How incredible 50s speedster dubbed ‘jet fighter with wheels’ & hailed as ‘car of the future’ vanished from existence

AN incredible ‘jet fighter with wheels’ that was unveiled back in the 1950s was once seen as the future of motoring.

But the bizarre looking set of wheels never entered production and has since become a mere museum piece.

(This incredible ‘jet fighter with wheels’ was unveiled back in the 1950s.Credit: Alamy)

(Known as the Firebird, it was once seen as the future of motoring.Credit: Alamy)

Engineered by General Motors, the Firebird - or, as it was officially known, the XP-21 - was a concept car for the Jet Age first developed in 1953.

Designed by GM genius Harley Earl, Auto Evolution have described it as “basically a fighter jet with wheels”, with its body built using fiberglass-reinforced plastic that was heavily inspired by the Douglas F4D Skyray fighter jet.

Naturally, the Firebird didn’t just resemble a fighter jet; it also adopted the power of a fighter jet with a two-part turbine engine.

Known as a Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine, this outrageous powertrain had just two speeds, generated 370 hp, and expelled its jet exhaust at a scorching 677 °C.

It’s said that, theoretically, the car could reach a top speed of 200 mph, yet nobody was quite brave enough to go more than 100 mph during testing.

The XP-21 Firebird later made its debut at the 1954 Motorama, a sort of futuristic flavoured car expo, and it was by-far the most talked-about design at the event.

The XP-21, also known as the Firebird 1, was followed by three additional jet-inspired concepts.

However, while the name Firebird has become synonymous with GM’s car brand Pontiac, the jet-engined version was never put into production and, like many other concepts, is now part of the corporation's Heritage Center.

(The XP-21 Firebird made its debut at the 1954 Motorama. Credit: Alamy)

(But it was never mass-produced and today lives in GM's Heritage Center.Credit: Alamy)

(The car could theoretically reach a top speed of 200 mph, yet nobody was quite brave enough to go more than 100 mph during testing.Credit: Getty)

Ref: How incredible 50s speedster dubbed ‘jet fighter with wheels’ & hailed as ‘car of the future’ vanished from existence (thesun)

Photo Credit-Getty, Alamy