The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969. It was the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car to use a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine.

Corvair models included a two-door coupe, convertible, four-door sedan, four-door station wagon, passenger van, commercial van, and pickup truck variants.

Contemporary competitors included the Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Falcon, Plymouth Valiant, Studebaker Lark, and the Rambler American.

The Corvair's reputation and legacy were impacted by a controversy surrounding its handling: the car was scrutinized in Ralph Nader's 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed, GM's top management resorted to unethical measures in response to its accusor, and a 1972 Texas A&M University safety commission report for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the 1960–1963 Corvair possessed no greater potential for loss of control in extreme situations than its contemporaries.[1]

The name "Corvair" is a portmanteau of Corvette and Bel Air.[2] The name was first applied in 1954 to a Corvette-based concept with a hardtop fastback-styled roof that was part of the Motorama traveling exhibition.[3]

---https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvair