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Chevrolet is one of the greatest names in American motoring. With a long history that stretches back over a century, and countless iconic models brought to life over the years, there is no doubt that Chevrolet is an integral part of the past, present and future American automotive industry. While some of its models, like the Camaro, have gained worldwide popularity to the point of becoming household names, others haven’t had the same luck, being confined to the domain of classic car enthusiasts.
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Chevrolet
Founded in 1903, Chevrolet is one of America's oldest remaining legacy automakers. Acquired by General Motors in 1918, Chevrolet is the core GM brand responsible for the bulk of GM's US sales. As a mass-market manufacturer, Chevrolet competes in multiple key segments, primarily the SUV and truck segments, but also sports cars and mainstream sedans and hatchbacks (until recently). Core models for the brand include the Silverado, Colorado, Suburban, Camaro, and Corvette.
One such car is the Nova, which started out as a performance-oriented model that could hold its own against muscle and pony cars; later, it became a rebadged Toyota runabout that had little in common with its previous incarnations. Let’s explore the history that brought us the Nova, and its evolution over the decades up to its eventual demise.
This feature focuses on the evolution of the Chevrolet Nova, from its early history as the Chevy II to its final generation as a rebadged Toyota.
The Beginning: The Chevy II's First And Second Generations
1962 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova 400 sv1ambo WC
The origins of the Chevy II, which would later be known as the Nova, lie in Chevrolet’s quest for a more conventional design: an earlier model, the rear-engined Corvair, had been performing poorly in terms of sales in the early 1960s. More traditionally designed models, such as the Ford Falcon, had outsold it, and Chevrolet did not want to fall behind. The Chevy II was launched for the 1962 model year, with several body styles available: a two-door variant (also available as a convertible) and a four-door (available as a sedan or station wagon).
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Aside from the choice of body styles, the Chevy II was also offered in three different “series” (what we would refer to as trim levels in the modern day): the 100 Series, 300 Series, and Nova 400 Series: the latter introduced the Nova badge to the market for the first time. The 1963 model year introduced another very important nameplate: the “Nova Super Sport”, or Nova SS, which would become the most well-known and celebrated version of the Nova in decades to come. The SS trim included unique, sportier features such as bucket seats, a sports shifter, and custom emblems.
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1966 saw the introduction of the Chevy II’s second generation. However, the same year also brought one of the biggest threats to the Chevy II’s (and the Nova SS’) success: the arrival of the Camaro, the legendary pony car that helped define the American automotive industry for the following six decades. The Nova, however, still managed to hold its own. While the previous generation did not offer a V8 engine, the second generation gave Nova buyers the opportunity to get a V8 under the hood. This generation was very short-lived, only lasting two model years before being replaced yet again in 1967.
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A New Name: The Third Generation And The "Nova" Nameplate
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When the third generation of the model rolled around, the Nova name really came into its own. The design was given some radical changes, with a longer wheelbase and a smaller selection of body styles (the hardtop sport coupe and the station wagon were both axed). A wide range of powertrains was available (including inline-four, inline-six and V8 options): customers could choose between 15 different powertrain options for the coupe, and 12 for the sedan.
In 1969, only one year after its introduction, Chevrolet decided to drop the “Chevy II” moniker completely. GM recognized the marketing value of the Nova name and decided to make good use of it, simply referring to the car as the Nova. The nameplate which had, up until this point, only defined the most powerful variant of the model, was now used on all its trim levels.
1970 Chevrolet Nova SS Light Green Front Angle
The Nova Super Sport, which had up until this point simply been a trim level, was transformed into a performance package in its own right, equipped with components such as a high-performance suspension and optional front disc brakes. The default choice of engine for the Nova SS was a 5.7-liter V8 that produced 295 hp, however two larger (6.5-liter) V8s were also available as an option, producing 350 and 375 hp respectively.
A New Design: The Fourth Generation
1976 Chevrolet Nova 2-door coupe Mr.choppers WC
In 1975, the fourth generation of the Nova was introduced, with several changes in terms of design: the brochure for the 1975 model described the new Nova as “refined along the lines of elegant European sedans.” While the new model kept a stylistic affinity with the generation that preceded it, the overall look was modernized with a new, squared-out front end and fewer chrome accents.
The luxury factor was upped with the addition of a new trim called the LN (Luxury Nova): this added features such as an electric clock, more comfortable seats, and additional sound insulation for a quieter cabin. In 1976, the LN was renamed as the 'Concours', in an effort to compete against other high-end cars of the era and distinguish it from the “regular” Nova. The Concours got even more unique visual touches, such as full wheel covers, an upright hood ornament, and rosewood vinyl throughout the interior.
The 1976 Nova also built a reputation as a fleet car. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department was so impressed by the car it placed the largest order for compact police cars ever made in the US, and several other law enforcement agencies followed over the next few years. Three years later, however, the 1979 Nova would become the last to carry the nameplate for a while. The model went on a six-year hiatus before being brought back with the fifth generation in 1985.
1979 would also be the last time the Nova name was attached to the original version of the model, designed and built by GM with no external input; when the Nova badge was eventually brought back to the market, it was associated with something quite unlike the Novas that had come before.
A Joint Effort: The Fifth Generation And The Nova's Demise
1985-1988 Chevrolet Nova Red Front Angle
The Fifth-Generation Chevrolet Nova In Numbers | |
Engine | 1.6-liter inline-four |
Horsepower | 74-110 hp |
Transmission | 5-speed manual | 3-speed or 4-speed automatic |
0-60 | ~14 seconds |
Top Speed | ~100 mph |
The fifth generation of the Nova was a completely different animal, retaining the nameplate and very little else. When it was released for the 1985 model year, the Nova nameplate had been dormant for six years; during this period a lot of things had changed, both at GM and in the American automotive industry as a whole.
Rather than a performance-oriented model with muscle car looks and an all-American design inspiration, the new Nova was built as part of a joint venture between GM and Toyota. The newly-created business was called NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.) and combined Toyota’s efficient production and management strategies with GM’s established presence in the American market. Thanks to the new collaboration between the two companies, several cars based on the Corolla were sold in the US under GM brands, including the new Nova.
Pontiac Vibe Blue Gray Rear Angle
The Rise And Fall Of The Toyota And General Motors Joint-Venture
NUMMI showed two of the world's most powerful companies could work together in harmony.
Workers at GM plants were given training focused on the Toyota Production System (a “lean manufacturing” strategy aimed at reducing timeframes and inefficiencies) and The Toyota Way (the overall set of guiding principles driving Toyota, including standardized processes and the streamlining of workloads). The Nova was the very first model to be built under the NUMMI umbrella: a yellow 1985 Nova left the first NUMMI production line in December 1984.
Within the space of 15 years, the Nova had evolved from being a trim level, to a high-performance model in its own right, to a rebadged vehicle, before eventually being phased out in 1988, after only four model years of its last generation. Despite not having as large an impact on US car history as better-known performance cars like the Camaro or Mustang, the Nova still deserves recognition for its place in the American automotive landscape.
Source: How Chevrolet Turned A Performance Icon Into A Rebadged Toyota In Just Over 20 Years
