The bold and unusual Chevy Vega, which was a General Motors product that first saw the light of day in 1970 and ran for only seven years until its discontinuation in 1977 was car that was never really properly given all the tools it needed to succeed, in the estimation of many an automotive expert.

The Vega, though, was noteworthy in that it came to market in a relatively quick 2 years from the time it was conceived on the drawing board to the point when it appeared in dealer showrooms. Offered in a number of two-door styles, included a panel truck, the Vega sought to fill a certain niche.

Taking into account that the Vega was a compact vehicle and that Chevy intended for it to be an import fighter and an entry vehicle for first-time car buyers, the car seemed to do well enough when seen in that light. Due to changes in market forces, though, it ultimately failed to last for as long as it was hoped.

Perhaps as a benefit of strong marketing tactics, the Vega was a top-10 best seller by 1974, though engine shortcomings in both durability and power led the public to perceive that it was maybe not a very well-made car. That engine’s aluminum block initially proved shaky in terms of reliability, but was lightweight and Chevy worked hard to iron out defects over time.

Sadly, those little 4 cylinder engines would spell the eventual doom of the car, with their initial poor quality and anemic performance. Eventually, Chevrolet – which had also been making an evolutionary vehicle developed off the Vega’s body called the Monza – cancelled production after the 1977 model year, with the Monza itself lasting until it finally was killed off after the 1980 model run.

Though looked upon a little more favorably today, most auto experts believe that the Vega was emblematic of much of what was wrong with American automakers back in the seventies. As a statement of its time, though, the Vega tried to show off many styling cues which were believed to be European in nature. Also, it eventually offered fuel injection, which was relatively rare for American cars back then.

The Chevy Vega in all its different styles proved consequential in a number of ways for the company and its parent, General Motors. It made it to market in only 2 years from conception, which was quite impressive for an age when it could be several years before a model might see the light of day. This is probably the signal achievement of the once-notable Vega.

Andy Zain is the admin of Chevy Vega Forum , a place where fans and owners can get the right information for tuning, customization and general discussions on anything about Chevy Vega. Get the information you need when you visit Chevy Truck Forums