Lost Show & Concept Cars: 1955

Scalloped front wheel openings, gull-wing front bumper, and a cantilevered roof were among the many features of the 1955 Pontiac Strato-Star. It was one of eight unique concept vehicles built for exhibition on the 1955 GM Motorama circuit. Its fate is unknown.

One of the many attractions of the 1955 GM Motorama was this 1955 Oldsmobile 88 Delta. The two-tone blue dream car featured a blue-tinted, brushed aluminum roof and blue-tinted glass. This car's fate is not known. The photo seen here was colorized so the colors are approximations.

Described as both a "man's car" (probably not an acceptable advertisement today) and as a "toy convertible," the 1955 Buick Wildcat III was quite low in height for the day at 51.75 inches. This car was reportedly crushed by orders of GM.

The 1955 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was another prototype of what ultimately became the 1957 Eldorado Brougham. This car may have been scrapped.

During the years of the GM Motorama, numerous production cars were altered with non-production paint colors and upholstery schemes. The car seen here is one of those cars, the 1955 Cadillac Celebrity. A long-grain vinyl covered top is one of its special features.

The 1955 Cadillac St. Moritz was a specially trimmed production Eldorado for the Motorama show circuit. It was painted pearlescent white with an elegant interior finish of white ermine trimmed in pearlescent white English grain leather and floor carpeting of white mouton fur. A built-in vanity was also included. Its namesake was the popular ski resort in Switzerland.

A 14-inch television, a telephone, tape recorder, and Korina gold wood paneling were among the unusual features of the 1955 Cadillac Westchester show car. Its fate is unknown.

A vehicle ahead of its time was this 1955 GMC L'Universelle. A modified version of it was set for production but was terminated due to the escalating costs of producing it. The design was ultimately replaced by the Corvair-based Greenbriar a few years later. Presumably, the L'Universelle, a non-running show vehicle, was scrapped.