### GM’s Rear Engine Cars: A History
#### The Corvair
The Chevrolet Corvair was a compact car produced by Chevrolet from 1960 to 1969. It was the first American-made rear-engine car since the Tucker Torpedo of 1948. The Corvair was available in two-door and four-door sedan, two-door convertible, and two-door station wagon body styles. It was powered by a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-six engine.
The Corvair was a critical and commercial success, selling over 1.8 million units during its production run. However, the car was also controversial due to its rear-engine design. Critics argued that the Corvair was unsafe, and that its rear-engine layout made it prone to oversteer.
In 1965, Ralph Nader published the book “Unsafe at Any Speed,” which included a chapter on the Corvair. Nader’s book accused General Motors of knowing about the Corvair’s safety problems and failing to fix them. The book sparked a public outcry and led to a congressional investigation of GM.
The Corvair was discontinued in 1969, after nine model years. It was replaced by the Chevrolet Camaro, which was a more conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car.
#### The Oldsmobile Toronado
The Oldsmobile Toronado was a personal luxury car produced by Oldsmobile from 1966 to 1992. It was the first American-made front-wheel-drive car since the Cord 810 of 1937. The Toronado was available in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles. It was powered by a front-mounted, transversely mounted V8 engine.
The Toronado was a critical and commercial success, selling over 400,000 units during its production run. The car was praised for its stylish design, comfortable interior, and powerful engine.
The Toronado was discontinued in 1992, after 26 model years. It was replaced by the Oldsmobile Aurora, which was a more conventional front-engine, front-wheel-drive car.
#### The Buick Riviera
The Buick Riviera was a personal luxury car produced by Buick from 1963 to 1999. It was the first American-made front-wheel-drive car since the Cord 810 of 1937. The Riviera was available in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles. It was powered by a front-mounted, transversely mounted V8 engine.
The Riviera was a critical and commercial success, selling over 1.1 million units during its production run. The car was praised for its stylish design, comfortable interior, and powerful engine.
The Riviera was discontinued in 1999, after 36 model years. It was replaced by the Buick Park Avenue, which was a more conventional front-engine, front-wheel-drive car.
### Why GM Stopped Making Rear Engine Cars
There are several reasons why GM stopped making rear engine cars.
* **Safety concerns:** The Corvair’s rear-engine design was criticized for being unsafe. Critics argued that the car was prone to oversteer and that it was difficult to control in an emergency.
* **Packaging constraints:** The rear-engine design of the Corvair, Toronado, and Riviera limited the amount of interior space that was available. This made it difficult to design a car that was both spacious and stylish.
* **Cost:** The rear-engine design of the Corvair, Toronado, and Riviera was more expensive to produce than a conventional front-engine design. This made it difficult for GM to compete with other automakers on price.
### Conclusion
GM’s rear engine cars were a significant part of the company’s history. The Corvair, Toronado, and Riviera were all successful cars that were praised for their stylish design, comfortable interiors, and powerful engines. However, the rear-engine design of these cars also had its drawbacks. Safety concerns, packaging constraints, and cost all played a role in GM’s decision to stop making rear engine cars.
### Additional Information
* [The Corvair Society of America](https://www.corvair.org/)
* [The Oldsmobile Club of America](https://www.ocoa.org/)
* [The Buick Club of America](https://www.buickclub.org/)
