1954 Pontiac Strato-Streak Concept Design Reaches Production in 1973

1954 Pontiac Strato-Streak Concept Car As for this post's headline -- it's not the entire design, but similarity, especially for the aft end profile.  And a shape at odds with American design/packaging preferences in both 1954 and 1973.

Some background on the Pontiac Strato-Streak concept car is here, and Pontiac Grand Am production cars is here.

Although there are exceptions such as the 1947 Studebaker and 1951 Kaiser, American "bustle back" sedans entering production in the late 1940s and after have featured fairly large trunks for carrying luggage, golf clubs and such.  Trunks on the Strato-Streak and 1973-vintage Grand Ams were not small, but their potential capacity was reduced due to the curved shapes of their lids.

This was not a problem for a concept car, but an instance of odd product planning in the case of the Grand Am.  As it happened, 1973-1975 Grand Ams sold poorly -- only around 71,000 were built, about 14,000 of those were 4-door sedans.

Photos of the Strato-Streak are either via General Motors or are from unidentified contemporary sources.

Gallery

The 1954 General Motors Motorama concept  car.  The B-pillar was entirely lacking.  Doors were hinged on the A and C pillars and secured to the lower framing when closed.  That would probably be forbidden today, and was a sketchy idea even back in '54.  Window framing seems to be fixed, so this is not a "hardtop sedan."

1973 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan - General Motors photo
Compare the back fender curve here with that shown in the image above.

The Strato-Streak was moderately long, even by 1954 standards: wheelbase of 124 inches (3150 mm), with an estimated length of 206 inches (5232 mm).  The passenger compartment greenhouse features the new panoramic windshield with an echoing backlight window.

1973 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan - car-for-sale photo
The wheelbase is 116 inches (2946 mm), 8 inches (204 mm) shorter than the Strato-Streak.  Even so, its length of 212.6 inches (5400 mm) is longer due to greater overhang.  The Strato-Streak had a flow-through fenderline, whereas the Grand Am has subtle front and rear fenderline sculpting.  It's the after part of the fenderline / trunk profile that have the same distinctive character for both cars.

1973 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan - car-for-sale photo
Rear quarter view.  Compare to the similar perspective of the Strato-Streak below; the trunk curve is less extreme on the production car.

Tail lights are round, a Pontiac feature starting in 1948 and continuing into the late '50s.  The backlight window theme reached production on some 1957 Buicks and Oldsmobiles.

1973 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan - General Motors photo
Note that the trunk lid is slightly higher than the rear fenderline.  The Strato-Streak also had this detail.