The ‘60s heralded the rise of the ‘Big Three’ – the trio of General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Together with other American brands, they dominated the market on a domestic and international scale. In 1960, American companies produced 93 percent of all cars sold in the United States and 48 percent of the world.
The American car industry boomed and this was evident in the products that were unleashed on the market – economy cars, luxury automobiles, and the power-crazed muscle cars. There was something for everyone and here, we look at some of the cars that, by virtue of their popularity, came to define that era.
10 Ford Mustang
As far as cars are concerned, the Mustang debut had arguably the biggest impact of the 60s era. The car launched with a bang at the New York World Fair in 1964 and the Mustang nameplate continued to evolve and meet industry demands to this day. The car world immediately fell in love with the long hood and short deck silhouette.
It offered a lot of power and performance too at a reasonable price point. Ford could hardly keep up with demand. They projected to move 100,000units in the first year but hit that target just three months after launch. By the end of 1969, the assembly plants had produced an incredible 2 million units.
9 Chevrolet Camaro
The Camaro was a little more than a hasty response by GM to combat the Mustang’s rising popularity. The first Camaro vehicles started out as a cloned Chevrolet Nova, borrowing several parts and mechanical underpinnings. The car went on sale in 1966 and 220,000 units were sold that year. An impressive number until you consider the 480,000 Mustangs sold in the same period.
The Camaro’s popularity however continued on an upward trajectory, partly fueled by the car’s involvement in racing and by the end of the decade, it was one of the most popular cars on the market.
8 Ford Bronco
The iconic Bronco was originally conceived to serve as a more practical alternative to rivals’ offerings like the Harvester Scout and the Jeep CJ. In 1966, the Bronco rolled into the market off the back of the Mustang’s success and was made available in wagon, pickup and roadster body styles, all with a 2-door setup.
The first Broncos were manual-only vehicles and the transmission was mated to either an inline-6 engine or a more powerful optional V8 engine. The Bronco’s popularity continued to rise and is currently regarded as one of the Blue Oval’s most iconic vehicles. The Bronco story is bound to get even more interesting now that a new Bronco has been announced for 2021.
7 Ford Thunderbird
The Ford Thunderbird was the most popular 1960s personal luxury coupe and remained virtually unchallenged until the arrival of the Buick Riviera. Production commenced in 1957 but there were some tweaks for the 1960 models. These were mostly cosmetic though, as the addition of third tail light in the rear cluster.
That year was also a record year for the Thunderbird with total sales crossing 92,000 units. There were other modifications implemented all through the decade and by 1969, three more Thunderbird generations had appeared in the market.
6 Buick Riviera
The Buick Riviera was a personal luxury coupe that set its sights on a segment hitherto dominated by the Ford Thunderbird. It featured distinctive styling features such as the prominent egg-crate grille and creased lines along the front and rear quarters.
The interior was also quite lavishly set up and it did not take long for people to notice a new entrant into the personal luxury car market. The first-generation Riviera had a run that lasted from 1963 to 1965 and in that time frame, over 112,000 units of the car found new homes with customers.
5 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO was the car that really added fuel to the muscle car craze that swept through America in the ‘60s and early part of the ‘70s. The GTO name was inspired by Ferrari and in English, the acronym stands for, ‘homologated for racing in the GT series.’
The first Pontiac GTO that debuted in 1964 and was actually an options package for the Pontiac Le Mans. It placed emphasis on performance and power was provided by a V8 engine that churned out 325hp at 4,800rpm. The idea quickly caught on and before long, the GTO evolved into a separate model that was big on brawn and performance.
4 Lincoln Continental
Prior to 1961, Lincoln and Continental had existed as separated divisions under Ford. However, a lot of resources had been expended during the ‘50s battling recession and the onslaught from Cadillac. In 1961, Ford executives decided to merge the 2 divisions and produce a single model, the Lincoln Continental.
It was a high-stakes gamble but one that ultimately paid off. The car debuted as either a 4-door coupe or convertible and its flowing body lines actually helped define future car styles for the coming decades. The car was so popular in its prime, even President John Kennedy famously rode in one.
3 Jeep Wagoneer
Development began on the Wagoneer in 1959 but it was not until 1962 that the first Wagoneer jeep was introduced to the public. Jeep generated a lot of fanfare around its launch, advertising a largest-in-class cargo area that could accommodate 7-foot ladders, lying flat.
The Jeep Wagoneer offered an above-average degree of comfort and was well-loved across a wide segment of the market. The Jeep Wagoneer would go on to provide a strong foundation for one of the most popular vehicles made by Jeep, the Cherokee.
2 Dodge Charger
The first Charger was introduced as a show car in 1964 before entering production for the 1966 model year. The car, based on the Dodge Coronet, started life on a shaky footing and poor sales threatened to derail the entire venture. The story changed however with the introduction of the 1968 model.
A styling refresh suddenly propelled the Charger to rank among the best-looking muscle cars of the ‘60s. Dodge planned to make 35,000 units but ended up producing over 96,000 units as the car’s popularity soared.
1 Cadillac Eldorado
The Eldorado was a premium vehicle with build quality and performance to match. The ‘60s Eldorado was made at a time when GM reigned supreme as the biggest carmaker in the world, flush with cash to invest in research and development.
The Eldorado was among Cadillac’s most luxurious models at the time. It was also one of the most expensive American cars on the market but that did not affect its popularity. The Eldorado was offered as a two-door coupe known as the Seville. There was the Brougham, a sedan produced by GM in Italy and the opulent Biarritz, a convertible that stretched for nearly 19 feet.