13 Compact Cars From the ’60s Everyone Totally Forgot Existed

In the 1960s, small cars were at their best. Car companies all over the world came out with new, fuel-efficient models to meet the needs of a market that was changing quickly. Muscle cars and full-size sedans from this time period get most of the attention, but an interesting group of small cars also made an impact before going out of style. During that decade, these cars were common on the roads.

They were known for being affordable, useful, and sometimes quirky. There were a lot of different small cars on the market in the 1960s. Some were made in the U.S. by American companies trying out smaller designs, and others were made in Europe and Japan. This piece will talk about 13 small cars from the 1960s that no one remembers existed. It’s interesting to think about whether these lost gems were ahead of their time or just too niche to last. Either way, they have a special place in the history of cars.

Plymouth Valiant

Chrysler made the Plymouth Valiant in response to the rising demand for small cars in the early 1960s. When it came out in 1960, it had a bold design, a slant-six engine, and a single-body design, which made it different from the larger cars of the time. In a time when more traditional styles were popular, its sharp design, with its curved lines and future shapes, stood out.

Even though the Valiant had advanced engineering and a reputation for being durable, it became less well known over time as the small car market changed. The Valiant was known for being reliable and easy to maintain, which made it a popular choice for families on a budget and people who were buying their first car. And while it looked cool, it was never quite as exciting as the muscle cars Plymouth became famous for. Over time, newer and more stylish cars came out, leaving the Valiant as a relic of a time when car design was changing quickly, and it’s not often talked about these days.

Studebaker Lark

The Studebaker Lark became a strategic lifeboat for a carmaker that was having a hard time staying in business in an industry that was changing quickly. When it came out in 1959, the Lark was small, fuel-efficient, and came in a number of body types, such as cars with two or four doors, convertibles, and wagons. Studebaker was able to cut costs while still meeting market demand for smaller cars by designing it with a shorter length based on existing platforms.

The Lark was a big hit right away because it was affordable and had some pretty advanced features for its class, like air conditioning and automatic drive. It’s too bad that enthusiasm didn’t last. Detroit’s “Big Three” entered the compact car market, and Studebaker didn’t have many means to fight. The Lark was a smart and useful car, but it couldn’t compete with cars that had more money. When Studebaker stopped making cars in the middle of the 1960s, the Lark quietly disappeared from the market and from most people’s thoughts of cars.

Rambler American (AMC)

In the 1960s, American Motors Corporation (AMC) tried to corner the small car market with the Rambler American. The Rambler American was brought back to life in 1958 and got a lot of updates by the early 1960s. It was meant to be a useful alternative to bigger American cars. People who wanted to save money liked how simple it was, how well it used gas, and how easy it was to maintain.

The car came in different styles, from basic models to more stylish ones, so it could appeal to a wide range of people while still taking up little space. The Rambler American wasn’t as flashy or powerful as bigger cars, but it was praised for being strong and well-designed. But as time went on, different styles and more competition made it useless. The Rambler lost popularity as the car industry moved toward flashier compacts and imports became more popular. Even though it was popular in the past and helped AMC stay in business during tough times, it’s not often talked about when people talk about classic small cars these days.

Mercury Comet

The Mercury Comet was first planned to be an Edsel model, but when it came out in 1960, it had its own personality and quickly became Ford’s most expensive small car. The Ford Falcon was a big part of its structure, but this one was a little fancier looking and came with more trim choices. People who wanted a small car but didn’t want to give up comfort or style should have chosen the Comet.

Mercury promoted it as a useful, fuel-efficient alternative with a high-end name, which helped it get a position in the growing market for compact cars. The Comet has been redesigned many times over the years, including sportier models that seemed to aim for speed. But as the decade came to a close and more powerful, eye-catching models came out, the Comet’s mild charm started to fade. Overshadowed by more flashy rivals, the Mercury Comet faded into anonymity. Few people remember it, even though it did a good job and had a simple charm.

Austin America (BMC 1100)

In its official name, the Austin America was the BMC 1100. It was one of many British small cars that came out in the 1960s. In the U.S., it was sold as a slightly more polished version of the Mini. It had more room and a normal trunk, but it kept the small size that city drivers like. For its time, the car was pretty modern because it had front-wheel drive and independent suspension.

It also had a roomy cabin for its size, which made it popular with city dwellers and younger buyers who wanted cheap transportation. Even with these pros, the Austin America had trouble being reliable, and dealers in the U.S. market weren’t very helpful. Its strange British engineering, like its hydrolastic suspension and unique gearbox design, made American workers also don’t understand it. So, even though it sold pretty well for a while, people eventually forgot about it because more stable and easy to get compacts came out.

Pontiac Tempest

When it came out in 1961, the first Pontiac Tempest was an engineering marvel among small cars of the early 1960s. It had a unique drivetrain layout with a transaxle placed in the back and independent rear suspension. It was made to compete with the Ford Falcon and Chevrolet Corvair by giving people a more stylish option than standard small layouts. The Tempest also had a rope-drive shaft, which was a novel but difficult way to get the best weight distribution and control.

Pontiac marketed the Tempest as a small car, but it had a good amount of room inside and could come with the famous 3.2L Trophy 4 engine or even a V8 engine later on. The unusual tech got some attention from car fans, but for regular users, it was more of an interest than a selling point. By the mid-1960s, Pontiac had changed the Tempest from a compact to a midsize car, marking the end of its short time as a compact and generally forgetting about its early years.

Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass

When it came out in 1961, the Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass was the company’s first car in the new small class. It was marketed as a more refined choice to other cars on the market. It had a lightweight aluminum V8 engine and high-end internal features that made it stand out from less-luxurious options. The F-85 was technically advanced and flew smoothly and confidently for its class.

