| Pontiac Club de Mer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Pontiac (General Motors) |
| Also called | XP-200 / SO 2488[1] |
| Production | 1956 (one prototype built) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Concept sports car |
| Body style | 2-door roadster |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 287 cu in (4,703 cc) Pontiac OHV V8 |
| Transmission | transaxle |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 103.251 in (2,623 mm) |
| Length | 180.001 in (4,572 mm) |
| Height | 38.401 in (975 mm) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Pontiac Strato-Streak |
| Successor | Pontiac Banshee |
The Pontiac Club de Mer was a purpose-built, experimental car that was built by Pontiac for the General Motors Motorama in 1956 to celebrate General Motors' commitment to futuristic design. The brainchild of GM engineer-designer, Harley Earl (Paul Gillian was also involved, being the Pontiac Studio head at the time), the "de Mer", or French for "of the sea", was a two-door sport roadster that incorporated innovative breakthrough styling like a sleek, low-profile body encasing a large powerplant, a design trend used widely in LSR (land speed record) trials at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah during the 1950s. One Club de Mer prototype was constructed and unveiled, along with another quarter-scale model, in Miami, Florida. As per GM's "kill order",[2] it was reportedly scrapped in 1958.
Only the model exists today, which was owned by Joseph Bortz[3] of Highland Park, IL. until it was sold to noted car collector Ron Pratt at the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction for $75,000. A running replica based on a 1959 Pontiac chassis was also built by Marty Martino. Taking three years to complete, it sold for $110,000 at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Arizona.[4]
- ^ "XP" and "SO" were GM designations for experimental (XP) and special order (SO) concept cars.
- ^ Patton, Phil (2006). "The Cars GM Didn't Want You To See". Forbes Magazine. Forbes.com Inc. © 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-20. "GM had a "kill order" on every one of these cars," according to concept car collector/restorer Joseph Bortz. "But the guys who built them would go crying to their bosses and say that these were their Rembrandts, works of art, and could they keep them? And the boss would finally say, 'Okay, but hide the car away. I don't want to hear anything more about it until after I retire."
- ^ Joseph Bortz. Interview of former owner of 1955 1/4-scale Club de Mer model (webcast). Motor Trend Magazine. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
- ^ "Marty Martino's 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer". Kustomrama. Retrieved 2015-07-12.