Truck Rewind: 1964 General Motors Bison Concept: The Future Looked So Awesome!

The General Motors Bison Concept debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, but to little fanfare. That same show was dominated by the debut of the Ford Mustang. This turbine-powered concept was quickly forgotten and that’s a shame because the General Motors Bison Concept was an outstanding looking truck.

Featuring a tilt-forward canopy, four-wheel steering and a GT-309 turbine power plant that sat above and behind the cockpit, this aerodynamic design was meant to haul a new one-size-fits-all mobile container. This was four years before a world-wide standard for shipping containers was adopted.

While the design, which looks like it came from famed designer Syd Mead, was space-age awesome, there was no additional development of this concept. We don’t know where this model ended up or if it was even a rolling test model. It remains a mystery and a sad one at that.

Could you imagine driving something like this? Sure, it would be terribly dangerous in a crash and that massive glass canopy looks like it would bake in the sun, but that’s what makes it so desirable – its styling. If anybody out there knows what happened to this concept or has any details about its brief life, please let us know!

 

Nathan Adlen
Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism - Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum. Brought up in the California car culture and educated in theater, childhood education, film, journalism and history, Nathan now lives with his family in Denver, CO. His words, good humor and video are enjoyed worldwide.