Summary
Back in 1951, this convertible Buick LeSabre was not just extreme-looking—it was way ahead of its time. It had technological advancements that weren't even thought of yet and would give us a sneak peek into the future of the automotive industry.
Harley J. Earl was the lead designer of this beautiful piece of machinery. From 1927 to 1958, he was General Motors' Head of Styling and had his hands in the cookie jar of many breakthrough designs and technology projects that would change the auto industry for years to come.
One of the first things that really set this car apart was that it could function on gasoline and methyl alcohol. There were separate fuel cells for both sources and an easy way to switch between the two from the convenience of the driver's seat. It also had one of the first smaller engines that could produce high horsepower, much like what we see in today's vehicles. This Buick used a 215-cubic-inch V8 HEMI aluminum block topped off with dual carbs, aluminum heads, and a supercharger that produced 29.5 PSI. All these goodies made the engine good for 335 hp at 5,500 RPM. In 1951, that was an outstanding number for such a small engine.
The styling was nothing short of artwork for this concept Buick. Earl designed the first wraparound windshield, which gave the driver a panoramic view of the road and surrounding areas. It also saw the likes of GM's first rear brake coolers, which used functioning rear scoops on the back quarter panels. The scoops were designed and positioned to cool the brakes and the battery located in the back.
One of the very noticeable features that people hadn't seen too much of was the hidden futuristic headlights that would pop out from behind the grille with the flip of a switch. The Buick LeSabre also had a feature that, to this day, is only really used on Indy and Formula 1 cars. The automatic jack system was the first of its kind and allowed you to work under your car without a floor jack or jack stands.
Maybe today, the feature doesn't sound like much, but think back to 1951 and the stock emergency jack that would be provided for you if you had an unfortunate flat tire. Remember, in '51, there were no cell phones to call AAA or a friend and no OnStar-type systems.
Another feature that would really stun you back in 1951 was the automatic sensors that could recognize rain and put your ragtop and windows up without you being around to control them. The Buick even had a backup source of power, so if your battery died, you could still at least control features like the radio, windows, and ragtop.
This concept was designed from Earl's imagination and his love for jet airplane designs. The sleek styling lines and flamboyant curves are what really set this Buick apart. The interior even showed a little bit of aeronautical passion, with a dashboard that included an altimeter, tachometer, and a compass.
Earl adopted this 1951 Buick LeSabre as his own and drove it until he had about 50,000 miles on it before handing it over to the GM museum in the 1960s. Earl was a well-respected designer who became a legend along with his creations, like this one.
