Cool Concepts: 1938 Buick Y-Job

We take a closer look at the Buick Y-Job concept, which is widely considered as the first-ever concept car.

Image: Buick

When it comes to cool concepts, it sometimes pays to go back to the very root of what concept cars are all about. While many of the concepts we see these days are computer-generated flights of fancy that are more about offering designers free rein, the true purpose of these studies is to act as a testbed for technologies that could find their way into production-series models. And no concept car better embodied this ethos than the 1938 Buick Y-Job – widely considered to be the first-ever concept car.

Its designer, Harley Earl, came from a coachbuilding background and was brought into General Motors to create Cadillac’s “Arts and Colour” section – one of the first in-house automotive design divisions. Prior to its establishment, design wasn’t seen as being particularly important to the automotive industry. Cars were either styled by engineers, with usability and ease of construction being paramount, or the unfinished chassis was sent to a coachbuilder to receive a new body.

Working with GM’s president, Alfred Sloan, the concept of the “Annual Model Change”, creating different body designs for different model years, was implemented. The idea was to introduce subtle but noticeable changes to a model’s design each year. This served the dual purpose of tying a model to a specific year while using elements from the previous year’s design to give a semblance of continuity that wouldn’t frighten off more conservative buyers. It kept the product lines looking fresh with little effort and resulted in used GM models having the best value retention at the time. It was essentially the origin of the automotive facelift and would endure in the mid-cycle refreshes seen in many cars today.

Earl was both a design pioneer and a savvy businessman. As General Motor’s head of design, he also came up with the idea of using a one-off car to showcase future designs and technologies, with a view to gauging production viability.

The Y-Job was based on the chassis and running gear of the Buick Super. It sported several aerodynamic features such as flush door handles, wraparound fenders, and hidden headlamps that could be retracted into the front wings.

The streamlined, aeronautic inspiration was evident in the choice of the “Y” prefix, which was usually applied to experimental military aircraft. It also incorporated several convenience features such as power steering, electric windows, and an electrically operated soft top that folded flat beneath a steel deck. Such features may not sound like a big deal these days, but in 1938 they were groundbreaking and would become essential fixtures on cars to come. Best of all, the Y-Job wasn’t just a static showpiece – it also served as Earl’s personal transport for almost 13 years before eventually becoming the centrepiece of GM’s Design Centre.

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