Only one person was allowed to drive strange muscle car that looks like jet engine as it was designed for specific purpose

What’s the strangest-looking car you’ve ever seen? Whatever it is, it’s nothing compared to the 1953 General Motors Firebird 1 XP-21. What

This rare muscle car seemed to have appeared completely out of the blue and, in fact, looked more like a jet engine with wheels.

It was designed for a very specific purpose and a very specific driver.

The driver in question was none other than the American automotive designer, Harley Earl, who designed the car.

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Strangest looking car: the 1953 General Motors Firebird 1 XP-21

The Firebird 1 XP-21 was built by General Motors as an experimental car and it’s hyper-rare.

This car was more of a concept and wasn’t made for the general public to buy.

Rather, it was meant to show what cars of the future could look like.

Instead of using a regular car engine, the 1954 XP-21 Firebird 1 used a gas turbine engine, just like the one used in planes.

It was the first car ever to do so, built and tested in the US.

With its jet-inspired fiberglass body and a powerful 370-horsepower engine, GM wanted to test if the gas turbines could be efficient for future vehicles.

This futuristic approach didn’t just focus on sustainability but also aimed to make cars more powerful.

The car was far ahead of its time

Can you imagine a car from the 1950s to reach a speed of 200mph? Well, this strangest-looking car had the potential to do so.

However, while all of this sounds fascinating, the use of gas turbine engines comes with its limitations.

The car was loud and could easily get extremely hot, making it impractical for everyday use.

It was another big reason why only its designer, Harley Earl, took the risk of driving it.

While the car was never meant to be mass-produced, it will always be remembered for its futuristic approach.