Top 1950s Car Brands: Legends of the Road

Top 1950s Car Brands: Legends of the Road 

From big fins to shiny chrome, discover the awesome cars that made the 1950s a great time to drive.

In the 1950s, the U.S. economy was doing well, and more people could buy cars. Having a car started to show that someone was doing well in life. Families began moving out of crowded cities and into the suburbs because driving to work and school became more effortless. 

Cars also changed how people had fun—drive-in theaters and restaurants became big hits. The government helped by building the interstate highway system so people could travel quickly and farther. Cars from American and foreign brands became a big part of the automotive landscape and shaped how people lived during the post-war era. This article explains those different brands. 

You’ll learn more about: 

• The brands from the “Big Three” companies
• The brands from European automakers
• The brands that did not survive the 20th century 

Overview

The Big Three Brands:

• General Motors, or GM, had brands like Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac. They offered cars for all kinds of people and budgets. 

• Ford made a strong comeback after World War II with popular cars like the 1957 Thunderbird. 

• Chrysler—with brands like Plymouth—made cars for everyday drivers and luxury buyers.

Other Notable Brands:

• Studebaker and Packard joined forces to keep up, but they had money problems and couldn’t compete with the Big Three, making them one of the famous failures of the 50s. 

• Porsche, a German brand, started to get noticed in America with its sports cars like the 550 Spyder, which helped make fast, fun cars more popular.

Iconic Models: 

• 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air: This car became a favorite among classic car enthusiasts for its shiny look, tail fins, and powerful V8 engine.

• 1955 Ford Thunderbird: A small, stylish car built for people who want comfort and performance. It competed with the Corvette. 

1959 Cadillac Eldorado: This fancy car also stood out with tail fins and stylish design

All Models Featured in This Guide 

Here’s a quick look at every iconic model we’re breaking down in detail in this article: 

From “Big Three” brands

• 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air

• 1955 Ford Thunderbird 

• 1957 Plymouth Fury 

• 1955 Buick Century 

• 1950 OIdsmobile Rocket 88 

• 1959 Cadillac Eldorado

From brands across the Atlantic

• Volkswagen Beetle Type 1

• Porsche 550 Spyder 

From brands that were discontinued

• 1950 Studebaker Champion

• 1955 Packard Patrician 

Brands from the Big Three

American 50s auto manufacturers like Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac changed people's perceptions of cars and influenced car culture. These brands made cars more than just transportation; they became symbols of status and freedom.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet was the number-one-selling car brand in the 1950s. It produced over 13.4 million cars throughout the 50s and regularly held the top annual sales spot, though Ford briefly overtook it in 1957​. Regardless, Chevrolet outsold second-place Ford by more than a million cars.

The brand served as General Motors’ entry-level marque and helped the company provide a car for everyone. 

One of its iconic models: the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 

People often call the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air—part of Chevy’s tri-five group from 1955 to 1957—the most famous classic 50s automobile. And with good reason; it looked cool and drove well. The car had big tailfins, and shiny chrome, and came with two-tone color combinations, making it look futuristic. 

Under the hood:

It had a V8 engine with up to 220 horsepower. In 1957, Chevy added fuel injection for even more power.

Ford

Through most of the ’50s, Ford ran neck-and-neck with Chevrolet, and in 1957, the company topped Chevy in sales for the first time since the 1930s​. Ford's strategy of offering practical family cars and stylish specialty models paid off; 1955 was the best sales year in the company’s history since the Model T era. 

One of its iconic models: the 1955 Ford Thunderbird

Ford made the Thunderbird to compete with Chevy’s Corvette, but gave it a different feel. The 1955 Thunderbird was a sleek and comfortable two-seater with a removable hardtop. It cost about $2,944 and quickly became a hit. People loved its look, with its tailfins, hood scoop, and shiny dashboard. It also had raw power, which made it fun to drive.

Under the hood:

A V8 engine with up to 198 horsepower. 

Plymouth

Plymouth was Chrysler’s cheaper brand among its 1950s cars. People thought it was reliable but somewhat dull. It didn’t sell as well as Chevy or Ford; by 1954, it was only the sixth best-selling brand in the country. To fix this, Chrysler changed things up and made their cars look more exciting. They put a lot of effort into new styles and designs. By 1957, their hard work paid off. Plymouth cars looked cooler and more modern, and they grabbed people’s attention, helping the brand bounce back and sell many more cars.

