| War II greatly impacted nearly every industry in | | | | in Japan, were beginning to enter the market as |
| America, not the least of which was the | | | | serious competitors. Foreign companies like Suzuki |
| automobile industry. Automobile design finally | | | | began building autos in the 1950s. General Motors, |
| emerged from wartime with the 1948-1949 | | | | Chrysler, and Ford all tried producing small cars to |
| model year. General Motors’ Cadillac and | | | | compete with these foreign names, but imports |
| Oldsmobile makes were the first to introduce | | | | swept the nation. The 1969 Datsun 240Z was |
| postwar modern designs in America, including the | | | | one of the first Japanese cars to be a hit with |
| ultra-luxury Cadillac Eldorado, bringing back luxury | | | | the American public. Elsewhere, smaller names |
| after a long absence. Elsewhere in the world, | | | | were being consolidated into auto conglomerates. |
| Ferrari, Lancia, and others began producing | | | | Small Italian automakers like Maserati, Ferrari, and |
| automobiles again around the same time. | | | | Lancia all found themselves under new ownership |
| Ford first produced its wildly popular F-Series | | | | by the decade’s end, further decreasing |
| truck in 1948, and continuing production of Jeeps, | | | | the already small field of competition in the auto |
| a wartime military creation, for the civilian market. | | | | industry. |
| Other companies created competing 4x4 vehicles, | | | | The Ford Mustang appeared in 1964, followed by |
| although they were generally a bit slower to catch | | | | Chevrolet’s competing model the Camaro |
| on. The modern SUV styles were first created in | | | | in 1967. The Mustang would become the |
| the 1960s; the phrase “sport utility | | | | best-selling car of the era, and also the most |
| vehicle” itself was coined by Toyota in | | | | collected by auto enthusiasts. Both models are still |
| 1960. The Land Rover was first made in 1970. | | | | popular with collectors today. |
| Engine size and power rose throughout the 1950s, | | | | In the 1970s, the oil crisis, new emissions rules, |
| allowing for higher vehicle speeds. Car body | | | | imports from Europe and Japan, and a lack of |
| designs generally became more artistic rather | | | | innovation wreaked havoc on American |
| than simply utilitarian. The most popular cars of | | | | automakers. Small imports outsold American cars |
| this era include the Mini and the Fiat in Europe. | | | | throughout the decade, including the Toyota |
| Perhaps surprisingly, Germany’s | | | | Corolla introduced in 1966, which became the |
| Volkswagen Beetle survived the fall of Nazism, | | | | best-selling car of all time. |
| and enjoyed success worldwide, especially in the | | | | The style types seen in today’s cars, like |
| Americas. Other makes, such as Chevrolet, | | | | the hatchback, minivan, and SUV, are relatively |
| produced highly successful models during the | | | | recent concepts. In fact, these designs simply |
| 1950s. The ’55 Chevy was an especially | | | | weren’t a part of auto |
| popular model that is still prized by collectors | | | | manufacturers’ vocabulary until the past |
| today. | | | | few decades. The SUV didn’t enter |
| In the 1960s, the automobile capitol of America, | | | | automobile terminology until 1960, although the |
| Detroit, began to worry about foreign competition. | | | | movement grew out of Jeep and other military |
| European automakers were using supreme | | | | vehicles developed during World War II for the |
| technology, and new Asian companies, particularly | | | | military. |