General Motors Firebird
Encyclopedia
The General Motors Firebird is a series of three concept car
s designed by Harley Earl
, and built by General Motors
for the 1953, 1956 and 1959 Motorama
auto shows. They were very much inspired by innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. None of the designs were intended for production, but instead were to showcase the extremes in technology and design that General Motors was able to achieve. The cars were recently placed on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
, and still make regular car show appearances.
engines in cars as early as the 1930s. It wasn't until the early 1950s that they began building an actual engine, with Emmett Conklin leading the project.
By 1953, the research team had produced the Firebird XP-21, later referred to as the Firebird I, which was essentially a jet airplane on wheels. It was the first gas turbine powered car tested in the United States
. The design is entirely impractical, with a bubble topped canopy
over a single seat cockpit, a bullet shaped fuselage made entirely of fiberglass
, short wings, and a vertical tail fin. It has a 370 hp Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine engine, which has two speeds, and expels jet exhaust at some 1250 °F (676.7 °C). The entire weight of the car is 2500 lb (1,134 kg) and had a 100 inch wheelbase.
At first, Conklin was the only person qualified to drive it, and he tested it up to 100 mi/h, but upon shifting into second gear the tires lost traction under the extreme engine torque and he immediately slowed down for fear of crashing. The car was later test driven at the Indianapolis Speedway by race car driver Maury Rose. The car was never actually intended to test the power or speed potential of the gas turbine, but merely the practical feasibility of its use. The braking system differs from standard drum systems, in that the drums are on the outside of the wheels to facilitate fast cooling, and the wings actually have aircraft style flaps for slowing from high speed.
A miniature version of the Firebird I crowns the Harley J. Earl Trophy
, given to the winner of the Daytona 500
.
The second prototype, the Firebird II in 1956, was a more practical design: a four-seat, family car. It is a low and wide design with a large dual air intakes in the front, a high bubble canopy top, and a vertical tail fin. Its exterior bodywork was made entirely of titanium
(which turned out to be hard to make). The engine output was 200 hp, and to solve the exhaust heat problem it was fed through a regenerative system, which allowed the entire engine to operate at nearly 1000 °F (537.8 °C) cooler, and also power the accessories. Kerosene
was the most common fuel used. Another innovation on the car was the first use of four wheel disc brake
s, with a fully independent suspension
, as well as a sophisticated guidance system which was intended to be used with "the highway of the future", where an electrical wire would be embedded into a roadway to send signals that would help guide future cars and avoid accidents.
Specifications
The third design, the Firebird III, was built in 1958 and first shown at Motorama in 1959. It is another extravagant prototype with titanium skin, and no fewer than seven short wings and tail fins that were tested extensively in a wind tunnel. It is a two-seater powered by a 225 hp Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, and a two cylinder 10 hp gasoline engine to run all the accessories. Its exterior design features a double bubble canopy, and more technical advancements to make it more practical, such as cruise control
, anti-lock brakes
, and air conditioning
. It also featured "space-age" innovations, such as special air drag brakes
, like those found on aircraft, which emerged from flat panels in the bodywork of the car to slow it from high speeds, an "ultra-sonic" key which signaled the doors to open, and an automated guidance system to avoid accidents and "no hold" steering. The steering was controlled by a joystick positioned between the two seats. This gave the car a more futuristic feel and simulated the experience of flying a plane.
Specifications
of hot and perspiring convertible
occupants are attempting to travel to the beach - but they are stuck, imobile, in an insufferable freeway traffic jam. In a flashforward
to the future, they are cruising at high speed in air conditioned comfort along an automated freeway (with no other vehicles to be seen) in their turbine-powered Firebird. The concept (now over fifty years old) was that this future was not unreasonably remote, and would be provided by General Motors, yet is consistent with current projections (2008) for future automotive travel
using electronic vehicle control and improved highway infrastructure.
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
s designed by Harley Earl
Harley Earl
Harley J. Earl was first Vice President of Design at General Motors. He was an industrial designer and a pioneer of modern transportation design. A coachbuilder by trade, Earl pioneered the use of freeform sketching and hand sculpted clay models as design techniques...
, and built by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
for the 1953, 1956 and 1959 Motorama
Motorama
The General Motors Motorama was an auto show staged by GM from 1949 to 1961. These automobile extravaganzas were designed to whet public appetite and boost automobile sales with displays of fancy prototypes, concept vehicles and other special or halo models. Motorama grew out of Alfred P. Sloan's...
auto shows. They were very much inspired by innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. None of the designs were intended for production, but instead were to showcase the extremes in technology and design that General Motors was able to achieve. The cars were recently placed on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, and still make regular car show appearances.
