Will Camaro be Reborn Too?
Chevy fared well in this period despite the prevailing buy condo in bangkok Depression. Production outpaced Ford’s each year in 1931-33, bottoming to 313,000 units for ’32, but recovering to 486,000 for ’33. Volume then soared to nearly a million by 1936, though Ford was nearer. Along with more-streamlined styling, 1934 brought new “Knee-Action” independent front suspension (IFS) to Master models, Bill Knudsen’s last major decision before leaving Chevy in October 1933. According to writer Karl Ludvigsen, engineer Maurice Olley tried to discourage Knudsen from using it, saying there weren’t enough centerless grinding machines in America to produce all the coil springs.
Six-speed Z28s became a bit quicker that year thanks to shorter final gearing (3.42:1 vs. Electronic watchdogs “forced” a short-shift from 1st to 4th at certain speeds and throttle openings, a bit of nonsense prompted by government fuel-economy standards. As ever, the torquey Z28 was a prodigious tire-smoker off-the-line, and a standard limited-slip differential was no substitute for modern traction control. 2.73/3.23). Unhappily, their shifter acquired CAGS, the Computer Aided Gear Selection feature first used on Corvettes. But enthusiasts found that CAGS could be defeated by pulling a little wire, and many did pull it.
As ever, the hunky Z28 got the most attention. Four-speed manual gearbox was standard except on the 165-bhp 228, where it was three-speed automatic only (optional elsewhere). By 1984, it was up past a quarter-million. Once again, Chevy scored big with a smaller car, the new Camaro garnering 50,000 more model-year sales than its ’81 predecessor. But 1985-86 production plunged to some 185,000, the ’87 tally was 50,000 units below that, and 1988 volume was under 100,000. New competition from all quarters contributed to the decline, but so did indifferent assembly and persistent mechanical troubles. It packed only 305 V-8s: a four-barrel 150-bhp unit or a 165-bhp version with “Cross Fire” twin-throttle-body electronic fuel injection, as on that year’s Corvette.
The last became broader, brighter, and more conventional for ’56 in line with buyer tastes. With all this, plus attractive prices that weren’t changed much from ’54 (mostly in the $1600-$2260 range), Chevy led the industry in a record Detroit year with over 1.7 million cars, a new make high and a quarter-million better than Ford. Even the old six was improved: boosted to 123/136 bhp (manual/Powerglide). Other elements in Chevy’s winning ’55 package included a more-capable suspension, bigger brakes, better steering, more interior and trunk room, better visibility — the list was almost endless.
A genuine eye-opener was Cobalt’s Supercharged SS coupe, Chevy’s lob at the fast-growing “sport compact” youth market. All Cobalts offered the safety of optional curtain and front side airbags, plus OnStar and satellite radio. Supercharged buyers were well advised to order the $1500 Performance Package for its limited-slip differential, a near-necessity for controlling the front wheels under power. Its genuine Recaro seats and trendy A-pillar-mount instruments (including a boost gauge) were just a bonus. This delivered a class-competitive 205 bhp from a blown 2.0-liter Ecotec, plus mandatory five-speed manual gearbox, standard 18-inch wheels (vs.
An interesting 1974-76 concoction was the Laguna S-3 coupe. A cross between a luxury tourer and the now-departed Malibu SS, it sported body-color grille surround and bumpers, plus a posh vinyl interior available for a time with optional swiveling front seats — a revival of a ’50s Chrysler idea. When the big Chevys shrank to intermediate stature, it was obvious that the midsizers would get smaller, too. The latter retained generally florid looks, but the Malibus were crisp and clean. They did, for 1978. Chevelles became Malibus, and shared a new 108.1-inch-wheelbase platform with Monte Carlo.
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