Welcome to the world of forgotten cars. Surely, this isn’t the first time you’ve stumbled through this portal into a world full of cars time forgot, but this time around we promise to bring you something really interesting, blending old with modern, muscle with sport, and normal with downright weird. The journey you’re about to embark on will be one that’ll surely give you some fine talking points at your next family get together, assuming at least a part of your family is into Chevys, anyway. This list consists of 24 Chevy models ranging all the way back to the early 1900s to some of the more modern production models and concepts. We’ve even thrown on oddball in here that doesn’t wear a Chevy badge, but you’ll have to check out the list to see just which model and why we’ve considered it worthy of being on a list that’s otherwise populated with Chevy models.
Before we get into our feature presentation, though, let’s talk about why some cars are just simply forgotten. Some models are just replaced by something better. Take the Chevy LUV compact pickup, for instance. When the S-10 came along, the LUV was forgotten about faster than a poorly written TV pilot. Then you’ve got some straight up outlandish concepts like the Chevy Blazer XT-1 or the Chevy Bel Air. No, I’m not talking about the Bel Air we all know and love – I’m talking about one from the 2000s. Yeah, Chevy actually tried to revive the Bel Air name at one point. Anyway, we have an awesome mix for you to enjoy so lets quit beating around the bush and get into this list of the 24 Chevy cars that everyone simply forgot about.
24 Chevy Mi-Ray Concept
The Chevy Mi-Ray Concept could have been the car that filled the hole left by the demise of the Toyota MR Spyder, but like always, GM doesn’t know a good idea when it sees it. The Mi-Ray was actually a mid-engined hybrid that paired a 1.5-liter four-banger with a pair of 15-kW electric motors. Yes, Chevy actually built a mid-engined roadster once. Unfortunately, this concept never saw the light of day outside of auto show viewings. Despite the fact that it was designed as a celebration of Chevy’s 100th anniversary, it was more about showcasing future technologies and was actually inspired by the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder. According to Motor Trend, the Mi-Ray ran on all-electric power at first, with those two 15-kW motors powering the front wheels. If you decided you really wanted to go, the engine behind the seats would kick in, and you’re zooming. This concept, however, made its auto show rounds and was never heard from again.
23 Chevy Greenbrier
Even if you lived in the 1960s, you probably don’t remember the Greenbrier. It was a variation of the Corvair 95 and was actually the longest running model of the lineup. According to Corvair.org, the Greenbrier was actually one of the leading passenger vans of the time and, thanks to its swing-axle independent rear suspension, it offered a better ride than other vans its size on the market. With seating for up to nine people, this was extremely important. With 80 horsepower on tap, the Greenbrier even offered up double the horsepower in comparison to the VW van. With this in mind, it should have been a strong competitor, but by the time it was phased out in 1965, it was practically obsolete with the last year of sales accounting for just 1,528 models moved. So what held it back? Well, it was more expensive than the Ford Econoline and VW van, and that rear suspension that was all the rage was actually problematic and unstable. To top things off, the engine leaked oil like a Cadillac.
22 Chevy Chevelle SS396 Z16
The Chevy Chevelle has always stood on its two feet, but most don’t know about the Chevelle Z16. The Z16 was essentially an add-on packaged offered mid-year for the Chevelle SS. It was designed to give a preview of what was to come in 1966 and as a competitor for the midsized Pontiac GTO. In 1965, only 201 of these things produced and each was built on a reinforced Corvette frame. According to Curb Side Classic, it even included the biggest brakes available from the full-size Chevy lineup. It wasn’t powered by an L37 396 that had a hydraulic lifter cam and ran 11.0:1 compression – it developed 375 horsepower, just 15 ponies more than the L34. This engine is usually confused for the L78, which also offered the same horsepower in 1966, but the L37 was, as we know it, limited to the 201 Chevelle Z16 models produced in 1965. So why was this legendary model forgotten outside the circle of well-informed gearheads? Well, it’s that limited production number and the SS396 that sold in 1966 was much more popular despite not being as good of a car.
