[BenLurkin]

The Corvair was a contender. But Nader killed it.

[nicollo]

The Corvair came earlier, before the Beetle was on Detroit’s radar.

That said, the Corvair was part of a concerted effort by GM/Ford/Chrysler to respond to a small car craze following the ‘56 Suez Crisis and ‘57 recession.

And unlike the late 60s sad efforts to mimic the Beetle, the early 60’s smaller platforms such as the Corvair, Tempest, Falcon and others were truly innovative (and led directly to the muscle cars).

[nicollo]

The Corvair was a contender. But Nader killed it.

Btw, Nader also killed the Beetle. In the early 70s he and the "safety" movement pushed for 5mph bumpers, apparently under the impression that it would save consumers and lives.

GM smartly supported the movement, knowing that it would require an entire re-design of the Beetle. When NHTSA adopted the rule, VW decided to kill the Beetle and launch the Rabbit.