30TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF CHEVY CORVAIR

30TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF CHEVY CORVAIR

WASHINGTON (Wireless Flash) -- This Friday (May 14) marks the 30th anniversary of the death of the Chevy Corvair. The last Corvair rolled off the assembly line on May 14th, 1969 -- but many collectors believe the Corvair was "done in" four years earlier when consumer advocate Ralph Nader blasted the car in his book "Unsafe At Any Speed." Tom Bonsall of RideandDrive.com magazine says the much publicized problems had nothing to do with the design of the car -- it was American drivers who weren't used to the Corvair's sporty handling. Bonsall says Nader's book scared off drivers, even though General Motors had improved the safety of the car just before the book was published. But Nader claims his role as the "Corvair Killer" has been exaggerated. He says the Corvair died its slow death because Chevy dealers hated the car and it was difficult to service. As for GM's "remodeling job," Nader says it only eliminated some of the safety hazards and that the car still had carbon monoxide leakage problems and a steering wheel that could impale a driver in a head-on crash.

CONTACT: Tom Bonsall, ***1/2; Baltimore, MD; (410) 235-9166; Ralph Nader, ****; Washington, DC; (202) 387-8030