What Is a Corvair Car

The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969 in two generations. … The name “Corvair” originated as a portmanteau of Corvette and Bel Air, a name first applied in 1954 to a Corvette-based concept with a hardtop fastback-styled roof, part of the Motorama traveling exhibition.

Is a Corvair a good car?

“A lot of people put down the Corvair, but I consider it one of the 10 best General Motors cars of all time because it was just so different from anything else they built. They really handle. They’re built nicely. They’re a lot of fun.”

Was the Corvair a bad car?

The Corvair’s alleged problems stemmed from its unusual rear-engined lay-out and the suspension that held it up. That design led to unstable emergency handling, according to Nader. It’s hard to say whether the Corvair was much more dangerous than other cars of its time.