Over time, the Cutlass name grew to include a full line of midsize and then bigger cars. However, its simple beginnings as a small car are often forgotten. When the first F-85 came out, it was appealing to buyers who didn’t want to give up comfort because it was both practical and stylish. Oldsmobile soon lost its small look, though, as they made the model bigger and stronger to keep up with wider market trends. People often think of the strong muscle cars of the 1970s when they hear the word “Cutlass.” Not the original, small, light Cutlass that started it all.

Austin/Morris Mini

The Austin/Morris Mini is one of the most famous small cars ever made, but many people forget about its early years in the United States. The Mini changed the way small cars were made with its horizontal engine, front-wheel drive layout, and smart use of space. It came out in the late 1950s and was sold until the 1960s. Even though the Mini was famous all over the world, it had a hard time in the U.S. because of its confusing naming, small dealer networks, and worries about its dependability in American driving conditions.

The car was a favorite among fans because it was so small and fast, but regular people were hesitant to buy something so drastically different. It became more important to culture over time, but compared to other places, it didn’t sell very well in the United States. Today, the Mini name is well known thanks to new models made by BMW. However, the original cars from the 1960s are still a small part of American automobile history and are mostly enjoyed by collectors and European car fans.

Volkswagen Type 3 Squareback

Volkswagen tried to make the Type 3 Squareback more useful than the famous Beetle while keeping the brand’s basic engineering style. The Squareback, which came out in the early 1960s, had an engine in the back and a fairly large trunk thanks to its boxy door shape. It was more useful than the Beetle because it had more space inside and a smoother ride.

Families and people looking for a reliable European car that could handle daily tasks well liked this car. The Type 3 was useful, but it never got as much attention as the Beetle or the Microbus. Its styling was too traditional to make an impact, and the rise of more modern front-engine hatchbacks made its plan look old. The Squareback did its job well, but it’s often forgotten when people talk about VW’s classic range because its brothers from the same era were more interesting.

Chevrolet Chevy II / Nova

GM’s simple answer to Ford’s famous Falcon was the Chevrolet Chevy II, which was later renamed the Nova. When it came out in 1962, it didn’t have any fancy tech. Instead, it had a simple front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup that was meant to be affordable. The car came in different sizes and body styles, like sedans, wagons, and convertibles, so it could meet the needs of a lot of different people.

In its early years, the Chevy II was pretty plain, but it became a steady worker for many American families. As the decade went on, sportier versions came out, and finally the Nova SS models were made, which earned a reputation for speed. Still, the first Chevy II cars are often forgotten in favor of the more powerful ones that came after them. With their simple looks and strong construction, these early compacts were a big part of Chevrolet’s success in the 1960s, but they’re rarely talked about today outside of classic car fan groups.

Saab 96

In the 1960s, the Saab 96 was a quirky small car with front-wheel drive that had a small but loyal following. It was first released in 1960 and kept getting better throughout the decade. At first, it had a two-stroke engine, but later, a V4 engine from Ford was added. People in Northern Europe and certain groups in the U.S. loved the Saab 96 because of its sleek shape, strong safety features, and ability to handle cold weather.

Its success at the rally helped build its image by showing that a small, strange-looking car could fight on the world stage. The Saab 96 never became a big hit in the United States, even though it had a cult following. It wasn’t very popular because of its strange looks and unusually laid out engine. As more common imports became famous, the 96 slowly disappeared from people’s memories. Still, it’s an interesting part of the past of compact cars for people who like new ideas and Scandinavian style.

Toyota Corona

In the 1960s, the Toyota Corona was one of the first Japanese cars to really take off in the U.S. market. The Corona was made to fit American tastes better than earlier models. It was a solid, well-built, small option that didn’t cost too much. It had a standard layout, good speed for its class, and great gas mileage, all wrapped up in a simple but clean design. Toyota marketed it fiercely, emphasizing its quality and low upkeep costs.

This helped change the idea that Japanese cars aren’t powerful enough or reliable. The Corona set the stage for Toyota’s later success in the U.S. It showed that Japanese companies could fight seriously in the U.S. But when younger cars like the Corolla and Camry came out, the Corona was lost as a step in the right direction. Even though it helped Toyota become famous around the world, not many people remember the simple Corona that quietly changed what buyers expected.

Datsun 510

When it came out in the late 1960s, the Datsun 510 changed the small car market. It’s often called the “poor man’s BMW” because it was fun to drive thanks to its fast handling, quick four-cylinder engine, and independent rear suspension. The 510 had clean lines and was built to last. It was a great deal and performed well enough for both regular users and amateur racers.

Datsun’s growing image in the U.S. was helped by its attention to detail and quality control. The 510 quickly became a favorite among import fans. Even though it was popular and good at what it did, the 510 has been overshadowed by later Japanese performance stars, and most people today don’t talk about it outside of fan groups. Still, it was a very important step in proving the credibility of Japanese engineering in a market that had been controlled for a long time by American and European automakers. The 510 is still an unknown star in the history of small performance cars.

Last Thought

Many car fans remember the famous Mustangs and Camaros of the 1960s, but these small cars quietly changed the era with new ideas, usefulness, and impact around the world. Many people no longer remember them, but each of them helped move car design forward and meet the needs of a wide range of drivers during a changing ten years. These old compacts tell us that history isn’t just made up of loud engines and flashy designs; it’s also shaped by cars that got the job done without making a lot of noise. When we look at these cars again, we can better understand the impact they helped build in the auto industry.

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