DETROIT -
FOR RELEASE: June 4, 2001DETROIT - General Motors designers have always pushed the creative envelope in concept vehicles - and the 1951 Le Sabre is no exception.
Inspired by the then-latest advance in science - the jet aircraft - General Motors five decades ago unveiled the Le Sabre. Widely praised for its beautiful design, Le Sabre seamlessly and elegantly blended functional styling and advanced engineering. The unique Le Sabre remains an icon for GM innovation and leadership today, and it will be on display at the ninth-annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 6-8, in West Sussex, England.
THE 1951 LE SABRE: MAKING SCIENCE FICTION A REALITY
"The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the world's most significant motorsports heritage events and the 1951 Le Sabre is a natural choice to represent that heritage," said Scot Keller, staff director, GM corporate brand communications. "The Le Sabre simply broke the rules with features once relegated to the realm of science fiction comics. That enduring tradition of innovation is the same driving force that thrives today, in forms like the 2001 Buick Bengal concept vehicle."
The Le Sabre, one of the first post-World War II vehicles produced by the then-called GM Styling Section, reflected a new national fascination with the fighter planes that emerged in the war. External styling cues took a page from the aircraft industry, including the matched tailfins and nose-cone-like front end, but the more significant advances were more subtle.
LE SABRE PROVIDED THE FIRST GLIMPSE AT A NEW TREND - WRAP-AROUND WINDSHIELDS
Sporting the industry's first wrap-around windshield, the 1951 Le Sabre envisioned by Harley J. Earl, vice president of General Motors Design, used lightweight components throughout the body. The deck lid, front fender valance and inner door panels are made of cast magnesium, while the hood, fenders and outer door panels are sheet aluminum.
FUEL ECONOMY LONG BEFORE ANY OIL SHORTAGES, THANKS TO AN ALUMINUM ENGINE
The supercharged V-8 powerplant also is constructed entirely of aluminum for added fuel efficiency, and the Le Sabre designers added another surprise concealed beneath the car's matching tail fins. One of the two rubberized 20-gallon fuel cells contained not gasoline, but methyl alcohol for additional power bursts when the accelerator was depressed beyond the mid-position.
Le Sabre amenities are equally suited for the airstrip or the expressway. Seats are thermostatically controlled through the same principles employed in electrically heated flying suits. Additionally, both the electrically operated convertible top and side windows automatically rise when the vehicle is parked and precipitation strikes a sensor located between the seats.
A PRESIDENT, A KING AND A COMEDIAN HAVE ALL BEEN PASSENGERS IN THE LE SABRE
A distinguished list of passengers in the 1950s witnessed Le Sabre luxury first-hand, including: President Dwight D. Eisenhower, King Baudoin of Belgium, President Sukarno of Indonesia, King Hussein of Jordan, Bob Hope, Dave Garroway, Stan Kenton and Margaret Whiting. No guests, however, needed to utilize another Le Sabre feature: built-in hydraulic jacks. The jacks, along with a hinged rear-wheel skirt, enabled a driver to change a tire with ease.
The annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is expected to attract thousands of guests over the course of two days in July. Considered by event organizers as "the greatest gathering of motor racing machinery on the planet," the festival provides both celebrities and automobile lovers a rare opportunity to observe motorsports heritage first hand.
GENERAL MOTORS HERITAGE REFLECTS A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE CONTINUING IN PRODUCTION MODELS TODAY
General Motors, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, is a worldwide leader in automotive branding, technology and design. Its heritage has been and always will be an integral element in shaping future endeavors.