One of its iconic models: the 1957 Plymouth Fury

Restyled under design chief Virgil Exner’s “Forward Look” philosophy, the ’57 Fury and its sibling models looked futuristic—lower, longer, and broader, with dramatically tall tailfins and sleek lines that made competitors’ cars suddenly appear dated. Plymouth’s advertising famously crowed, “Suddenly it’s 1960!” to emphasize how advanced the 1957 models were​. 

Under the hood:

It came standard with a V8 equipped with twin four-barrel carburetors, making 290 horsepower​. 

Buick

Buick was one of General Motors’ fancier brands, just below Cadillac. It gave drivers a mix of comfort, style, and performance without being as expensive as a Cadillac. Because of this, people often called it the “doctor’s car.” Buicks had special touches that made them easy to spot, like shiny vertiports—small chrome holes on the sides—and chrome accents along a long, curvy trim line called the “Sweepspear.” These designs became a big part of how cars looked in the 1950s and helped make Buick stand out on the road.

One of its iconic models: the 1955 Buick Century 

The 1955 Buick Century had the largest engine Buick made that year, but it was put into a more petite, lighter car body. When matched with the Dynaflow automatic transmission, the car could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 10.9 seconds. That made it one of the quickest American cars of the 1950s.

Under the hood:

The V8 engine had 236 horsepower. 

Oldsmobile 

Oldsmobile, another General Motors division, was known in the 1950s as a brand that brought new ideas to cars. It was priced in the middle range but had strong power and cool features. Early in the decade, Oldsmobile became popular for its high-compression V8 engine, which made the cars fast and fun to drive. The brand became known for its “Rocket” engines—people felt like they were moving with rocket power. Oldsmobile even used the phrase “Make a Date with a Rocket 88! ” in its ads.

One of its iconic models: the 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 

Introduced in 1949, many people consider the Rocket 88 as one of the first muscle cars. Its lighter body and V8 engine meant it was one of the fastest 50s models not just on American roads—an Olds 88 even won the grueling 2,178-mile Carrera Panamericana Mexican road race in 1950.  

Under the hood:

Its overhead-valve V8 engine can deliver up to 135 horsepower. 

Cadillac

People often called Cadillac “the standard of the world” because it stood for success, style, and having made it in life. It was one of the fancy 1950s autos from General Motors that many people dreamed of owning. A big reason Cadillac looked cool was thanks to Harley Earl, the company’s head of design. He devised bold ideas like tailfins and shiny chrome inspired by airplanes. These touches made Cadillacs look exciting and different from anything else on the road. 

One of its iconic models: the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado 

The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado was known for its vast tailfins, shiny chrome front, and twin-bullet taillights, which gave it a jet-inspired look. People didn’t just see it as a car—it was so fancy and bold that someone once said it felt “more of a temple than an automobile." Indeed, it was a sought-after classic because it offered a luxurious driving experience.

Under the hood:

It had a big 6.4-liter V8 engine with 345 horsepower.

Brands from across the Atlantic

Not every car on America’s new highways came from the U.S. Some came from across the ocean. Two German brands, Volkswagen and Porsche, brought vehicles that made a significant mark in America's automotive history. 

Volkswagen

Volkswagen sold over 278,000 passenger cars in the U.S. during the 1950s, rapidly climbing from near anonymity in the automotive industry to becoming the number one foreign brand in the country by the end of the decade. Its reputation for affordability, reliability, and quirky design helped it carve out a niche against larger domestic competitors in the auto industry.

One of its iconic models: the Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 

The Beetle was small, easy to use, and didn’t cost much to run. It could get over 30 miles per gallon, which was great compared to the big American cars that used a lot of gas. Its round shape and simple look made it different from anything else on the road. Some people even called it “ugly,” but Volkswagen joked that “ugly is only skin-deep.” Many buyers didn’t mind how it looked—they liked that it was innovative, reliable, and stood out.

Under the hood:

It had an air-cooled, flat-four boxer engine that delivered 25 horsepower. 

