The bold and unusual Chevy Vega, which was a General Motors product that first saw the light of day in 1970 and ran for only seven years until its discontinuation in 1977 was car that was never really properly given all the tools it needed to succeed, in the estimation of many an automotive expert.
The Vega, though, was noteworthy in that it came to market in a relatively quick 2 years from the time it was conceived on the drawing board to the point when it appeared in dealer showrooms. Offered in a number of two-door styles, included a panel truck, the Vega sought to fill a certain niche.
Taking into account that the Vega was a compact vehicle and that Chevy intended for it to be an import fighter and an entry vehicle for first-time car buyers, the car seemed to do well enough when seen in that light. Due to changes in market forces, though, it ultimately failed to last for as long as it was hoped.
Initially, though, the car itself proved a good-selling machine, making into the top-ten in terms of sales by 1974. Weak engines -- both in performance and reliability -- proved to be the car's Achilles heel, though, and a number of issues with the engine's aluminum block caused more than a few issues in the first few years of its existence. Happily, most problems were fixed over the years.
Unfortunately, the little four-bangers proved to be too much for the car itself to overcome, delivering -- at best -- very pedestrian performance and only so-so fuel economy ratings. At some point, Chevy began turning out a slightly larger car built off the same platform as the Vega's called the Monza and soon enough, the Vega drove off into the sunset. Curiously, the Monza also went away in 1980, 3 years after the Vega.
Though looked upon a little more favorably today, most auto experts believe that the Vega was emblematic of much of what was wrong with American automakers back in the seventies. As a statement of its time, though, the Vega tried to show off many styling cues which were believed to be European in nature. Also, it eventually offered fuel injection, which was relatively rare for American cars back then.
The Chevy Vega in all its iterations was a notable vehicle which General Motors was able to produce in only 24 months from drawing board to roll out off the assembly line. Given how long it normally took American automakers to produce any new model back then, it's perhaps the Vega's most shining and memorable achievement.
The Vega, though, was noteworthy in that it came to market in a relatively quick 2 years from the time it was conceived on the drawing board to the point when it appeared in dealer showrooms. Offered in a number of two-door styles, included a panel truck, the Vega sought to fill a certain niche.
Taking into account that the Vega was a compact vehicle and that Chevy intended for it to be an import fighter and an entry vehicle for first-time car buyers, the car seemed to do well enough when seen in that light. Due to changes in market forces, though, it ultimately failed to last for as long as it was hoped.
Initially, though, the car itself proved a good-selling machine, making into the top-ten in terms of sales by 1974. Weak engines -- both in performance and reliability -- proved to be the car's Achilles heel, though, and a number of issues with the engine's aluminum block caused more than a few issues in the first few years of its existence. Happily, most problems were fixed over the years.
Unfortunately, the little four-bangers proved to be too much for the car itself to overcome, delivering -- at best -- very pedestrian performance and only so-so fuel economy ratings. At some point, Chevy began turning out a slightly larger car built off the same platform as the Vega's called the Monza and soon enough, the Vega drove off into the sunset. Curiously, the Monza also went away in 1980, 3 years after the Vega.
Though looked upon a little more favorably today, most auto experts believe that the Vega was emblematic of much of what was wrong with American automakers back in the seventies. As a statement of its time, though, the Vega tried to show off many styling cues which were believed to be European in nature. Also, it eventually offered fuel injection, which was relatively rare for American cars back then.
The Chevy Vega in all its iterations was a notable vehicle which General Motors was able to produce in only 24 months from drawing board to roll out off the assembly line. Given how long it normally took American automakers to produce any new model back then, it's perhaps the Vega's most shining and memorable achievement.
About the Author:
Andy Zain is the admin of Chevy Vega V8 Forum , a place where fans and owners can get the right information for tuning, customization and general discussions on anything about Chevy Vega. Get the information you need when you visit Chevy Forums
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