21 of the best General Motors concept cars

Dreaming of the future

General Motors invented the concept, or ‘dream’, car and, by doing so, changed the way in which US-built cars looked and were marketed in the immediate post-war years. 

GM’s styling chief, Harley Earl, established GM’s ‘Art and Color Section’ in the late 1930s, and despite resistance from sceptical engineering colleagues, started to pen forward-thinking, stylish, in-house designs that had formerly been the preserve of external coachbuilders.

While Earl retired in 1958, he and his successors paved the way for a revolution in American car design that evolved through the 20th century and beyond, using concept vehicles to showcase what was possible in the production arena. 

So here are, in chronological order, 21 of the best GM concept cars.

1. 1938 Buick Y-Job

The Buick Y-Job is acknowledged as the auto industry’s first true ‘concept car’, and was created by GM’s design chief Harley Earl.

Based on a Buick Super chassis, and powered by a 5.2-litre straight-eight engine, the Y-Job had power-operated hidden headlamps, wraparound bumpers, flush doorhandles and electric windows, all of which hinted at features which were to be seen in GM’s production cars.

Harley Earl went on to use the Y-Job as his personal transport for many years.

2. 1951 GM Le Sabre

Influenced by the aviation industry’s move to jet power, the Le Sabre incorporated a raft of jet-inspired styling cues which became the template for so many ’50s American cars.

Another Harley Earl creation, the Le Sabre was powered by a 3.5-litre supercharged V8 engine, with drive transmitted through an unconventionally rear-mounted automatic gearbox.

Concealed behind its ‘jet intake’ front bumper were electrically revealed headlights, and inside there were heated seats.

Integral electric jacks lifted the car in the event of a puncture, and the convertible hood automatically re-deployed if it rained, thanks to a water sensor. 

3. 1952 Chevrolet XP-122

Chevrolet’s XP-122 concept was effectively the prototype for the first Corvette.

Designed by Henry de Ségur Lauve working in Harley Earl’s Styling Section, the XP-122’s body was formed from the new wonder-material, glassfibre, which saved weight, made tooling easier, and allowed more freedom to create complex curves.

Despite its radical looks, XP-122 heavily plundered GM’s parts bin, hence a leaf-sprung rear end, simple box-section chassis, and rather humble 3.8-litre straight-six engine.

4. 1953 GM Firebird I

The first in a series of four high-tech General Motors concepts, the Firebird I was the first gas-turbine-powered car to appear in the US.

Using a Whirlfire Turbo Power engine, the Firebird I had a fuselage-style body made from glassfibre, which incorporated short wings with flaps and a tail fin. 

While GM only wanted to test the feasibility of the powertrain, the car was tested to 100mph, before traction became an issue. Braking performance was also a concern, with drums mounted outside the wheels to aid cooling.

5. 1953 Buick Wildcat I

Making its debut at GM’s 1953 Motorama (its annual travelling motor show), Buick’s first Wildcat concept was a low-slung two-seater convertible with an hydraulically operated hood and raked-back, wraparound windscreen.

Powered by a 5.3-litre V8 engine with a Dynaflow automatic gearbox, the Wildcat – like its XP-122 sibling – was made from glassfibre and continued the jet-age theme, with its prominent chrome ‘dagmar’ bumper overriders.

Its front-end styling previewed Buick’s treatment of its 1954 production models.

6. 1955 Oldsmobile 88 Delta

With a height of just 53in, Oldsmobile’s 88 Delta hardtop coupe was the embodiment of sporting elegance.

Another concept overseen by Harley Earl, it anticipated design cues that would later cascade through the industry.

The Delta had dual fuel tanks packaged into its rear wings, cast aluminium wheels, anodised aluminium body accents, and a revolutionary centre console combining practicality and style.

The Delta’s dipped beltline would eventually be seen in many GM product lines by 1957-’58.

7. 1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket

Built for GM’s 1956 Motorama, Oldsmobile’s Golden Rocket was another concept formed in glassfibre, and – as its name suggested – heavily influenced by aviation and space travel.

Its rocket-like credentials were driven home by bullet-esque appendages in place of headlights, a swept-back, wraparound windscreen, minimal tail-fins and a split rear window predating that of the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

Powered by a 5.3-litre ‘Rocket’ V8, the concept was one of the first cars to have a tilting steering wheel for ease of entry/egress.

8. 1956 GM Firebird II

GM’s second Firebird was again powered by a gas-turbine unit – this time with a regenerative system – and made its first appearance at the 1956 Motorama.

The four-passenger Firebird II had a body formed from titanium, all-wheel independent suspension, automatic load-levelling, power disc brakes, electric gear selection and individually controlled air conditioning.

It even had a non-operational guidance system, which would have used a wire embedded in ‘the highway of the future’, sending signals to cars to prevent collisions.

9. 1956 Buick Centurion

The aviation theme was as dominant as ever in the ’56 Buick Centurion, with its pronounced rear wings, clear canopy top and even a tail cone.

Inside, the Centurion had a freestanding speedometer, with a fixed indicator and rotation dial. A television camera was mounted above the tail cone, projecting images from the rear of the car to the dash, eliminating the need for a rear-view mirror.

The Centurion’s ‘sweep-spear’ chrome elements would be seen again on 1957 Buick production cars, and its rear wing design on that of the ’59 cars.

10. 1959 GM Firebird III

Revealed at the 1959 Motorama, GM’s Firebird III developed the gas-turbine technology still further, its Whirlfire GT-305 engine supplemented by a two-cylinder petrol engine that ran all the car’s ancillaries.

A double-bubble canopy sat above a two-seater cockpit, with the driver controlling the car with a joystick positioned between the two seats.

