Built in 1958, it is the only one in the Firebird trio to have a direct impact on the design of General Motors production vehicles. The influence is evident in the 1959 Cadillac. The Firebird III’s sculpted surfaces and dramatic rocker panel tuck-under found their way onto the Cadillac’s design, while the 1961 model adopted the Firebird’s distinctive “rear skegs” – a subtle yet impactful homage. It featured minimal chrome and avoided parallel lines, presenting a radical departure from traditional design. The vehicle also reimagined tailfins, giving them an innovative twist. While GM had plans for a Firebird IV, which reached the stage of a full-sized wooden frame, the most enduring legacy of the Firebird III was lending its name to the Pontiac pony cars, starting in 1967. Originally, the cars’ designers, headed by Harley Earl, took Earl’s inspiration from the innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. General Motors never intended the cars for production, but rather to showcase the extremes in technology and design that the company was able to achieve. The Firebird III made its debut at the 1959 Motorama. This concept car had a fiberglass body with seven short wings and tail fins, giving it a futuristic look. It was a two-seater powered by a 225 horsepower Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, along with a smaller two-cylinder, 10 horsepower gasoline engine to run all the accessories. The exterior design featured a double-bubble canopy and included advanced features like cruise control, anti-lock brakes, and air conditioning. The car also had air drag brakes, similar to those on aircraft, that emerged from flat panels in the bodywork to slow it down from high speeds. Additionally, it had an “ultra-sonic” key that opened the doors, an automated guidance system to help avoid accidents, and a “no hold” steering system. Instead of a traditional steering wheel, the car was controlled by a joystick positioned between the two seats. GM preserved the prototype cars at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Models of the cars are in the permanent collection of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, and the cars still make regular appearances at car shows. The tradition of offering prototype vehicles continued with the Pontiac Banshee series. From 1967 to 2002, the Pontiac division of GM marketed its Firebird line of pony cars, which had no direct relation to these series of Firebird concept cars.
(Photo credit: General Motors Firebird Edition / Google Books / Wikimedia Commons). Notify me of new posts by email.
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