Concepts

 

 1950 GM Futurliner

 1950 GM Futurliner

 

 1950 GM Futurliner

 

1950 GM Futurliner
General Motors constructed twelve Futurliners to tour North America, presenting the Parade of Progress to millions of visitors who enjoyed demonstrations of cutting-edge science and technology. This is One of 12 built by GM, a self-contained display and transport vehicle created by the GM design staff under Harley Earl's direction. Opening side, lighting, retractable stage, distinctive center "cupola" cockpit driving position and dual wheel front axle. Used in the "Parade of Progress" touring exhibit created by "Boss" Kettering that complemented the GM "Motoramas" from 1940 through 1956. One of only three survivors restored in their original "Parade of Progress" configuration (the others are in long term ownership by NATMUS and Peter Pan Bus Lines), this Futurliner is fully functional and has toured Canada in corporate promotions. Recently returned to its original "Parade of Progress" configuration and colors. Powered by a 400ci GM truck engine and fully equipped including an onboard motor-generator and updated air conditioning for the driver's compartment. A matchless symbol of the American auto industry at the height of its power and influence. This Futurliner SOLD FOR $4,320,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Automobile Auction.

1954 Oldsmobile F-88 & a couple Futurliners

 

GM Firebird I, II and III Experimentals
In support of the GM Research experimental turbine engine program, GM Styling developed an aerodynamic vehicle powered by a turbine engine. The idea of the GM experimental Firebird originated with Harley J. Earl, GM Vice President in charge of the styling staff, who also designed its fiberglass reinforced plastic body. The aircraft motif was evident in the car's 'needle' nose, delta wings swept back along the rear half of the body, a vertical tail fin and a plastic bubble over the driver's cockpit. On a completely streamlined vehicle like the 1954 GM Firebird I (left), a tail fin (or some flat vertical surface behind the car's center of gravity) was needed to give the body directional stability or to hold it on course when it was in motion. In 1956, a more refined four-passenger GM Firebird II turbine-powered car, which featured the first regenerative gas turbine, was introduced (center). This technology allowed the GM Firebird II to efficiently power accessories such as air conditioning and power steering. The 1959 GM Firebird III (right) was a two-passenger, gas turbine-powered car. It was the first to feature a single-stick control system, which replaced the conventional steering wheel, brake pedal and accelerator. This drive-by-wire system was used in the first experiments with automated highways.

 

1950s Concept & Production Car Lineup
1956 GM Firebird II experimental car (front row-left) and a 1954 GM Firebird I experimental car (front row-right). In the center row are 1956 concept cars as follows: (left to right) an Oldsmobile Golden Rocket, Buick Centurion, Pontiac Club de Mer, Chevrolet Corvette Impala, and a Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car. The vehicles in the back row are 1956 production vehicles as follows: (left to right) an Oldsmobile, Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet, and a Cadillac. These vehicles were shot on location at the GM Warren Technical Center. The GM Technical Center was designed by architect Eero Saarinen and was built in 1950. Occupying 330 acres, its 25 buildings including gatehouses, large laboratories, offices, and shop buildings are arranged along three sides of a 22-acre lake. The one-square-mile complex of engineering facilities is located 12 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. The Technical Center is the workshop for GM engineers, researchers, stylists, designers, mechanics, machinists, and other specialists. At the Center, the research and engineering projects are conducted over an extended length of time. Engineering staff projects generally look ahead at least three to five years while research projects extend even further into the future. In addition, the Technical Center handles programs that would be uneconomical or beyond the resources of individual divisions. All styling and design of products is handled exclusively at the Technical Center in individual brand character groups. In the background is the Design Dome, which has a 188-foot diameter floor that can be set up as an auditorium for an audience of more than 1000, or used as an exhibition hall. The outer dome is 65 feet high with a span of 188 feet, and is based on pressure-vessel construction. The aluminum shell is 3/8 of an inch thick-thinner than what an eggshell is to an egg.

 

1950s Concept Cars on Tech Center Lawn
Concept cars displayed on the lawn at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. Shown are the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone (rear), 1951 Buick LeSabre (center), and the 1959 Oldsmobile F-88 Mark III (front).

 

1964 GM-X Stiletto
The GM-X Stiletto concept car was an advanced, high-performance car with styling strongly influenced by aerospace design. It featured aircraft-type steering, a maintenance monitoring system with toggle switch controls, and a three-way speaker system for inside and outside communications. This concept car debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair in the GM Futurama Pavilion's Avenue of Progress mall.

 

1980 GM Epcot 2003
The 1980 GM Epcot 2003 show car was shot on location at the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. The GM Technical Center was designed by architect Eero Saarinen and was built in 1950. Occupying 330 acres, its 25 buildings including gatehouses, large laboratories, offices and shop buildings, are arranged along three sides of a 22-acre lake. The one-square-mile complex of engineering facilities is located 12 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. The Technical Center is the workshop for GM engineers, researchers, stylists, designers, mechanics, machinists, and other specialists. Although each GM division conducts most of their own short-range research and engineering projects in-house, a high percentage of the work done by the Technical Center is initiated on request of the divisions. At the Center, the research and engineering projects are conducted over an extended length of time. Engineering staff projects generally look ahead at least three to five years while research projects extend even further into the future. In addition, the Technical Center handles programs that would be uneconomical or beyond the resources of individual divisions. All styling and design of products is handled exclusively at the Technical Center in individual brand character groups.

 

1988 GM Sunraycer
The 1988 GM Sunraycer solar-powered experimental vehicle designed and built by the team of GM, Hughes Aircraft and AeroVironment, Inc., won the 1,950-mile inaugural World Solar Challenge Race across Australia, finishing 2-1/2 days ahead of the runner-up.

 

2003 GM Hy-wire
The heart of General Motors’ newest 2003 concept vehicle, Hy-wire, was an innovative chassis, which contained all of the sedan’s propulsion, transmission, steering and braking components within its 11-inch frame and provided a single electrical connection to the body. The Hy-wire was literally designed from the inside out, with form following function. The flexibility of the chassis accommodated multiple interchangeable ‘snap on’ body styles that could be customized to meet customers’ various lifestyles. The fuel cell stack was roughly the size of a PC tower, and consisted of a block of 200 single fuel cells connected in series. The environmentally superior powerplant delivered DC voltage between 125 and 200 volts, depending on the load. This was boosted by a transformer to 250 - 380 volts and then converted to alternating current to drive the electric motor. The Hy-wire used only a fuel cell to provide power for the electric motor, thus simplifying the development and integration. The fuel cells obtained the hydrogen needed to generate the electricity from tanks mounted securely in the center of the skateboard. The three cylindrical compressed hydrogen storage tanks were made of carbon composite material, and had a total weight of only 75 kilograms and stored a total of 2.0 kilograms of gaseous hydrogen at 350 bars. Hy-wire technology not only allowed greater design freedom but also simplifies production of left and right-hand drive models, and may improve vehicle safety. Additionally, the elimination of mechanical and hydraulic linkages saves weight and simplifies maintenance because there are fewer moving parts that can wear out. And, it is more environmentally friendly because it does not require hydraulic fluids. Hy-wire so profoundly changes the automotive industry that GM has more than 30 patents in progress covering the technologies, manufacturing processes and business models and more inventions are being added all the time.

 

Contact Us      Home      American     Links    Site Updates

Copyright © 2005 - 2006 Randall Glover, All rights reserved.

All names photos and logos belong to their original owners.

If you enjoyed the the site we ask that you check out our sponsers