Page 8 - Sample pages "Imagine too" by Patrick Kelley

COMING SOON TO A TSHOWROOM NEAR YOU!
he Auto Shows or Motor Shows trace back to 1898 in Paris, where the vehicles of the future could first be seen. Shows then started popping up in the United States, with the first US show being on November 3, 1900, set in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. A myriad
of choices met the buyers and the curious visitors, and allowed them to see what this new thing called ‘the horseless carriage’ was all about. Electric, battery, steam and even something called the ‘internal combustion engine’ were some of the propulsion options offered, and were there to titillate and entice the buying public to get on board — they were the first to catch a glimpse of the future of mobility. Soon, big car shows were coming to a city near you and were highly- anticipated yearly events. If you wanted to see the future and view ground-breaking technology, the car show was the place to be. The greatest show of them all would certainly have to be the introduction of ‘GM’s Motorama’!
GM, being the pioneer in Harley Earl’s dream car concepts, produced an automobile and technology extravaganza that put the buying public on their heads. From 1949 until 1961, special cars, in special finishes and ‘concept’ cars were displayed on raised turntables so everybody could have a glimpse of what they would soon be driving... or so they thought. Singers and dancers, orchestras and celebrities dazzled at the show. Millions of visitors came through, until its end in 1961.
What you’ll see in the next pages is my collection of archival and original factory photographs from the days of ‘The Motorama Shows,’ along with many other cars that were conceived. While some have been lost, many of these cars still exist, with the remaining concepts now in automobile museums or major car collections.
Coming Soon to a Showroom Near You! 39
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