsizer.

While others implied it could be the name of one of GMC’s newest all-electric SUVs, one even said it could be the name of a new enthusiast-aimed off-roader to compete against the likes of the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.

Black GMC SUV with chrome grille and red accents parked on rocky desert terrain.
The AT4 trim, like on the Yukon, adds extra gear such as all-terrain tires, integrated tow hooks and skid plates.
GMC

But now, GMC is reportedly proceeding with rugged, body-on-frame SUV plans.

Development for this dedicated enthusiast four-wheeler apparently began as far back as the early 2020s. But the Jimmy revival saw some pushback as planners were still charting the best product strategy at that point in time.

gmc canyon at4x aev
GMC created its AT4 lineup of trucks and SUVs to try and cater to the increasing demand for rugged four-by-fours.
Will Sabel Courtney

Now, with the enthusiast four-wheeling niche exploding in popularity, especially with more love for overlanding, GMC is looking to cash in on the fun.

The last time GMC sold any type of Jimmy was well over two decades ago. Originally a full-sized three-door body-on-frame truck based on the OG Chevrolet K5 Blazer, the Jimmy later morphed into a compact SUV.

Black GMC Jimmy SUV with silver trim and Goodyear Wrangler tires parked in front of a building.
The last Jimmy ever sold was in 2005, which was essentially an “S-10” Blazer rebadged as a GMC model.
BringATrailer

In the 1980s, GM shrunk both the Blazer and its Jimmy cousin, basing the model on the at-the-time new S-10-based Blazer. Both the S-10 Blazer and Jimmy would continue production up until 2005, before being replaced by the Envoy.

Regulatory rollbacks have GMC revisiting the Jimmy revival

White GMC Jimmy 4x4 SUV with black trim and Goodyear Wrangler tires in a studio setting.
In the 1980s, GM based the Jimmy and its Chevy cousin on the smaller, more economic S-10 platform.
BringATrailer

Speaking to a source “close to the matter,” GMAuthority also learned that the company is revisiting some of the older plans originally shelved to make way for GM’s bold electrification strategy. But because the electrification push didn’t pay off in the way executives had hoped, they’re dusting off some of the sidelined projects.

That includes the GMC’s plan to revive the Jimmy with optional V8 power. The Jimmy would be a part of GMC’s ambition to give gas power a “renaissance.”

Three GMC pickup trucks in white, red, and black parked on rocky terrain with mountains in the background.
GMC also gave the Canyon pickup the AT4 treatment in an attempt to win over Toyota Tacoma TRD fans.
GMC

Not much else is known, however. But given the changes at the regulatory level and other external factors, the circumstances are back to favoring the Jimmy revival. Especially since the Acadia grew in size, leaving room in GMC’s lineup for another model.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

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