To celebrate its heritage along with Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day), Buick is highlighting the M18 tank destroyers that it was recruited to build during the World War II.
The M18 Hellcat was first designed in the studio of legendary GM designer Harvey Earl. Powering the tank was a 450-hp nine-cylinder aircraft engine, hooked up to a three-speed automatic transmission. Hellcats were known for being one of the fastest tanks on the battlefield, and could hit speeds of 60 mph and above.
As any Buick automobile, the Hellcat was tested at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, using the banked roads for high-speed tests and specially developed stretches of bumps for ride quality.
In total, Buick produced 2,507 M18 tank destroyers, along with a half-million cartridge cases, 9.7 million 20-mm shells, and other war accessories needed by the U.S. military.
GALLERY: Buick M18 Hellcat