Other innovations included cruise control and anti-lock brakes, as well as air-drag brakes which popped out from its bodywork at high speeds. An ‘ultra-sonic’ key could signal the doors to open.

11. 1963 Buick Riviera Silver Arrow I

Created by Harley Earl’s successor at GM, Bill Mitchell, the Silver Arrow I took its inspiration from both Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, with Mitchell attempting to blend design cues from both marques in this extravagant concept.

Originally conceived to resurrect Cadillac’s LaSalle model line, the Silver Arrow was finally adopted by Buick, and its influence was clear to see in the brand’s first Riviera production model.

Mitchell converted the concept vehicle into a driveable show car, and had its interior trimmed in silver leather.

12. 1964 GM Runabout

First displayed at GM’s Futurama exhibit at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the three-wheeled Runabout had a single front wheel that could turn through 180 degrees, allowing it to be manoeuvred into the tightest parking spots.

With space for two adults up front, plus three children in the rear, the Runabout contained two detachable shopping trolleys that folded away when not in use.

It also did away with a steering wheel, drivers controlling the car via a pair of dials in a panel.

13. 1964 GM-X Stiletto

According to GM, ‘The Stiletto’s aircraft-inspired fastback shape gives it a fast, directional look, accentuated by the long hood flowing to a pointed nose.’

With no doors, occupants entered the Stiletto by lifting a one-piece hatch that incorporated the entire roof. Once in place, the car’s lack of A-posts provided unrivalled visibility.

While the Stiletto show car had no engine, it was packed with innovative tech: ultrasonic obstacle sensors, rear-view cameras, and even a microphone/speaker for internal and external communications.

14. 1966 Pontiac Banshee (XP-798)

The brainchild of Pontiac boss John De Lorean, XP-798 was one of a series of Banshee concepts presented by the company between 1964-’88.

Fitted with a 6.9-litre V8 and all-round independent suspension, it had the potential to go as well as it looked.

Inspired by European GTs, the ’66 Banshee could accommodate four through sliding-hinged doors and hinged roof panels for ease of access.

XP-798 was derived from an earlier two-seat concept, which was deemed too much of an internal threat to the Chevrolet Corvette.

15. 1969 Chevrolet Astro III

Proving that GM wasn’t quite done with jet propulsion, Chevrolet’s Astro III experimental car was powered by a military-spec gas-turbine engine, despite only having three wheels.

Conceived as a high-performance vehicle for travel on restricted-access highways of the future, the Astro was packaged much like an executive jet, with a power canopy for its two occupants, and an aircraft-like cabin incorporating closed-circuit television in place of a rear-view mirror.

16. 1976 Chevrolet Aerovette

In the late ’60s, Chevrolet built a mid-engined Corvette concept called XP-882, which was cancelled and then revived in 1970 in response to Ford’s launch of the De Tomaso Pantera. 

The concept evolved, using various powertrains, and was renamed the Aerovette in 1976.

Fitted with a transversely mounted, 6.6-litre V8 and gullwing doors, the car finally received production approval for the 1980 model year, but was then cancelled again, with GM perceiving a lack of customer interest in mid-engined cars at the time.

17. 1986 Pontiac Trans Sport

By the 1980s, Pontiac was committed to producing concepts that had production intent, so it was no surprise that in 1990 the Trans Sport materialised as a production vehicle, albeit with slightly less radical features.

Based on its FWD A-body platform, Pontiac’s 2.9-litre V6-powered concept was low and sleek at just 59.6in high, and incorporated two pairs of gullwing doors.

Other highlights that never made it to production were a cathode-ray-tube instrument panel and an overhead screen in place of rear-view mirrors.

18. 1988 Buick Lucerne

Given that the Lucerne is perhaps the least radical concept here, it surprisingly never made it into production.

Powered by GM’s 3.8-litre V6, the sleek two-door coupé had its debut at GM’s 1988 ‘Teamwork & Technology’ expo in New York.

It was then reworked into a convertible and toured the 1990 show circuit, showcasing tech such as keyless ignition, hands-free telephone connectivity and memory seats/mirrors/steering wheel.

Its design influence can be seen best in Buick’s 1995 Riviera production model.

19. 1990 Buick Bolero

Making its debut at the 1990 Detroit motor show, the Bolero was essentially a teaser for Buick’s 1992 Skylark model.

Powered by a 3.3-litre V6 engine, the Bolero’s distinctive rising feature line extended around the rear of the body, accentuating the concept’s higher boot versus bonnet height.

Fibre-optic lighting was used across the Bolero’s rear panel and in its instruments, and a cooler built into the rear parcel shelf emphasised its family-friendly remit.

20. 1995 Buick XP2000

GM proposed that Buick use its Australian brand Holden’s VT Commodore platform for its next mid-size saloon, and it was Holden that built the XP2000 concept for show display.  

Using Holden’s 5-litre ‘small block’ V8 mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox, the concept showed promise by being no longer than Buick’s existing mid-size Regal, but having the wheelbase of the full-size Roadmaster.

Despite bristling with new tech like keyless entry, a head-up display and lane-keep assist, the project was scrapped due to financial constraints.

21. 2003 Cadillac Sixteen

Inspired by its pre-war V-16 model, Cadillac’s Sixteen concept eschewed any notion of production viability, and effectively presented a 21st-century version of GM’s ‘dream cars’ of yore.

Riding on 24in polished aluminium wheels, the 5.7m-long Sixteen was powered by a bespoke 13.6-litre V16 engine said to produce 1000bhp and 1000lb ft of torque – though, being a show car, it was limited to 40mph.

With its cabin trimmed in Tuscany leather and drivers facing a Cadillac logo carved into a solid crystal steering-wheel hub, the Sixteen showcased Cadillac’s new design language, which was first seen in the production CTS of 2005.