The General Motors Le Sabre is a 1951 concept car. Possibly the most important show car of the 1950s,[1] it introduced aircraft-inspired design elements such as the wrap-around windshield and tail fins, which became common on automotive designs during the second half of the decade.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/General_Motors_Le_Sabre_Concept_on_the_awards_stage_at_Cobble_Beach_Concours_d%27Elegance_in_Owen_Sound%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada.jpg/220px-General_Motors_Le_Sabre_Concept_on_the_awards_stage_at_Cobble_Beach_Concours_d%27Elegance_in_Owen_Sound%2C_Ontario%2C_Canada.jpg)
The Le Sabre is owned by the GM Heritage Center, and still occasionally appears at car shows.
This was GM's first use of the Le Sabre name,[2] which would be later adopted by Buick for a new production model in 1959.
History
editThe Le Sabre was the brainchild of General Motors Art Department head Harley Earl.[2] The design was Earl's attempt to incorporate the look of modern jet fighter aircraft into automotive design.[citation needed] As jets replaced prop-driven aircraft in the late 1940s, they symbolized the very latest in design and engineering, and Earl had hoped to carry this concept into automobile design.
The project was a follow-up to Earl's famous 1938 Buick Y-Job. Like all his projects, it was built to be roadworthy, and became Earl's personal automobile for two years after finishing its tour of the auto show circuit.[citation needed]
Design and features
editWith a body made of aluminium, magnesium, and fiberglass,[citation needed] it was powered by a supercharged aluminum V8 able to run on gasoline (petrol) or methanol (like Indy roadsters of the period did), and was GM's first use of a rear-mounted transmission.
In addition to its jet-inspired design, the 1951 Le Sabre featured numerous other advanced features, including a 12-volt electrical system (all American cars of 1951 were 6-volt), heated seats, electric headlights concealed behind the center oval "jet intake", front bumper Dagmars[2] (made famous on 1951-8 Cadillacs), a water sensor to activate the power top,[2] and electric lifting jacks integral to the chassis[2] to aid tire changes. (This idea would be copied decades later by Formula One race teams.)
The rear-mounted automatic transmission was originally a Buick Dynaflow, but this was later changed to a GM Hydramatic.[2]
This early-development aluminum V8 was unique to the Le Sabre and the Buick XP300 concept cars. The concept 215ci V8 used a hemispherical combustion chamber design, similar to early Chrysler V8s of the 1950s era. It was a "Square" engine, with matching 3.3" bore and stroke dimensions. Although they shared a common displacement of 215 cu in (3.5 L), this concept engine is not the same as the production "Oversquare" aluminum Buick 215 introduced in the GM Y-body compact cars in 1961. They have virtually no interchangeability in parts or design.
Reproductions
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2024) |
In 1999 the Franklin Mint introduced a 1:24 scale die-cast reproduction on the 1951 Le Sabre. It became one of their best-selling automobile miniatures.[citation needed] A smaller scale Le Sabre also exists as a Hot Wheels model. Glencoe Models made a simple 1:72 scale plastic kit, which had the wrong shape at the rear. Berkley Models made a 1:24 scale kit with a body of curved balsa wood.