GM’s Most Intriguing Concept Cars of the 1950s

Futuristic Oddities - In the golden age of automotive experimentation, when carmakers weren’t afraid to dream big and borrow inspiration from airplanes, rockets, and even science fiction, General Motors stood at the center of imagination. While today we often see concept cars as teasers for future production models, back in the 1950s they were something else entirely—rolling showcases of wild technology that looked more suited for the runway of an airbase than the streets of Detroit. Among the boldest ideas of that era was GM’s Firebird series, a fleet of turbine-powered visions that blurred the line between car and jet.

The GM's Firebird concept car series. From left to right, 1953 Firebird I, 1956 Firebird II and 1959 Firebird III. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust)

The Firebird story began in the early 1950s, decades before custom builders like Bill Carter rolled out eccentric machines like the Top Cat and G-WHIZ. GM had already been experimenting with turbine power since the 1930s, and by 1953 the company unveiled its first Firebird concept under the guidance of project manager Emmett Conklin. Harley Earl, the legendary design chief who shaped so much of GM’s postwar identity, gave the car its aircraft-inspired body. 

The 1953 General Motors Firebird I concept car is designed by Harley Earl who took the inspiration from the innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. (Picture from: AllCarCentral)

Sleek, pointed, and armed with wings, the first Firebird looked like a fighter plane that had accidentally landed on a highway. With its turbine engine roaring, it was capable of reaching speeds up to 200 mph—numbers that were nearly unthinkable for road cars at the time. 

The 1953 General Motors Firebird I is described as a jet airplane on wheels and has a 370 hp (280 kW) Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine engine. (Picture from: AllCarCentral)

But GM wasn’t satisfied with just one futuristic experiment. Three years later, in 1956, the Firebird II arrived, continuing the theme of jet-age styling and pushing the boundaries of what a “car” could be. And then, in 1958, engineers and designers went all-in with the Firebird III, which would make its dazzling debut at the 1959 Motorama show.  

The 1956 General Motors Firebird II is a low and wide design, four-seat, family car with two large air intakes at the front, a high bubble canopy top, and a vertical tail fin. (Picture from: MacsMotorCityGarage)

Built with a lightweight fiberglass body, the third Firebird featured no fewer than seven fins and wings, all shaped through wind tunnel testing. It was more than just a car—it was a moving sculpture of aerodynamics and excess, an unmistakable artifact of the optimism that defined the era. 

The 1956 General Motors Firebird II exterior bodywork is made entirely of titanium and has a 200 hp (150 kW) turbine gas powered engine. (Picture from: MacsMotorCityGarage)

Beneath its wild skin, the Firebird III carried equally radical ideas. Power came from a 225-horsepower Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, paired with a tiny two-cylinder gasoline motor that handled accessories. The cockpit was covered by a double-bubble canopy, a detail straight out of aviation. 

The 1959 General Motors Firebird III is another extravagant concept with a fiberglass body and no fewer than seven short wings and tail fins. (Picture from: Wikiwand)

GM also packed the Firebird III with experimental features: air conditioning, cruise control, anti-lock brakes, drag brakes that popped out like those on a jet, even a futuristic ultrasonic key to unlock the doors. Steering was controlled by a joystick mounted between the two seats—making the driver feel less like they were piloting a car and more like commanding an aircraft. It was the ultimate vision of what tomorrow might look like, at least through the eyes of 1950s America.

The 1959 General Motors Firebird III is a two-seater powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, with a two-cylinder 10 hp (7.5 kW) gasoline engine. (Picture from: GMHeritageCenter)

The dream didn’t stop there. A fourth Firebird, coded internally as XP-790, appeared in 1964 at the New York World’s Fair. Unlike its predecessors, however, this one wasn’t functional—it was more of a static display piece. GM eventually rebranded it as the Buick Century Cruiser, using it for shows in 1969. By then, the futuristic flames of the Firebird series were dimming, as the world shifted toward more practical automotive visions.

Originally conceived as the Firebird IV and coded internally as the XP-790, this concept—later known as the 1969 Buick Century Cruiser—was envisioned as a futuristic vehicle designed for an equally futuristic journey. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)

Even so, the Firebird family has never been forgotten. Today, these remarkable machines are preserved at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and they still make appearances at car shows. For anyone who sees them in person, the reaction is always the same: a mix of awe, curiosity, and a sense of wonder at just how far GM was willing to push the definition of an automobile.

Looking back now, the Firebird concepts weren’t just about engineering experiments or flashy design. They were about capturing the spirit of a time when the future felt limitless, when people believed technology could solve everything, and when cars didn’t just take you from one place to another—they transported you into tomorrow. *** [EKA [27072020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | GM HERITAGE CENTER | DESIGN YOU TRUST | ALLCARCENTRAL | MACSMOTORCITYGARAGE | MAD4WHEELS | WIKIWAND ]

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