History
General Motors had done research on feasibility of gas turbineGas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
engines in cars as early as the 1930s. It wasn't until the early 1950s that they began building an actual engine, with Emmett Conklin leading the project.
Firebird I
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The design is entirely impractical, with a bubble topped canopy
Bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is a canopy made like a soap bubble, which attempts to provide 360° vision to the pilot.-History:Bubble canopies have been in use since World War II. The British had already developed the "Malcolm hood", which was a bulged canopy, but the British Miles M.20 was one of the first...
over a single seat cockpit, a bullet shaped fuselage made entirely of fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
, short wings, and a vertical tail fin. It has a 370 hp Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine engine, which has two speeds, and expels jet exhaust at some 1250 °F (676.7 °C). The entire weight of the car is 2500 lb (1,134 kg) and had a 100 inch wheelbase.
At first, Conklin was the only person qualified to drive it, and he tested it up to 100 mi/h, but upon shifting into second gear the tires lost traction under the extreme engine torque and he immediately slowed down for fear of crashing. The car was later test driven at the Indianapolis Speedway by race car driver Maury Rose. The car was never actually intended to test the power or speed potential of the gas turbine, but merely the practical feasibility of its use. The braking system differs from standard drum systems, in that the drums are on the outside of the wheels to facilitate fast cooling, and the wings actually have aircraft style flaps for slowing from high speed.
A miniature version of the Firebird I crowns the Harley J. Earl Trophy
Harley J. Earl Trophy
The Harley J. Earl Trophy is the trophy presented to the winner of the premier, and season-opening, event of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing , the Daytona 500. It is named after influential automobile designer Harley Earl, who served as the second commissioner of NASCAR...
, given to the winner of the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
.
Firebird II
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
(which turned out to be hard to make). The engine output was 200 hp, and to solve the exhaust heat problem it was fed through a regenerative system, which allowed the entire engine to operate at nearly 1000 °F (537.8 °C) cooler, and also power the accessories. Kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
was the most common fuel used. Another innovation on the car was the first use of four wheel disc brake
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s, with a fully independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
, as well as a sophisticated guidance system which was intended to be used with "the highway of the future", where an electrical wire would be embedded into a roadway to send signals that would help guide future cars and avoid accidents.
Specifications
- Wheelbase = 120 in (3,048 mm)
- Length = 234.7 in (5,961 mm)
- Ground clearance = 5.5 in (140 mm)
Firebird III
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...
, anti-lock brakes
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
, and air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
. It also featured "space-age" innovations, such as special air drag brakes
Air brake (aircraft)
In aeronautics, air brakes or speedbrakes are a type of flight control surface used on an aircraft to increase drag or increase the angle of approach during landing....
, like those found on aircraft, which emerged from flat panels in the bodywork of the car to slow it from high speeds, an "ultra-sonic" key which signaled the doors to open, and an automated guidance system to avoid accidents and "no hold" steering. The steering was controlled by a joystick positioned between the two seats. This gave the car a more futuristic feel and simulated the experience of flying a plane.
Specifications
- Wheelbase = 119 in (3,023 mm)
- Length = 248.2 in (6,304 mm)
- Height = 44.8 in (1,138 mm) (canopy top)
- Ground clearance = 5.3 in (135 mm)
Motorama theme (1956)
The 1956 motorama projected movie projecting a future contrasted with the present; in the present (1956), a nuclear familyNuclear family
Nuclear family is a term used to define a family group consisting of a father and mother and their children. This is in contrast to the smaller single-parent family, and to the larger extended family. Nuclear families typically center on a married couple, but not always; the nuclear family may have...
of hot and perspiring convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
occupants are attempting to travel to the beach - but they are stuck, imobile, in an insufferable freeway traffic jam. In a flashforward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
to the future, they are cruising at high speed in air conditioned comfort along an automated freeway (with no other vehicles to be seen) in their turbine-powered Firebird. The concept (now over fifty years old) was that this future was not unreasonably remote, and would be provided by General Motors, yet is consistent with current projections (2008) for future automotive travel
Vehicle infrastructure integration
Vehicle Infrastructure Integration is an initiative fostering research and applications development for a series of technologies directly linking road vehicles to their physical surroundings, first and foremost in order to improve road safety...
using electronic vehicle control and improved highway infrastructure.
See also
- Chrysler Turbine CarChrysler Turbine CarChrysler Turbine Cars were automobiles powered by gas turbine engines that the Chrysler Corporation assembled in a small plant in Detroit, Michigan, USA in 1963, for use in the only consumer test of gas turbine-powered cars...
, a consumer prototype gas turbine design by the Chrysler Corporation.