21 Chevy Lumina Z34 Coupe
I’ll be the first to admit that I rag on Chevy several times a year, rather consistently, for its cheap fleet cars that are destined to live out their lives changing hands every few days through rental car agencies. The Chevy Lumina, for the most part, was one of these cars. It was cheap, had a lackluster interior, and featured GM’s old-school pushrod engines that were about as reliable as an Edsel if not meticulously maintained. In the early 1990s, though, GM threw us a winger with the Lumina Z34. It rocked out a twin DOHC engine that was good for between 200 and 210 horsepower (depending on the transmission) and, according to Jalopnik, was good for getting up to highway speeds in around eight seconds – a rare accomplishment for anything wearing a Lumina badge. It even looked kind of cool too but, thanks to its tarnished reputation as a rental car, you probably forgot this little early 90s GM hotrod existed, didn’t you?
20 Chevy Citation X-11
The Citation is one of those models that could have raked in some serious cheddar for GM as a whole, and even sold well, but like other Chevy models from the mid-to-late 1980s, it was plagued with reliability problems and just didn’t have the build quality customers demanded back that (typical GM story, right?) Back to the point, the Citation X-11 was the performance-oriented model of the lineup and came with a 2.8-liter V-6 under the hood that was, according to Autoweek, good for some 115 horsepower. It wasn’t a lot, mind you, but it was fairly fast for its size and the time period. A short run on the market, however, and the tarnishing of the Citation name as a whole left the X-11 to fall into the long-forgotten archives.
19 85-88 Chevy Nova
I know most of you probably remember the Nova from back in the day, but did you know that Chevy brought the nameplate back in the late 1980s. Its existence was brief and wasn’t even that bright, but it did exist. According to Curbside Classic, it was actually a rebadged Toyota. I know what you’re thinking – did Chevy build any of its own cars in the 1980s? Well, they did, but the Nova wasn’t one of them. This thing was of the no-show-no-go variety with estimates putting its 74-horsepower engine in the realm of delivering a 13+ second sprint to 60 mph. There was a twin-cam Nova as shown above that was actually fairly quick, but it was still just as ugly. You would think this would have been an early lesson to not slaughter once-awesome names, yet here we are with a Blazer crossover on today’s market. Some automakers just never learn.
18 Chevy LUV
Chevy has pretty much always competed with Ford, but everyone seems to forget that Chevy has always had it out for its Japanese competition as well. And, that’s why the Chevy LUV (light utility vehicle) was born – to take on the compact trucks from Japan of the 1970s. Like most compact models from GM back then, GM decided the best way to take on Japan was to get into bed with them, and that’s why the LUV is nothing more than a rebadged Isuzu Faster. According to TFL Truck, Chevy sold more than 500,000 of these little ranch beaters, none of which were thanks to the 1.8-liter engine that was good for 75 horsepower. Of course, this thing has since been forgotten as the compact Chevy S-10 eventually took its stronghold on the world.
17 Chevy Code 130R Concept
Another day, another missed opportunity for Chevy. Seriously, we can’t make this stuff up. Chevy delivers concept after concept just to let them be forgotten about when they could have been true sellers. Such is the case with the Code 130R Concept. Basically a 2+2 coupe, the 130R was rear-wheel drive and – according to Car & Driver – sent 150 horsepower to the ground via a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. That is, had it gone into production, anyway. This concept debuted in 2012 but has since been forgotten, but it sure could have put some serious hurt on the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins. Unfortunately, GM, as a company, has a bad habit of basking in unrealized opportunity and the Code 130R Concept is one prime example of this. Oh well, had it gone into production, Chevy probably would have asked a Japanese company to build it anyway.
