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- Oakland Radiator Emblem, circa 1925 - This oval emblem consists of the company name surrounded by an oak leaf wreath topped with an acorn. The inscription in the banner states that Oakland is a product of General Motors. Oakland began as an independent company in 1907, but in 1909 became part of the newly formed General Motors Corporation. The Oakland brand name lasted until 1931.
- circa 1925
- Collections - Artifact
Oakland Radiator Emblem, circa 1925
This oval emblem consists of the company name surrounded by an oak leaf wreath topped with an acorn. The inscription in the banner states that Oakland is a product of General Motors. Oakland began as an independent company in 1907, but in 1909 became part of the newly formed General Motors Corporation. The Oakland brand name lasted until 1931.
- Marquette Hubcap, 1929-1930 - Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- 1929-1930
- Collections - Artifact
Marquette Hubcap, 1929-1930
Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- Peggy Sauer, Woman Designer for General Motors Styling, circa 1960 - Margaret "Peg" Sauer earned degrees at Cranbrook Academy of Art and Wayne State University. She joined General Motors' Oldsmobile studio in 1955, where she designed concept cars like the 1958 Oldsmobile Carousel station wagon. Sauer contributed to Buick and Cadillac vehicles as well. In the early 1960s, Sauer joined Raymond Loewy's studio and worked on the Studebaker Avanti.
- circa 1960
- Collections - Artifact
Peggy Sauer, Woman Designer for General Motors Styling, circa 1960
Margaret "Peg" Sauer earned degrees at Cranbrook Academy of Art and Wayne State University. She joined General Motors' Oldsmobile studio in 1955, where she designed concept cars like the 1958 Oldsmobile Carousel station wagon. Sauer contributed to Buick and Cadillac vehicles as well. In the early 1960s, Sauer joined Raymond Loewy's studio and worked on the Studebaker Avanti.
- Marquette Hubcap, 1929-1930 - Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- 1929-1930
- Collections - Artifact
Marquette Hubcap, 1929-1930
Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- Oakland Hubcap, 1915-1930 - Early automobile wheels had a central hub with a greased wheel bearing. Hub caps kept grease in and dust out. Beginning in 1915, the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, supplied hubcaps -- including this one -- to many automotive manufacturers. Hubcaps became functionally unnecessary as wheels evolved, but they remained important components of style and marketing.
- 1915-1930
- Collections - Artifact
Oakland Hubcap, 1915-1930
Early automobile wheels had a central hub with a greased wheel bearing. Hub caps kept grease in and dust out. Beginning in 1915, the Aluminum Goods Manufacturing Company of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, supplied hubcaps -- including this one -- to many automotive manufacturers. Hubcaps became functionally unnecessary as wheels evolved, but they remained important components of style and marketing.
- 1997 General Motors EV1 Electric Coupe - This was the most serious attempt to build an all-purpose electric car since the 1920s. General Motors built 1,117 cars between 1996 and 1999, leasing them to a loyal group that willingly adjusted to battery power's limitations. But GM concluded there were too few electric enthusiasts to support large-scale production and recalled all the cars by the end of 2003. EV1 users objected loudly, but to no avail.
- 1997
- Collections - Artifact
1997 General Motors EV1 Electric Coupe
This was the most serious attempt to build an all-purpose electric car since the 1920s. General Motors built 1,117 cars between 1996 and 1999, leasing them to a loyal group that willingly adjusted to battery power's limitations. But GM concluded there were too few electric enthusiasts to support large-scale production and recalled all the cars by the end of 2003. EV1 users objected loudly, but to no avail.
- Cartercar Radiator Emblem, circa 1915 - Byron J. Carter established the Cartercar company in 1905. His automobiles used a friction drive instead of a clutch and gearbox. The arrangement effectively gave Cartercar a continuously variable transmission, advertised by the company as the equivalent of "a thousand speeds." General Motors acquired Cartercar in 1909, and the company closed in 1915.
- circa 1915
- Collections - Artifact
Cartercar Radiator Emblem, circa 1915
Byron J. Carter established the Cartercar company in 1905. His automobiles used a friction drive instead of a clutch and gearbox. The arrangement effectively gave Cartercar a continuously variable transmission, advertised by the company as the equivalent of "a thousand speeds." General Motors acquired Cartercar in 1909, and the company closed in 1915.
- Marquette Hubcap, 1930 - Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- 1930
- Collections - Artifact
Marquette Hubcap, 1930
Buick Motor Car Company built the Marquette from 1929 to 1931. It bridged a price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile. Nicknamed the "Baby Buick," Marquette's introduction into the market was ill-fated. With the onset of the Great Depression and the vehicle cutting into Oldsmobile sales, General Motors executives ended the brand.
- Advertising Poster for General Motors in 1990, "Putting Quality on the Road Since 1908" -
- 1990
- Collections - Artifact
Advertising Poster for General Motors in 1990, "Putting Quality on the Road Since 1908"
- General Motors Emblem, 1990-2008 - An automobile manufacturer's badge is fundamental to the company's brand identity -- just as the maker's name is often important to <em>our</em> identity as consumers and drivers. Early automobile badges tended to be small and often discreetly located; today they have evolved into enlarged, prominently placed, and frequently symmetrical logos -- easy to recognize, even at a glance in a rear-view mirror.
- 1990-2008
- Collections - Artifact
General Motors Emblem, 1990-2008
An automobile manufacturer's badge is fundamental to the company's brand identity -- just as the maker's name is often important to our identity as consumers and drivers. Early automobile badges tended to be small and often discreetly located; today they have evolved into enlarged, prominently placed, and frequently symmetrical logos -- easy to recognize, even at a glance in a rear-view mirror.