GMC l`universelle 1955 (Diecast Car) - HobbySearch Diecast Car Store

This item is limited to 3 per household.

Only 333 pieces are to be manufactured.

-To appreciate the appeal of GMC's L`Universelle minivan, it is necessary to look back at the US car situation in the 1950s.
-Typical US pickups at that time all had the same structure regardless of the manufacturer. There was an engine under the hood, followed by a driver's seat and a cargo bed without a roof.
-In contrast, in Germany, cabover engine designs where the driver sits directly above the front axle were generally accepted.
-Inspired by the design, I decided to revisit the definition of the pickup. Stakeholders named the plan Drem Truck and was designed in 1955 by Harley Earl and Chuck Jordan.
-They put the driver's seat in front and lowered the chassis as low as possible.
-A 4.6-liter V8 engine with Pontiac's 180 horsepower performance was placed on the upper right of the front axle.
-In January 1955, only the spectators selected at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel were able to see the van for the first time, and in the same year it was released to the public with an improved design and captivated the US car scene.
-Management thought about the continued production of this van, but the calculated selling price was at the same level as Cadillac, which was too expensive and could not be reduced by cost cuts.
-Eventually, the production plan was rejected because the price could not be competitive, and all projects were canceled.

Item Size/Weight : 17.5 x 7.6 x 7.7 cm / 274g