General Motors Firebird Concept Model, 1952-1953
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Artifact Overview
The dramatic Firebird concept car wowed audiences at the 1954 General Motors Motorama. Harley Earl took inspiration from jet fighter planes in designing the vehicle. Power came from a 370-horsepower gas-turbine engine that drove the rear wheels. (The large exhaust nozzle at back was just for show.) When subsequent Firebirds appeared, the original received the retronym "Firebird I."
Artifact Details
Artifact
Scale model
Date Made
1952-1953
Creator Notes
Designed by Harley Earl; made by General Motors Corporation.
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
89.1.1734.14
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Family of William L. Mitchell.
Material
Fiberglass
Dimensions
Height: 6.5 in
Width: 8 in
Length: 22.5 in
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Related Content
SetConcept Cars
- 16 Artifacts
Ford Motor Company celebrated its 50th anniversary with the X-100, a fully functional concept car billed as a "laboratory on wheels." The X-100 featured more than 50 innovative ideas. Some of them, like the heated seats and the telephone, eventually became commonplace. Others, like the variable-volume horn and the in-car electric shaver, never quite caught on with the public.