Buick Y-Job
No list of concept cars is complete without the Buick Y-Job which was the very first concept car in the automotive industry, being produced in 1938. Harley J. Earl designed it and it featured electric windows which were far ahead of their time. The flush door handles added to the streamlined look. Power-operated headlamps were hidden, keeping with the sleek style. Add to this the prefigured styling cues, and a “gunsight” ornament on the hood, finished with the word ‘Super’ resting over the license plate in back.
The Y even used the waterfall grille you still find on Buicks today. There are two explanations for the ‘Y’ in the name. The first was simply many concept cars have ‘X’ in the name and Earl wanted to be different. Harley Earl also liked the fact the ‘Y’ was associated with the aviation industry. He wanted his model to stand out in more than one way. It also sat on the Buick Super chassis. Harley Earl drove the vehicle for years. It then spent time at the Henry Ford Museum and the GM Design Center. The Buick Blackhawk in 2001 was a version of the Buick Y-Job with modern advancements. It may have missed production, but it influenced many cars to come.
