Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars (Cartech): GM's Legendary Show and Concept Cars - Hardcover

David Temple

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1613251599 ISBN 13: 9781613251591

Publisher: CarTech Inc, 2015

Synopsis

"In an age of unbridled American enthusiasm and towering industrial might, the GM Motorama was a dazzling and elegant show that was unlike any automotive event before it or since. General Motors staged extravagant and elaborate Motorama shows that rivalled some fashion shows. It showcased some of the most revolutionary and innovative prototype and dream cars ever built. And it captured the imagination of the car buying public from 1950 to 1961. Motorama expert and experienced author David Temple has comprehensively researched the show, the cars, and the personalities to create a fascinating new story with new photos of these magnificent cars. As television was in its infancy, GM's President Alfred Sloan believed that the Motorama was the most effective way to market GM products and design prowess. Legendary stylist Harley Earl led a talented group of designers and engineers to dream up, style, and develop some of the most remarkable prototype cars of all time. While current production Buick, Chevy, Cadillac, and Pontiac cars were showcased, the bold, radical, awe-inspiring prototype and dream cars stole the show. These included the Buick LeSabre, replete with aerospace design and an aluminium engine; the fiberglass-bodied Corvette dream car, which went into production after overwhelmingly positive response; and the jet engine powered Firebird. Temple goes into fascinating detail on the body, frame, engine, drivetrain, and all the special features of each model. He has also retraced the ownership histories of some of these cars. Within the pages of this volume, you get to relive this glorious era of automotive history and revisit the advanced show cars that inspired so many new models. This book features fascinating period photography of Motorama cars at the show, in development, and at different locales. No other automotive show rivalled the Motorama for stunning productions and awe-inspiring cars. "

About this title

Review:

"There are many new and previously unpublished photos to consider, setting this in-depth coverage apart from any other."--James A. Cox"Midwest Book Review" (04/13/2015)

"From soup to nuts, everything is covered: how cars were marketed, GM becoming a style leader, the origin and logistics (and ultimate demise) of the Motoramas, the 1953-56 cars in detail, 1958/59 cars in passing, and lastly a look at notable post-2003 concept cars."--Sabu Advani"speedreaders.info" (04/16/2015)

"A must-have, must-read book."--Joseph Bortz"Old Cars Weekly" (04/23/2015)

"Motorama was magic, and this book does it proper justice."--Mark J. McCourt"Hemmings Classic Car" (08/20/2015)

"Car modelers will find Motorama to be an excellent reference resource on several levels."--John Noack"IPMS/USA" (02/26/2015)

"Within the pages of this volume, you get to relive this glorious era of automobile history and revisit the advanced show cars that inspired so many new models."--Kustoms Illustrated (05/01/2015)

Gold Medal Winner--2015 IAMC Award Winner (08/03/2016)

From the Back Cover:

Lavish, one-of-a-kind displays showcased the bold new concept cars, prototypes, and GM production cars. From 1949 to 1961, this iconic show unveiled these exciting models that defined an era, design styles, and a vision of the future. Nothing like it existed before or since and enthusiasts fondly remember this show and the cars it featured.

Author David W. Temple takes a revealing look at Motorama and celebrates its ground-breaking cars, the car culture of the show, and also offers a glance at GM's other big show, the Parade of Progress. GM Motorama shows were held across the country in New York, San Francisco, Miami, and other key cities in each American market as well as Canada. GM Motorama introduced such landmark cars to the world as the first Chevrolet Corvette, GM Le Sabre, Oldsmobile F-88, GM Firebird, and many more. Motorama also showcased the design style and concepts of legendary designer Harley Earl. New research has been gathered on these cars. And never-before-published photos provide a fresh, new perspective.

Motorama: GM's Legendary Show and Concept Cars offers a revealing and entertaining retrospective of this unique and glorious era in GM's history and in American automotive history.

About this edition

• Publisher: CarTech Inc
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1613251599
• ISBN 13: 9781613251591
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192