Porsche 

Austrian expat Max Hoffman had a tough job in the 1950s—getting Americans to buy a German car called Porsche. The first model, the Porsche 356, was small and cost more than other 1950s vehicles. Porsche didn’t have the money for big ads, so Max told people it was one of the most exciting cars in the world. His plan worked. By 1954, he was selling about 11 cars every week. 

One of its iconic models: the Porsche 550 Spyder

The Porsche 550 Spyder was released in 1953 and was made just for racing. It had a lightweight construction.  Even though it was small, it was super fast and handled turns well. It could beat bigger, more powerful cars, which is why people called it the “Giant Killer.” In 1955, movie star James Dean, who loved racing, bought a 550 Spyder and gave it the nickname “Little Bastard.”

Under the hood:

It had a 1.5-liter, four-cam boxer engine with about 110 horsepower. 

Brands you may not have heard of

Not every one of the brands that made cars from 1950 to 1960 made it out of the 20th century. Two of these, Studebaker and Packard, merged in 1954 to try to keep up with the larger carmakers. They hoped working as a team would help. But they still had a hard time selling enough cars. People were more interested in other brands. In 1962 the name “Packard” was removed, and only Studebaker stayed. A few years later, in 1966, Studebaker stopped making cars, too.

Studebaker

Studebaker was known as one of the brands that made popular cars in the 1950s, because of features such as the "bullet-nose.” However, it faced challenges, including high labor costs and intense competition from carmakers like Ford and General Motors. These larger companies engaged in price wars that Studebaker couldn't match. Additionally, Studebaker had quality control issues and financial problems. All these factors led to the company rolling out its last car in 1966. 

One of its iconic models: the 1950 Studebaker Champion

Studebaker introduced the 1950 car Champion with a distinctive "bullet-nose" front and wraparound rear window, giving it an airplane-like appearance that stood out on American roads. Its aerodynamic design and affordability appealed to many, leading to strong sales. Studebaker, though, struggled to maintain this momentum in subsequent years.

Under the hood:

It featured a 169.6 cubic-inch inline-six engine producing 85 horsepower.

Packard

Packard was known for producing luxury cars with elegant designs and advanced features like automatic transmissions and power steering. Models like the Packard Caribbean and Clipper were popular. However, Packard faced challenges that led to its decline. The company was slow to adopt modern V8 engines, while competitors like Cadillac and Oldsmobile had introduced them by 1949.

One of its iconic models: the 1955 Packard Patrician

In 1951, Packard came out with the Patrician, a fancy sedan that mixed old-school style with new ideas. One of its coolest features was a special suspension that could lift the back of the car when its driver added more weight—something no other vehicle had at the time. Even though it had some exciting features, the Patrician didn’t last long. The company built the last one in 1956.

Under the hood:

It  had a strong 374-cubic-inch V8 engine with 290 horsepower, letting it go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 12 seconds. 

Conclusion

The 1950s American cars and foreign models people enjoyed helped show what that time was about—cool looks, strong spirits, and hope for the future. Some companies didn’t make it through the decade, but they still pushed the car world forward through symbols that showcased the timeless appeal of the American Dream.

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FAQs

What car was popular in the 1950s?

The 1957 Chevy Bel Air was one of the most famous cars of the 1950s. People loved how it looked and how it drove. Even stars like Elvis Presley owned one, which made it even more popular. The car was also mentioned in songs by well-known singers like Eric Clapton and Mel McDaniels.

What car company no longer exists?

Besides Studebaker and Packard, the Tucker Corporation was another car company that didn’t last long. It built the Tucker 48, a car that looked very different from others at the time. But the company ran into big trouble. The SEC charged its founder, Preston Tucker, and seven others on allegations of crimes like mail fraud. Because of this, the company only lasted a few years. Indeed, it only made 51 Tucker 48 cars. Many were sold at auction by the end of 1950, making it one of the discontinued automobile brands of the 50s.

What is the oldest still-existing car company?

Buick is the oldest car brand in the United States. Around the world, the oldest car company still around is Peugeot, which started in 1810. Today, neither of them runs on their own. Buick became part of General Motors in 1908, and Peugeot merged with Citroën in 1976.

What was the fanciest car in the 1950s?

Among the 1950s cars considered luxurious was the 1955 Chrysler Imperial, advertised as “the finest car America has yet produced.” It stood out because of its fancy features, like extra legroom, special “gunsight” taillights, and a front grille resembling a metal egg crate.