I
t’s weird to think of
MotorTrend as a startup,
but back in the early days,
we needed to figure things
out as we went. No one had
published a magazine devoted
to the American new-car
enthusiast and shopper until
we came along.
Throughout the 1950s, we
jumped around with how we
named our Car of the Year. We
did everything from naming
a specific vehicle to simply
awarding individual vehicles
for superlative performance,
with the automaker with the
most wins unofficially earning
the title. Some years, we
skipped it altogether.
We had six COTY winners in
the ’50s, but none was more
impactful than Chevrolet’sFinalist: 1950s
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air
America: Reborn,
rebuilt, restyled
game-changing 1955 lineup
including the 150, the 210, and
the Bel Air. It sported a new
chassis and modern suspen-
sion (which helped it earn
“Best Handling” and “Most
Roadable”), and it was avail-
able with a 265-cubic-inch
(4.3-liter) V-8 and a Powerglide
two-speed automatic capable
of zipping from 0 to 60 mph in a
quick 12.3 seconds.
And then there’s the
styling. No vehicle from the
1950s is more iconic than the
Tri-Five—that’s 1955, 1956,
and 1957—Chevrolets. These
block-shaped cars featured
fins, wraparound windshields,
and a bold color palette
that’d make even Lady Gaga
blush. Available in seven body
styles, including the Nomad
shooting brake (one of our top
automotive designs for the
year), the 1955 Chevy lineup
brought Cadillac style and
performance to the masses,
ultimately helping Chevrolet
lock down 44 percent of the
“low-priced” market the first
two years of its existence.
The Tri-Five Chevys are
just as stunning in 2019 as
they were in the height of the
Atomic Age. Our tester, loanedto us by Tomas Vazquez, is
a beautiful India Ivory and
Pinecrest Green 1956 Chevrolet
Bel Air. Powered by a 162-hp 265
V-8 paired with a two-speed
auto, it’s virtually identical
to the ’55 model that helped
Chevrolet earn its glory, save
for a revised grille and tailfins.
Seeing a Chevy Bel Air in
like-new condition in the 21st
century is trippy, to say the
least; it’s somehow anachro-
nistic yet futuristic at the same
time. The Bel Air is beauti-
fully styled, and despite the
two-tone paint job, chrome
trim, hood ornaments, fins, and
more, it’s still somehow under-
stated in its design. There’s no
excess in this piece of rolling
American exceptionalism. It’s
a true masterpiece of auto-
motive styling, a testament to
what automotive designers
can do when allowed to put
design ahead of all else. Which,
coincidentally, is something
I’m keenly aware of when Ilook down at the dangerously
pointed metal ornament set
in the middle of the bus-sized
steering wheel, right where an
airbag would be in a modern
car, or glance across at the pale
turquoise steel dash.
Dipping into the throttle
and looking at the sun-swept
California hillside rolling out
before me frees me of thoughts
of impending death. The Bel
Air’s engine isn’t feeling well
today—a likely vacuum issue
limiting the car to about 15 mph
(or 110 mph if the speedo is to be
believed)—but it doesn’t matter.
It sounds powerful and rides
remarkably for its age. It even
handles decently, especially
when compared with the ’49
Cadillac also on hand.
After spending some time
driving and admiring the Bel
Air, it’s not hard to see how it
won our hearts. The ’55 Chevy
defined its generation—just as
much then as it does today. CS36 MOTORTREND.COM SEPTEMBER 201970TH ANNIVERSARY I UCOTY