CORVAIR DRIVING IMPRESSION FULL

The Corvair was a light, unibody compact with most of its weight in the rear, which obviously caused different handling characteristics, but still proved to be roughly as safe as any other American car of the era.

CORVAIR DRIVING IMPRESSION FULL

Most Americans were simply used to large, front-engined cars with full frames and heavy curb weights. Of course, cars like Volkswagen Beetle were available in the US back then, but they were nowhere near as common and still acted as something of a novelty. However, several problems arose from Americans’ unfamiliarity with driving rear-engined vehicles, especially when the Corvair was first introduced in the late 1950s. Despite the staggering backlash, the Corvair had initially proven to be a commercial success.

This is a bit ironic as the early 1970s would quickly see a change in the American automotive industry that, due to newfound regulations, veered away from muscle cars and aimed focus to smaller, more economical vehicles…like the Chevy Corvair. Regardless, the Corvair and its counterparts were long dead by 1972. The NHTSA stated, 'The handling and stability performance of the 1960-1963 Corvair does not result in an abnormal potential for loss of control or rollover and it is at least as good as the performance of some contemporary vehicles, both foreign and domestic.', which goes well against the grain of the original accusations.

What most people do NOT know that is later on, in 1972, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), concluded a lengthy investigation that exonerated the rear-engined compact. The entire fiasco ultimately led to the death of the entire Corvair lineup. If you’re reading this article, then you’re likely well aware of the Corvair’s infamous reputation following the Ralph Nader incident, when the activist reported these cars as “unsafe at any speed”.

Corvair driving impression