Older than dirt Savana could be reborn as an overlanding, off-road camper van.
GMC plans to launch AT4-ready variants that are off-road-ready across its entire lineup in the coming years. However, one vehicle will be left out. The GM Authority confirmed with GMC that AT4 versions will not be available for the Savana full-size passenger and commercial vans.
GMC’s decision is not something we disagree with, but it’s the right one. The Savana is indeed old. It was actually sold in 1995 alongside its mechanically identical brother, the Chevy Express. The two vans were second to the Ford E-Series in our oldest cars list. The Savana, much like the Ford E-Series, has been able to continue its existence due to many uses it never intended. An AT4 trim would unlock the potential of the Savana.
Overlanding is a new branch of #vanlife that began with RVs. Overlanding, which is basically #vanlife, involves living off the beaten track and without any utilities. This is when you take your house-on-wheels and off-road it to a place where RVs won’t be able to follow. You’ll stay as long as your food and water supplies last.
Anything can be used to make overlanding vehicles, including Jeeps, Land Rovers, and decommissioned Soviet-era troop transporters. While some automakers may have made a slight to the movement by offering concepts such as the Jeep Gladiator Wayout Overlander Concept or option packages such as the Explorer Pack on the new Land Rover Defender, no automaker has ever produced an overlanding vehicle that is ready for off-road use.
The Savana AT4 could be this vehicle. The Overlanding group isn’t very affluent so the Savana’s lack of modern technology and age wouldn’t bother them. In fact, they might even like it. GMC could simply give the Savana a suspension lift and add off-road tires and wheels, and then offer four-wheel drive. The van’s rear could be sold empty and cargo van-style. It is available for the buyer to customize to their liking.
This is unlikely to happen. GMC will continue to sell the Savana Express and Express so long as commercial fleet managers are looking for the best box on wheels. It would be amazing if the Savana was more than a van for plumbers. We bet that a Savana AT4 would make an amazing canvas for overlanders, and some incredible mechanical art could be made with it.