1950's Car Timeline

1950	The automatic transmission finally is available in the low priced field, now optional on the 1950 Chevrolet (right). A new Chevy business coupe costs $1329 and weighs 3025 pounds. Goodyear offers puncture-sealing tires. 60% of American families now own a car; 6,657,000 cars are sold.
1951	The 180 horsepower, 331 cubic-inch Firepower Hemi V-8 engine in the 1951 Chrysler (right) marks the beginning of 'the Horsepower Race.' Kaiser offers a padded dashboard and pop-out windshield for safety. A Plymouth business coupe costs only $1,537 - less than 53 cents per pound.
1952	Packard offers power brakes. Lincoln's gadget-filled Continental 195X show car (right) features a phone, dictaphone, hydraulic jacks at each wheel and a sliding Plexiglas roof that closes automatically if it starts to rain. Over 2 million cars are sold with automatic transmissions. Cadillac and Oldsmobile offer Electric-Eye headlight dimmers. Crosley goes out of business.
1953	The Chevrolet Corvette debuts with a wraparound windshield but no side windows. Studebaker offers low, swoopy restyled models (right), featuring 'the European look.' Motels now outnumber hotels - two to one.
1954	Buick, Oldsmobile (right) and Cadillac offer wrap-around Panoramic windshields on all production models. Ford finally offers an overhead-valve V-8 in Ford and Mercury models. Nash merges with Hudson; Studebaker merges with Packard. GM showcases several new concept cars at the 1954 GM Motorama, including the 370 horsepower turbine-powered Firebird I.
1955	The two-seater Ford Thunderbird debuts. Imperial separates from the Chrysler brand and is offered as a separate nameplate. Some manufacturers, like Dodge (right), offer three-tone paint jobs. Kaiser ceases production. It's a record sales year - 7,915,000 cars are sold in 1955.
1956	Ford Motor Company introduces the Continental Mark II (right), priced at almost $10,000. Packard and Chrysler Corporation offer pushbutton automatic transmissions. Packard offers power door locks. Chrysler offers an in-car record player - the 'Hiway Hi-Fi.' 80% of all new cars sold have a V-8 engine. Congress approves construction of the 41,000 mile Interstate highway system.
1957	The Ford Skyliner is the first production retractible hardtop. The Ranchero pickup debuts, too. Chevy, Pontiac and Rambler offer fuel injection. Chrysler Corporation offers cars sleek, futuristic styling and giant tailfins; Plymouth ads (right) tout "Suddenly, it's 1960!" The average car price this year is $2749; two-thirds of all cars are now bought on credit.
1958	The Edsel makes its first appearance (right). The Ford Thunderbird grows into a four-seater and becomes America's first 'personal luxury car.' GM offers air suspension on several models. Practically all makes now have quad headlights. An economic recession causes car sales to plummet 31%. Packard ceases production. The first Toyotas and Datsuns are imported.
1959	Cadillac takes styling to a new baroque level with its models which have giant fins with rocket pod taillights (right). A Caddy Eldorado convertible costs $7401. Studebaker introduces its new compact car - the Lark. Chrysler offers non-glare rear-view mirrors.