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The rise and fall of the Chevrolet Corvair - from hopeful offspring to problem child

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Created on September 1, 1989

Reading time 8min

Written by:

Dieter Günther, Ergänzungen Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

3

Bruno von Rotz

1

Archiv

43

Daniel Reinhard

3

Bruno von Rotz

1

Archiv

43

Chevrolet Corvair am Oldtimer Sunday Morning Meeting im Mai 2011 in Zug

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - zeitgenössische Prospektabbildung von 1961

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Chevrolet Corvair am Oldtimer Sunday Morning Meeting in Zug im Mai 2011

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Heckdeckel des Chevrolet Corvair über dem sechszylindrigen Motor - gesehen am Oldtimer Sunday Morning Meeting im Mai 2011 in Zug

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - die ersten Bilder der neuen Heckmotor-Limousine

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett im aktuellen Zeitgeschmack

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Instrumentenbrett mit Beschriftung

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - der Sechszylinder-Motor mit Boxer-Layout

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Durchsichtszeichnung

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Durchsichtszeichnung - Silhouette

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - grosse durch die Scheibenwischer bestrichene Fläche auf der Windschutzscheibe

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Lüftgekühlter Heckmotor mit sechs Zylindern

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - umklappbare Rückbank

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - viel Fussraum dank Wegfall des Kardantunnels

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Chevrolet Corvair 700 Coupé (1960) - Seitenansicht, links-hinten

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Chevrolet Corvair Speciale (1960) - verschiedene Designer nutzten die Corvair-Plattform für Spezialkarosserien - hier eine geglückte Version von Pininfarina

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Chevrolet Corvair (1959) - Features - Annehmlichkeiten - Platz für sechs Personen

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - am Strand

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - das Design fällt auch in den USA auf

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Durchsichtszeichnung von schräg oben

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - ein luftgekühlter Sechszylinder im Heck, das interessiert doch die gute Frau sicher

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - geparkt vor der Abfahrt zum Mulholland Drive

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - grosser Kofferraum im Bug

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Kofferraum

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Längenvergleich zwischen Corvair und Impala Sport Sedan

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Posieren vor dem Polizisten

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Chevrolet Corvair (1960) - Silhouette

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Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sports Wagon (1961) - der Bus im Stile des VW-Bus

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Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sports Wagon (1961) - Vorderansicht des Kleinbus

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Chevrolet Corvair Lakewood Station Wagon (1961) - Kombi-Version

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - Durchsichtszeichnung zeigt die Platzverhältnisse in der Kombiversion

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Chevrolet Corvair XP 737 (1961) - offener Prototyp mit Turbo

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Chevrolet Corvair XP 737 (1961) - Prototyp mit Turbo, entwickelt durch Bill Mitchell, Chef GM-Design

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Chevrolet Corvair XP 737 (1961) - sah nicht nur schneller aus, sondern war es dank Turbo auch

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - alles offen bei diesem Testwagen

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - der Motor liegt tief, das Reserverad darüber

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - Einstieg

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Chevrolet Corvair (1961) - leicht modifiziert ging der Wagen in das Jahr 1961

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Chevrolet Corvair Coupé 700 (1961) - mit Hinterradantrieb und Heckmotor war für Traktion auch bei Schnee gesorgt

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Chevrolet Corvair Monza 900 Club Coupé (1962) - Seitenansicht, links

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Chevrolet Corvair Monza (1963) - mit luftgekühltem Heckmotor - am OSMT Corso Zug 2011

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Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder (1962) - Lenkrad und Armaturenbrett

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Chevrolet Corvair (1962) - die Limousine im Jahr 1962

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Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible (1963) - aus verschiedenen Perspektiven

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Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Sport Coupe (1965) - mit vollständig überarbeitetem Styling

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Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Convertible (1964) - Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Convertible, ein mit vier «C» initiiertes Fahrvergnügen

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Summary

On October 2, 1959, Chevrolet, which belonged to General Motors, presented a new model called the Corvair. Chevrolet was proud of this car, because even by European standards the design was remarkable - even sensational by American standards. Its departure was also sensational. When production had to be discontinued ten years later, the car had become the epitome of an accident-prone faulty design for the American public. This report looks back and shows the interesting car in over 40 pictures and on contemporary sales material.

This article contains the following chapters

The customer wants compact cars
Six-cylinder in the rear
Technical extravagances
Success with the coupé
The first standard turbo
Sporting successes
Concept cars to generate demand
New rear axle
A major mistake
The end came in 1969
Tabular comparison of the various models
Further information

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

On October 2 , 1959, Chevrolet, which belonged to General Motors, presented a new model called the Corvair. Chevrolet was proud of this car, because even by European standards the design was remarkable - even sensational by American standards. Its departure was also sensational. When production had to be discontinued ten years later, the car had become the epitome of an accident-prone faulty design for the American public. By the end of the 1950s, European import cars had become so widespread on the American market that domestic carmakers could no longer ignore the foreign competition. Studebaker and Rambler were the quickest to react, presenting the first compact cars with the Lark and the American respectively.

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