Chevrolet Corvair

The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 (base model) selling for under $2,000. Powered by an 80 hp (60 kW; 81 PS) engine and three-speed manual or optional extra cost two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission, the Corvair was designed to have comparable acceleration to the six-cylinder full-size Chevrolet Biscayne. The Corvair's unique design included the "Quadri-Flex" independent suspension. Similar to designs of European cars such as Porsche, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and others it used coil springs at all four wheels with independent rear suspension arms incorporated at the rear. Specially designed tires mounted on 13 inch wheels with 5.5 in. width were standard equipment. Available options included the Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission ($146) Gasoline Heater ($74) AM tube radio ($54) and a rear folding seat ($32) In January 1960, two-door coupe models of the 500 and 700 series were introduced.


Engine
2,296 cc (2.3 L) Flat-6
2,375 cc (2.4 L) Flat-6 (1961–63)
2,683 cc (2.7 L) (1964)

Subaru Pleo or Daihatsu Mira

The first-generation Pleo first went on sale in Japan on October 9, 1998, replacing the Vivio, when Japanese regulations dictated a size change in the kei car tax bracket, and every kei car model from every make was redesigned as a result.
Engine 658cc EN07 I4

Nash Rambler

The Nash Rambler was introduced on April 13, 1950; in the middle of the model year. The new Rambler was available only as an upmarket two-door convertible — designated the "Landau". Without the weight of a roof, and with a low wind resistance body design for the time, the inline 6-cylinder engine could deliver solid performance and deliver fuel economy up to 30 mpg-US (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg-imp).


Engine 173 cu in (2.8 L) I6

Fiat Uno or Fiat Mille Fiat Mille Way Innocenti Mille Innocenti Mille Clip

The Uno was launched in January 1983 to replace the ageing Fiat 127. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign company, its tall, square body utilising a Kamm tail achieved a low drag coefficient of 0.34 won it much praise for airy interior space and fuel economy. It incorporated many packaging lessons learnt from Giugiaro's 1978 Lancia Megagamma concept car (the first modern people carrier / MPV / mini-van) but miniaturised. Its tall car / high seating packaging is imitated by every small car today. It reversed the trend for lower and lower built cars. It showed that not just low sleek cars could be aerodynamic, but small, roomy, boxy well packaged cars could be too. In 1984 it was voted European Car of the Year.


Engine Straight-4

Chevrolet Chevy II Nova

Chevrolet designer Clare MacKichan recalled about creating the Chevy II: "There was no time for experimentation or doodling around with new ideas from either the engineers or from us in design; And it had to be a basic-type car." The 1962 Chevy II rode a 110-inch wheelbase, compared to 109.5 for the Ford Falcon, at which Chevy's new compact was aimed. "I think that was the quickest program we ever did at any time," he continued. "We worked night and day on that car, and it didn't take very long to run it through our shop because we had a deadline." And that's what made the Chevy II one of the fastest new-car development programs in GM history - just 18 months after the designers got the green light, the first production Chevy II rolled off the Willow Run, Michigan, assembly line in August 1961, in time for its September 29 introduction.

subaru Rex Subaru 500/600/700 Subaru Fiori Subaru M60/M70/M80 Subaru Mini Jumbo Subaru Sherpa Subaru Viki

The Rex (K21), introduced 15 July 1972, was the replacement for the Subaru R-2, which was itself the replacement for the long lived, but outdated Subaru 360. Because the R-2 was based largely on the 360, originally including its air-cooled two-stroke engine, it lasted for not even three years. In contrast, the 360 was produced for 11 years and the rear-engined Rex was produced for nine.


Engine
356 cc EK34 two-stroke I2
358 cc EK21 I2
490 cc EK22 I2
544 cc EK23 I2

Nash Metropolitan or Hudson Metropolitan

While most U.S. automobile makers were following a "bigger-is-better" philosophy, Nash Motor Company executives were examining the market to offer American buyers an economical transportation alternative. The Metropolitan was designed in the U.S. and it was patterned from a concept car, the NXI (Nash Experimental International), that was built by Detroit-based independent designer William J. Flajole for Nash-Kelvinator. It was designed as the second car in a two car family, for Mom taking the kids to school or shopping or for Dad to drive to the railroad station to ride to work: the "commuter/shopping car" with resemblance to the big Nash, but the scale was tiny as the Met's wheelbase was shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle's.

Engine

Austin A40, 1,200 cc (1.2 L) I4
1,500 cc (1.5 L) B-Series