General Motors predicted that the GM-X Stiletto was the ‘car of the future’
- GM made a concept car they introduced as the sportscar ‘of the next decade’
- They filled it with the latest technology
- However, it was never mass-produced
Published on Jun 25, 2024 at 3:08 PM (UTC+4)
by Nalin Rawat
Last updated on Jun 26, 2024 at 3:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
In 1964, General Motors came up with the GM-X Stiletto concept car which they thought was the ‘car of the future.’
Concept cars nowadays are lacking in creativity, but that was not the case in the 60s.
During that era, everyone was infatuated with space, and that’s why the 1964 GM-X Stiletto was designed like a spaceship.
READ MORE! This futuristic Mercedes-Benz concept car is inspired by a musical instrument
GM-X Stiletto concept car
The 1964 GM-X Stiletto was General Motors’ great contribution to space-age automotive design.
It was never intended for mass production — and that’s why it was filled to the brim with state-of-the-art tech and an outlandish design.
Since they were no longer constrained by mass production, the designers went all out to make a true car of the future.
The concept car was an absolute dream and a love letter to aerospace design.
However, since then, we have seen a lot of concept cars that are said to be the cars of the future — like the Mercedes AVTR.
The design
The GM-X Stiletto also had a sharp, elongated silhouette with large fins at the rear and a pointed nose, that made it look like a rocket car.
The wheels were also pushed under the body and almost entirely hidden from view. This made it look like it was hovering on the ground.
With a color combination of red, black, and silver — the GM-X Stiletto had no subtlety.
The concept car also had no doors and was accessed by a lateral opening hatch.
The hatch integrated with the entire roof. It was not a very rational mechanism, but it looked futuristic.
Communication with the outside world was done through a three-way comms system.
The interior also looked like the cockpit of a fighter jet with an incredible number of displays, buttons, and gauges.
The GM-X Stiletto concept car also featured an aircraft-style yoke to complete the look.
Features like automatic climate control, rearview camera, ultrasonic sensors, and a prototype AI assistant — made it a ‘car of the future.’
Nobody knows what happened to the original car, but the scale model is still with the Henry Ford Museum.
# Tags - Cars, Concept Car, General Motors
Nalin Rawat
Nalin started his career by working with various national newspapers in India. He has also worked as a writer/editor for many popular websites, while still pursuing his journalism and mass communication degree. Working as a digital nomad has allowed him to inform and educate through his work. When he is not writing, you can find him playing video games or travelling the mountains on his bike.
