6/23/48: Putting on a Show at the General Motors Proving Grounds

摘要

In 1924 General Motors opened a proving grounds in Milford Township, Michigan, the first of its kind in the automobile industry. Located about 50 miles northwest of Detroit, it was far from the prying eyes of rivals. At 4000 acres, there was plenty of room for facilities and numerous testing regimens—or, when the need arose, product presentations. This fascinating series of photos from Collectible Automobile®'s files shows one such session held on June 23, 1948. We don't know if other events were on the agenda, but it appears this was a styling evaluation. The back row consisted of GM's current '48 models, but the front row was made up of mock-ups for the upcoming 1949 cars—and even some '50 models. Facing them was a selection of competitors' 1948 and early '49-model cars (inset).