16 Chevy Impala SS
Modern muscle has a pretty recognizable face. I’m talking about, of course, the Dodge Challenger, Chevy Camaro, and Ford Mustang. However, in the late 2000s, Chevy brought back the Impala SS. It was a front-wheel-drive car, but it had all the proper credentials. It was powered by a 5.3-liter V-8 that was good for 303 horsepower and 323 pound-feet of torque, all of which was sent to the road via a four-speed automatic. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the six-speed we all wanted, but this car was the ultimate sleeper. According to Car & Driver, it was able to run to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds on the way to a 14.1-second quarter mile. The car was only on the market from 2006 to 2009, however, and was nearly identical to the standard Impala minus a few pieces of trim and the classic SS badge. As such, the last true sleeper has since been forgotten.
15 Chevy Cameo Carrier
Back before we had stylish pickups like those that roam the streets today, trucks were generally intended to do hard labor, and they did. But, in the mid-1950s Chevy decided to put out a stylish pickup known as the Cameo. It was originally meant to be a one-piece truck, with no separation between the cab and bed, but Chevy determined it was just a bad idea and the body panels would distort under stress. And, they were right, so they dodged a bullet there. The Cameo didn’t last long, with production ceasing after just a few years in 1958. The Cameo didn’t even sell that well but, according to Classic Car History, it was the very model that introduced the world to stylish trucks, and it eventually led to models like the Ford Styleside, Dodge Sweptside, and its successor, the Chevy Fleetside. Its short production run means that it’s easily forgotten, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hold a place in the hearts of some, including ours.
14 Chevy Spectrum
The Chevy Spectrum was born out of GM's desire to continue competing with the little econoboxes from Japan that were, essentially, taking U.S. roads by storm in the 1980s. This wasn’t a true Chevy, though, as it was nothing more than a rebadged Isuzu i-Mark with less power. According to UPI, it had a 1.5-liter four-banger that pumped out just 70 horsepower. A turbocharged model was also available at some point, with 110 horsepower, but this didn’t matter because it could deliver as much as 41 mpg on the highway – something that made it a decent competitor for the Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas of the time. After just a few years, the Spectrum was replaced by the Geo Storm and quickly lost to the realm of forgotten cars.
13 Chevy Camaro Iron Duke
If you ever wondered where the term “all show and no go” came from, then you can probably trace it back to the 1982 Chevy Camaro Iron Duke. The Camaro has always been considered a sports car or a muscle car, but for some reason, Chevy decided to deliver a four-cylinder base engine with the debut of the third-gen model. According to Jalopnik, the old Iron Duke has all of 90 horsepower (92 ponies if you had a 1983 model) and some 123 pound-feet of torque. It was, apparently, good for a mind-numbing sprint to 60 mph in about 20 seconds and you can probably assume nobody ever had to time to actually try hitting top speed.
12 Chevy Blazer XT1 Concept
I hate to break it to you, but that digital instrument cluster and infotainment display isn’t something all that new. GM… ahem… Chevy actually had a concept all the way back in 1987 with a digital instrument cluster. It was known as the XT1 concept, and while it looked like a mashup between the Chevy Uplander and any other GM SUV, it was actually a highly-advanced and function concept. It had a 4.3-liter V-6 that was good for 202 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque and, as shown by TFL truck, the interior was similar to that of a shuttlecraft from Star Trek. It even had four-wheel steering (way back in 1987, mind you). In the end, this weird concept has long been forgotten, and the Blazer name continued on without so much weirdness.
11 Chevy Electrovair II Concept
Electric cars might seem like they are relatively new, but I’m sure you remember the GM EV-1. Before that. In fact, long before that, GM played with the idea, using a second-gen Chevy Corvair in the process. The transformation was actually easy thanks to the air-cooled engine being mounted in the rear, but the Electrovair II suffered from the same issues we worry about today – a lack of range and long-term viability. See, according to Autoblog, the Electrovair II had silver-oxide batteries due to their high energy density. However, these batteries wore out quickly and had to be replaced after just 100 recharges. Imagine that, changing out your expensive batteries more than three times per year. Oh, and the range, it was quoted at somewhere between 40 and 80 miles. It did offer similar performance to that of the gas-powered Corvair, though, so at least it had that going for it.
