LaSalle dream cars to be seen for first time in nearly 60 years

| 2 Jan 2013

Two remarkable LaSalle concept cars that were supposed to have been destroyed are to appear together for the first time since 1955 at the Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance in Florida, USA on 10 March.

The pair – a dishevelled saloon and newly restored roadster presented by the Bortz Auto Collection – haven't been seen in public since their initial Motorama appearance.

Although they featured a fuel-injected, dual-overhead-cam, aluminium V6 engine, the concepts were never functional and were driven by electric motors for show purposes. 

Bortz has restored the roadster to run on electric power and the public will have the opportunity to see it in action for the first time ever.

Bortz found the pair in the Warhoops scrapyard in suburban Detroit – where they had been sent by GM bosses to be destroyed – in 1988. The saloon was fairly complete, but the roadster had been cut up.  

"Joe Bortz has been on the cutting edge of dream-car discoveries for over 40 years," said concours chairman Bill Warner, "and he has done a fantastic job of restoring the roadster. 

"It is absolutely stunning and we feel fortunate that he has chosen Amelia to unveil this significant dream car from the 1950s."