<VV>Competition

[Padgett]

>Lets not forget that at that time the other domestic choices at that price 
>included Lark, Valiant, Dart and Jet may still have been around for a while.

Think the target the General was aiming for with the Corvair was not just 
domestic - the thoroughly conventional Chevvy II (1962 intro but had to be 
in planning when Corvair was introduced) was for that but rather the 
rear-engined European cars - not just VW (bug/Karmann Ghia/Porsche) but 
also Renault, FIAT, DKW, DAF, NSU, - and the Austin Mini (also introduced 
in 1959) & SAAB popcorn popper (already in place) FWD offerings. People 
tend to forget just how open the domestic market was to imports then

The Covair was supposed to take market from both the domestic and the 
foreign (domestic influence is clear as the 140 cid engine became a 145 
when the Falcon was introed with a 144...)

You really have to understand the times and the context. Am sure the 
recession of 1957-58 was a factor as well.

Padgett