GM Authority had the rare opportunity to get a close-up look at the iconic 1953 XP-21 Firebird 1 Concept at this year’s running of the Daytona 500.
This stop-you-in-your-tracks engineering concept was on display in a Chevrolet-branded area of the Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona 500 race weekend in February. The XP-21 Firebird 1 Concept is usually sitting in the GM Heritage Center in Michigan, which isn’t open to the public, so to say that this is a rare sighting would be a complete understatement.
The 1953 XP-21 Firebird 1 Concept was the first gas turbine automobile ever to be built and tested in the United States. This radical, fighter-jet-inspired show car was conceived as an engineering and styling exercise only and was never intended to reach production. This allowed GM engineers and designers to create the craziest concept they could without having to worry about its real-world efficacy or its potential profit margins.
Legendary GM Styling Vice President Harley Earl was responsible for designing the XP-21 Firebird’s aeronautics-inspired, fibreglass-reinforced plastic body, while development of the Whirlfire Turbo-Power jet turbine was overseen by Charles L. McCuen, the then general manager of GM’s secretive Research Laboratories Division. Unlike other jet-powered automobiles, which used the thrust of the jet engine to enable drive power, the XP-21 Firebird’s turbine powered the rear wheels via a two-speed planetary transmission. This setup produced an estimated 370 horsepower at 13,000 rpm, allowing it to hit a theoretical top speed of 200 mph. It also tipped the scales at just 2,500 pounds, further contributing to its straight-line performance.
The XP-21 also has a fighter jet-style cockpit with a glass canopy, along with a single bucket seat, blue upholstery and a yoke-style steering wheel. The Whirlfire Turbo-Power jet turbine is mounted directly behind the driver’s seat.
This is one of the iconic GM concepts from the Harley Earl era and is a priceless piece of American automotive history that is seldom displayed in public. Our live photo gallery may not be as cool as seeing this priceless GM product in person, but it just may be the next best thing.
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Comments
Well, we know where the “Screaming Chicken” originated…
The Firebird one was at Daytona as it is also the car on the top of the Daytona Harley Earl trophy.
The last I saw all three of the Turbine Firebirds are running again.
I am glad GM did preserve these cars and just wished they were where we could more easily see them. There are sone true treasures in the collection.
It is funny but I saw the Firebirds 1,2,3, the X job, Y job and a couple mid engine Vettes at a display at of all places the Henry Ford Museum. GM loaned them for a display of GM prototypes.
And a red flashing light right behind the drivers head ? Like the the BatMobile ?
I loved the gas turbine concepts. What a hoot!
I saw all three turbine Firebirds at the 2003 Eyes on Design show, held at the GM Tech Center. All were just sitting on the grass along with other concepts. The Firebird I design was inspired by the Douglas F4D Skyray fighter plane, It was never raced but race driver Mauri Rose did extensive testing at the GM proving ground. Its biggest deficit was the heat of the exhaust, which exceeded 1000 degrees. GM fixed that with the Firebird II, a family car concept. The gas was run through regenerators which returned the heat to the engine, leaving a far milder exhaust. The Firebirds were what cars today were supposed to look like, here in the 21st century. Check out any parking lot and see if they do.
GM . . .
The bygone days when GM made cars that weren’t designed to Kill, they were designed to inspire…
So long ago.