Chevrolet Corvair
In the late ’50s, Chevrolet presented the Corvair, a revolutionary compact car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled, flat-six engine. This was a big step for Chevrolet since the Corvair sat opposite other vehicles from the company and featured different concepts, technology, and design. The American car industry was intrigued when Chevrolet presented the Corvair. It was a compact car when they were rare on US soil and mainly produced by foreign brands. It had the engine in the back rather than in the front like all other domestic vehicles. Third, it was a six-cylinder boxer, not a straight six or V8 as everyone expected. Overall, it was a bold and unusual move by the usually conservative Chevrolet (via Corvair).
For a couple of years, it looked like everything was okay with the Corvair and sales were good until a book called “Unsafe at Any Speed” hit bookstores across the country, causing significant problems for GM. The book’s author, Ralph Nader, was a consumer advocate who came in possession of classified documents showing that the Corvair was the reason for many car accidents, even several with fatal outcomes. The engine in the back of the car caused Corvair to have problematic handling. Chevrolet was aware of that but wanted to avoid investing money in additional stabilizer bars and suspension modifications. Soon the book gained publicity and the public demanded the answers as more and more people reported crashes with the Corvair. Ultimately, sales of the Corvair were slashed and the model was discontinued in 1969.