Chevrolet Vega
By the late ’60s, Chevrolet experienced a lot of negative publicity and problems regarding its compact cars program because of the Corvair. Production on the Corvair ended in 1969 but long before that date, Chevy started working on a next-generation small car that would be more conventional yet better in every aspect. So in late 1970, the brand-new Chevrolet Vega was introduced as a 1971 model. The Vega was a compact but modernly styled model with three basic body styles – a two-door coupe, a two-door sedan, and a practical three-door wagon. The front end resembled the design of the 1971 Camaro with a similar grille, headlights, and bumper. However, the most interesting detail was the engine, a 2.3-liter four-cylinder available in two power levels, 90 and 110 hp, for 1970. Both units had lightweight construction and decent performance regarding their size and class (via Motor Trend).
In 1975, Chevrolet even introduced an exciting but not-so-successful Vega Cosworth model, which featured a highly revolving 2.0-liter four-cylinder twin-cam motor with 110 hp. Although it wasn’t fast or firm, the Vega Cosworth was attractive due to its black and gold paint job and unique wheels. Despite strong sales, the Vega had some quality problems with the engines and was notorious for many rust issues. Production ended in 1977 after more than two million examples were built and sold.