The GM MOTORAMA SHOWCARS. GM had constantly been at work on technical and styling innovations, some

In the late 1940's, however, it was decided that the scope of the work under-way there was such that it deserved to be shown to the public. In addition the displays would allow GM to gauge public interest in new ideas. GM's first exhibition entitled "Transportation Un-limited," opened at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel in January 1949. Attendance there and at a subsequent show in Boston topped half a million people. The New York show the following year drew over 300,000. After a two-year hiatus, the exhibition returned in 1953 as the General Motors' Motorama, and toured in Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City in addi-tion to New York. Attendance for that year swelled to a million and a half. GM's Motoramas proved popular with the public for several reasons. In addition to dozens of experimental and production cars showcased in elaborate displays, the Motoramas featured orchestras and troupes of dancers who would perform at half-hour intervals. As a result the Motoramas required extensive preparation.

Over 100 trucks were used to transport the cars and displays around the country, and the complexity of the shows demanded that each truck had to arrive at a precise time and in a specific order. GM's Motoramas ran until 1961, and though there was not always a show every year, attendance for all shows from 1949 to 1961 was over ten million. The Motoramas were ultimately discontinued, a result of their in-creasingly high costs and declining popularity—a factor effected by television. Another reason for ending the Motoramas was that they provided the competition with a glimpse into GM's future and the public was polled not only by GM market researchers but by other manufacturers as well.

The 1954 Oldsmobile Experimental F-88 was a 2 seater sports model, incorporating a panoramic windshield, then a recent innovation. Jet airfoil wheel discs were used to cool the brakes, and performance was monitored by aircraft style instrumentation. Powering the F-88 was a 250 hp, 325 cu. in. V-8 with Hydra-matic transmission. The Oldsmobile Starfire debuted at the 1953 GM Motorama. The 2 seater roadster also featured a LeSabre-style panoramic windshield that would be-come a production feature on all 1954 and 1955 GM cars. The 1954 Buick Wildcat II constructed of fiberglass, was just under 4 ft. high. The hood mascot, naturally, was a "wild cat." The car's standard 322 cu. in. Buick V-8 engine utilized four carburetors to provide 220 hp. Dual spotlights were mounted on the doors. The Wildcat theme evolved into the Wildcat III in 1955, an open 4 seater. Stylthg was closely related to 1955 production Buicks, but the engine was a special "four carb" version that was capable of 280 hp. The 1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass was the ultimate in hardtops in its day. It featured a radio-telephone between the seats and a unique "venetian blind" treatment for the rear windows that would later become popular on several fastback designs. Cadillac's LaSalle II, displayed at GM's 1955 Motorama, com-prised many technical innovations. Its V-6 engine was fuel-injected and produced 150 hp. The car's aluminum wheels had brake drums cast integrally and were designed to be self-cooling. Exhaust pipes were routed through the lower body sills and exited just ahead of the rear body sills. As a result of the tremendous interest in the Corvette GM Styling produced a host of derivatives, among them the 1954 Nomad station wagon. Following the Corvette's lead the Nomad went into production, with slight changes, as the 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad. The showcar was powered by a 6 cyl. engine with automatic transmission, but the production Nomad was available with Chevrolet's potent 265 cu. in. OHV V-8.

GM's 1956 Motorama featured some of the most alluring dream cars ever built. For that year shows appeared in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston. Total attendance at all the 1956 Motoramas was over 2.3 million. Pontiac's 1956 Club de Mer was designed for open air motoring. Just over 3 ft. high and 15 ft. long the Club de Mer was powered by a 300 hp Strato-Streak V-8. It also featured a rear-mounted gearbox and a de Dion rear axle. Headlights were hidden within rotating housings. The 1956 Buick Centurion was another popular attraction of this year's Motorama. An aerodynamically designed 4 seater the Centurion used a rear-mounted TV camera in place of a rearview mirror. Seats were designed with several passenger conve-nience features including front seats that automatically slid backward when the doors were opened, and also moved forward to allow easier entry and exit for rear seat passengers. A further innovation was a can-tilever-suspended steering wheel inspired by aircraft designs. The steering column was located on the centerline of the car, giving the driver more leg room. Oldsmobile's 1956 Golden Rocket debuted alongside the Club de Mer at the Motorama. Like the Centurion it featured a special seating system. As the door was opened the roof panel was raised while the seat was elevated and rotated toward the passenger or driver. Two buttons located on the steering wheel, which incorporated a speedometer, allowed it to tilt downward, providing the driver with greater access. The Golden Rocket utilized a 275 hp "Rocket" V-8. The turbine-powered Firebird II was presented at the 1956 Miami Motorama. The Cadillac El Camino (center) first dis-played in 1954, was a companion to the convertible La Espada. Unique from a mate-rial standpoint was the El Camino's fiberglass body and brushed stainless-steel top. The curved glass used in the aircraft-type bubble canopy conformed to the roof contours, en-hanced the crisp, clean lines of the car. Power 142 came from a 1954 Cadillac OHV V-8.