<VV> AOL Autos names '62 Spyder one of 25 Smartest Cars of All Time

[wrsssatty at aol.com]

http://autos.aol.com/photos/smartest-cars-all-time/?ncid=webmail10


1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder


Tech innovation: Turbocharged engine

Despite its “Unsafe at Any Speed” reputation, the Chevrolet Corvair was a rather remarkable car -- and one of the most adventurous designs from the era in which General Motors was the world’s dominant automaker. GM introduced not one, but two cars in 1962 with turbocharged engines, the Monza Spyder and the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire. These were the first production cars to use turbocharged engines, and while the turbocharged V8 in the Olds was troublesome and only lasted two model years, the Corvair was available with a turbocharged flat-six through 1966. Today, turbocharged engines are back in a big way, as automakers seek out ways to improve engine efficiency – and fuel economy – without giving up power.



~Bill Stanley