Print, Ballyhoo Coach

This design is a simple line rendering of the large, streamlined Ballyhoo Coach, designed for General Motors (GM). An inscription at the bottom right corner states “General Motors Art & Colour/CV Wirebaugh 12/4/36.” The General Motors Art & Colour division was established by the company’s president for Harley Earl after the success of his design of the 1927 Cadillac LaSalle. The inauguration of the Art & Colour section was groundbreaking because it signified a paradigm shift in the automobile industry. Prior to the section’s inception, car manufacturers, including GM, did not concentrate on the aesthetics of car bodies. In February 1936, GM debuted its ‘Parade of Progress,’ a traveling road show that publicized the company’s vision and innovation. The focal point of the exhibition was a group of eight red and white streamlined vans arranged to form walk-through exhibitions and reveal large awnings. These vans were revamped in 1940 and it is likely that this work from December 1936 was part of the redesign process. The lack of color in the photostat is notable because the striking hues of the coaches were essential to the vans’ prominence at the parade. The stark, precise forms imply that this work was not a formal presentation piece, but rather evidence of the designers’ inventive practices.

Print, Ballyhoo Coach; Office of General Motors; photostat on paper; 37.5 × 94.3 cm (14 3/4 × 37 1/8 in.); Gift of Alexandra and Paul Herzan; 2017-27-4