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MOTORINDIA
l
April 2012
The GM Heritage Center, an
81,000-sq. foot facility located in
Sterling Heights, Michigan, serves
as a showplace for the vehicles of
the GM Heritage Collection, and
is home to the Heritage and Media
Archive. The Center has more than
200 vehicles on display, while the
Archive houses 15,000 linear feet
of shelving containing significant
documents, manuals, brochures and
artifacts documenting GM’s rich
history of innovation.
The GM North American Heritage
Collection is made up of approxi-
mately 600 cars and trucks. Many
reflect GM’s industry firsts, like the
first electric self-starter used on the
1912 Cadillac, the first production
V8 that powered the 1915 Cadillac,
and the first air bag found on the
1974 Buick, Cadillac and Oldsmo-
bile models. The others represent
technological experiments like the
first American gas turbine-powered
car, the Firebird 1, or the world’s
first hydrogen fuel cell-powered ve-
hicle, the 1966 Electro-van.
Concept cars and special-interest
styling/performance one-offs are
part of the mix, along with signifi-
cant race cars and milestone pro-
duction vehicles such as the first
production 1966 Toronado featuring
General Motors’ front-wheel drive.
The Heritage Center has proved
to be a real monument for any visi-
tor. During his recent visit to the
Heritage Center, Mr. R. Natarajan,
MOTORINDIA Managing Editor,
could see and admire the centuries-
old GM’s popular brands such as
Chevrolet and Plymouth, as also
some concept vehicles that have not
gone public. The Heritage Center
also represents a blend of old and
new vehicle models which no auto
enthusiast can afford to miss.
Among the star attractions on
display are Sinclair Truck and the
American Crossroads bus.
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GM’s Heritage Center –
a vehicle paradise
Focus on Detroit
The GM Heritage Collection is
ever-changing. New vehicles
are constantly being obtained
to fully represent GM’s product
story of the past 100+ years.