Oldies Still Goodies

A lot of attention is focused these days on cars designed to look like trucks and trucks designed to drive like cars, and on automotive styling from the Transformers and Gobots schools.

Given all that, it is interesting to see the results of a Web poll taken recently by Kelley Blue Book (https://www.kbb.com) in Irvine. Chevrolet emerged from the monthlong balloting as the favorite brand of the last 50 years, with Chevy models built since 1950 combining to capture 21% of the 67,000 votes cast.

But it was a model from rival Ford--the Mustang--that topped the voting as the all-time favorite car built in the U.S. since 1950. No surprise there or in most of the other choices, which include such obvious favorites as the Volkswagen Beetle and Dodge’s Viper as well as popular, plebeian choices such as Accord, Camry and Civic.

General Motors Corp., which has been losing market share in the U.S. in recent years, ought to take a hard look at the top 10 list, though. The company can boast that it includes four GM models, but one of them--the seventh-place Bel Air, hasn’t been produced since 1975, and word is that two others, the sporty Camaro and Firebird twins, are being phased out in the next few years. Scoring a hit with the car-buying public is one thing, but actually having hit cars in your lineup is quite another.

Here are the top 10 vehicle models, according to the Kelley Blue Book ballot results (includes all model years).

1. Ford Mustang

2. Chevrolet Corvette

3. Chevrolet Camaro

4. Honda Accord

5. Toyota Camry

6. Dodge Viper

7. Chevrolet Bel Air

8. Volkswagen Beetle

9. Pontiac Firebird

10. Honda Civic

NEXT WEEK

John O’Dell reports on the latest developments in hybrid vehicles, which combine conventional fuel and electric motors. With Honda’s Insight and Toyota’s Prius leading the way, the major auto manufacturers believe that hybrids will bridge the gap while development of pure electric power plants continues.