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Such claims have stirred up an angry argument. Ford contends that a rear-engine car tends to oversteer and veer out on curves because the greater part of its weight is in the rear. It has less luggage space—only 15.6 cu. ft. in the Corvair v. 24.5 cu. ft. for the Falcon and 24.9 cu. ft. for the Valiant. (But the Corvair has an optional folding rear seat, for $32.50 extra, that provides another 13.3 cu. ft. of luggage room in the back.) Many engineers insist that a rear engine is not practical on the basis of present knowledge for cars of more than 2,800 Ibs. (Corvair's weight: 2,375 Ibs.). G.M.'s forthcoming Buick and Oldsmobile compacts, which will be bigger than the Corvair, will have front engines.
"It Spells Simplicity." Whether front engine or rear, the compacts are all made to wipe out the longstanding complaints against U.S. car craftsmanship. "One reason that Europeans have achieved a reputation for excellent craftsmanship," says Cole, is that "their cars are relatively simple, but American cars have been getting more and more complicated." Cole has built a car whose six-cylinder engine has fewer parts than standard engines, is easily accessible, can be completely removed from the car in less than 30 minutes. "Everything about it spells simplicity," says Cole. "The engine is handy enough for any do-it-yourself mechanic. Because it is easier to build, I can guarantee you that our quality will stand up against anything from Europe."*
"This Is It." Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Corvair is the way Cole designed it and sold the idea to General Motors. He put the Corvair wheels in motion way back in 1952, a most unlikely time. Detroit then was riding a crest of chrome, and it looked as if anyone who bucked the trend to bigness would get honked right out of the industry. Henry Kaiser's chromeless little Henry J. was a flop. Romney's Ramblers were losing money. Just a few years before, Chevy had started to tool for a compact model, the Cadet, then decided that the market was too small, and scrapped it. But Cole, at that time Chevy's chief engineer, saw farther. He figured that buyers would tire of size and flash. But since all the surveys were against him, Cole knew that he had to use the greatest skill and strategy to sell G.M.
He started to work on the small car in secret. It was fairly simple to roll down a tight security curtain because each of G.M.'s semi-sovereign divisions is constantly tinkering on its own far-out projects that it keeps under wraps to protect them from competitors or even from rival divisions.