The Quickest Cars of the 1950s

One of the foundations that Things Auto prides itself upon is always taking the time to scientifically analyze the performance of a broad range of the finest cars. Back in 1955 when we started, it was a little more subjective. But these days, we’ve developed more objective methods of comparing the data on top car performance.

Some cars have missed out on appearing on our list by being as little as a tenth of a second slower than the best. Take the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, for instance, this was one of the very first cars that we ever tested at Things Auto. We tested many of the world’s best-known cars during the Fifties and we’ve included only those that reached the fastest speeds from naught to sixty in our own comprehensive guide to the quickest cars of the 1950s.

10) The 1958 Chevrolet Corvette – 7.6 seconds

On the 4th anniversary of the launch of the Corvette, its manufacturer, the Chevrolet Motor Division announced this, their latest model, the 1958 Chevrolet. Any changes to the exterior of the car were superficial, but underneath, there were some exciting developments. The Chevrolet’s plastic body has recently been supported with aluminum, but now that’s been continued through to the “rocker panels” around the doors. The front and rear bumpers are attached to the frame, like other American cars, allowing the loads to be reduced on the body panels. Although these changes mean that the car’s weight has increased to one hundred pounds, it can still be removed when racing – without the sport’s organisers calling foul.

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