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 approximately 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 Oldsmobile 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 vehicle, the 1966 Electro-van.
Concept cars and special-interest styling/performance one-offs are part of the mix, along with significant race cars and milestone production vehicles such as the first production 1966 Toronado featuring General Motors’ front-wheel drive.
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.
The Heritage Center has proved to be a real monument for any visitor. 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.