10 Chevy HHR SS
To this day people still argue about whether the Chevy HHR was a minivan, SUV, or hatchback. To this day, we’re still not sure. But, thanks to Chevy’s need to slap an SS badge on everything in an attempt to remain relevant, the HHR SS came to be. According to Autotrader, it pumped out 260 horsepower (over 100 ponies more than the base model) from a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-banger. It could even hit the 60-mph benchmark in as little as 6.3 seconds in production-line form. The HHR SS, however, came at a time when GM was on the brink of financial failure, and the rest of the country was trying to climb out of the depths of the recession. The HHR SS was only sold from 2008 to 2010 and then completely disappeared, never to be heard from again.
9 Chevy Cobalt SS
The Cobalt SS is another one of those missed opportunities for Chevy and, had Chevy capitalized on what it had; the Cobalt SS could have been a huge success. It was priced rather competitively and handled like a dream. The 260-horsepower, supercharged, four-cylinder under the hood was responsive and quiet. It had the makings of a true sports coupe, but there was one big problem – Chevy dropped the ball on the interior (because GM always drops the ball inside it seems) and exterior styling was bland at best. This, at a time when Fast & Furious car culture ignited a new spark into the tuner scene. And, that was the biggest problem. Despite its power and handling, the Cobalt SS still looked like a bland and boring Cobalt, albeit with a big spoiler in the rear. Despite all of its strong selling points, it still seems to have been largely forgotten.
8 Chevy Uplander
Give Chevy credit in the sense that it started to understand the SUV craze long before it happened. That’s why the Chevy Uplander was basically a mix between an SUV and a minivan. Be that as it may, the exterior styling was a bit before its time and minivans were already on their way out – hence the Uplanders short lifespan of just four years. According to US News, the Uplander also had a low resale value, probably thanks to its weird exterior design. The model was essentially on that you find now in subprime auto lots, and it called the parking lot of car rental agencies home for quite a while too. In the end, the Uplander was just another failed Chevy – all despite its powerful V-6 engine, decent towing capacity, and a high-tech interior that was perfectly suited for busy families that were always on the go.
7 Chevy Kingswood 427
You might not know it, or remember it if you’re old enough, but big wagons were all the rage at one point in time, even in the United States. Some of them, like the Kingswood 427, could be had with some serious power under the hood. According to Hemmings, this baby pumped out 390 horsepower from the 427 cubic-inch V-8. It wasn’t incredibly fast due to its sheer size and weight, but it was a beast of beasts in its day, and it was the pure definition of wagon done right. These days, high-quality, well-maintained examples of the Kingswood 427 can go for a hefty sum and, if you ever stumble across one, it is the wagon hotrod to have.
6 Chevy Blazer Xtreme
The street and tuner scene was popping in the early 2000s, and Chevy decided to take advantage of that with models like the S-10 Xtreme and Blazer Xtreme. By this time, the Blazer name was being applied to the SUV version of the compact S-10 pickup truck, and the offering was okay for the times. However, from 2001 to 2005, Chevy took this somewhat common and compact blazer and turned it into something pretty cool – as long as you didn’t want extra horsepower, anyway. It had a sweet body kit and, according to Cnet, it featured lowered, sport suspension and trim-specific wheels. It actually looked mean too, but this is another one of those missed opportunities because Chevy planted the same, 190-horsepower, 4.3-liter V-6 under the hood. It was a strong, reliable engine (minus the spider injection system, anyway) but some more power for an SUV (or the pickup, for that matter) would have been a big selling point on this thing.
5 Chevy SS
While the Chevy SS was quite similar to the Impala SS, it had several extra selling points that make us sad this thing is no longer in production. First off, it had a Camaro-sourced, 6.2-liter V-8 that was good for 415 horsepower and, to top it off; you could have it with a six-speed manual transmission. Even crazier is the fact that this thing dominated in cornering ability. According to Car & Driver, it could pull 0.96 g, beating out the Kia Stinger GT, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus SHO, and Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400. It could also sprint to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and run the quarter-mile in 13 seconds flat, straight out of the showroom. Unfortunately, it didn’t sell all that well, and I bet you didn’t even know such a modern track star from Chevy existed, did you?