Wild Customized Creations from GM at Barrett-Jackson

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

There are always wild customized creations built by the car companies, to gauge the reaction to the potential car buying public. Some have been quite successful, while others are somewhat lacking as far as design, execution, or even taste. Here are five different examples of some wild GM creations, that are now being offered at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale this month.

When introduced in the fall of 1997, the competitors to the Chevy Malibu included the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Nissan Altima. None of them could be mistaken for exciting cars. However, GM decided to create the “Malibu Friday Night Cruiser”, and here is the result. The listing on the Barrett-Jackson Auction page reads as follows: “Since its debut in 1997, the Chevy Malibu has developed a solid reputation for dependable, reliable transportation that’s perfect for family life, road trips and daily commuting. It offers style, comfort and standard V6 power, all for a great price. Yet beneath that rather conservative demeanor lies an entirely different personality, one that oozes sass appeal. The Malibu Cruiser is proof that a traditional family sedan can be transformed.” That’s a whole lot of crap for what is basically a bland car.

If you think the 1997 Malibu was outlandish (What, do all custom rides have to be painted in Green, Orange, Pink, or Bright Red?), check out this next offering. It is also a Malibu, but it’s the 2004 version. This is from the Barrett-Jackson listing: “Great looks and performance are the two primary requirements for any tuner vehicle, and Malibu X-treme delivers in droves. Up front, in back and from a profile, there are plenty of styling elements to this street machine. Carbon Kevlar was extensively used in the front and rear fascias, and it’s hard to miss the 19″ wheels, rocker moldings, the custom hood and the rear wing. X-treme’s great looks are wrapped around a 2.0 Liter, intercooled and supercharged ECOTEC engine that delivers 240hp and features a ceramic-coated exhaust manifold with dual outlets for improved performance and fuel economy.” So, this was pitched to the Tuner Crowd. I would say that they missed their target audience.

This particular creation is a bit of an anomaly. It’s a 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue, and called the “442 Custom Coupe”, even though it’s a sedan. Created for the SEMA show. Inspired by the great Hurst Oldsmobiles of the past. This seems to be more of a joke, than a tribute.

Another questionable creation is this 1988 Chevrolet Camaro LT5 Custom Coupe. There is very little information available as to what this car is equipped with, or even why it’s in the auction. It does have this little blurb in the BJ web site:”Description pending. Please refer to the Car Card or barrett-jackson.com for more information. Sold on a Bill of Sale. This vehicle will be conveyed to Buyer with NO MANUFACTURER STATEMENT OF ORIGIN (MSO) or title and the vehicle does not have a complete VIN.” That will limit it’s value, but it does have a great 80’s color scheme!

This is the last one for this post, and it’s a real eye opener. This is a Blown 1997 Chevrolet Sprint Convertible, and was done as a Thank You to Jon Moss and his years of automobile exuberance, while heading up GM’s Specialty Vehicles Group. There is very little information on this one of a kind creation, but just look at it; What a monster!