Classic GM cars to go on the block
Looking for a last-minute gift for that classic-car collector on your Christmas list? You might give General Motors a call.
Automotive News reports today that GM plans to sell some of the more than 1,000 vehicles currently included in its Heritage Center collection in suburban Detroit. The automaker is sorting through the so-called Special Vehicle fleet, looking for duplicates and seldom-displayed vehicles to sell.
The director of the center told Automotive News that GM didn't plan to sell any one-of-a-kind vehicles, or any that are considered milestones for the company or the automotive industry.
Some of the vehicles will be up for sale at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., next month, although others won't go on the block until April, at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach, Fla.
The collection includes many historic vehicles, notably a 1912 Cadillac featuring the first electric self-starter; a 1915 Cadillac with the first production V-8 engine; and the 1966 Electro-van, which GM claims as the world's first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
The collection also contains a slew of classic Chevys, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, Cadillacs, Buicks and other marques produced during the 100 years that GM has been making cars and trucks.
About 200 of the vehicles are regularly on display at the Heritage Center, which isn't open to the public. The automaker uses the center for special events and business meetings. Other vehicles in the collection are shown at public events, such as auto shows, around the world.
It's not clear whether the pruning at the Heritage Center is part of the larger cost-cutting effort launched as part of GM's plan to staunch billions in losses, or whether the company is just looking for the automotive equivalent of extra closet space.
-- Martin Zimmerman
Photos: General Motors
