9. 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 totally opposite of other cars from the company. It featured a different concept, technology and design. However, for a couple of years, it looked like everything was okay with the Corvair. The sales were good until the book, Unsafe at Any Speed, hit bookstores across the country, causing big problems for GM.
The book’s author, Ralph Nader, was a consumer advocate who found classified documents showing that Corvair was the reason for many car accidents, some even with fatal outcomes. Apparently, the engine in the back of the car caused the Corvair to have problematic handling. Chevrolet was aware of the issues but didn’t want to invest money in additional stabilizer bars and suspension modifications. Soon, the book gained attention, so the public demanded answers while drivers continued to report crashes with the Corvair.
Later, Chevrolet was involved in government hearings where they admitted their executives knew something about the matter. They ended up paying a settlement and promising to invest money in safety research. In the end, Corvair sales were non-existent, so they discontinued the model in 1969.