@VDCdriver–Kaiser’s entry level Henry J really had a cheap appearance. An outside trunk lid was an option. The upholstery was really cheap stuff that was hog ringed onto the seat frames. I don’t think that there was a glove compartment. For less than $100 more, a buyer could purchase the Ford Deluxe or the Chevrolet Special that was much more automobile.
On the other hand, the Nash Rambler of that time period sold relatively well even though it cost as much as the Chevrolet Deluxe or the Ford Custom. The Rambler initially came as a convertible or station wagon to promote the fact that while it was small, it was upscale.
The Henry J did get good gas mileage, particularly with the 4 cylinder engine and the optional Borg-Warner overdrive. However, we didn’t worry about gas mileage in those days.
No other car today, no matter how many they sell, stands out like the Beetle did in its day, so no, there may never be another People’s Car like the Beetle.
The VW stood out so well because it was such an anomaly – a well-built, practical, fun-to-drive, inexpensive, different-appearing, funky-imaged small car at a time when essentially all other cars were excessive and/or poorly made. It was the “think-different” Apple Computer of its time, and its brilliant ad campaign probably gave it more success than the car’s merits. It had design and reliability problems, and was crazy unsafe, but those reliability problems (like shuddering clutches and burned exhaust valves) would seldom just leave you stranded (like other foreign cars would) and safety was an unknown and largely ignored issue in its time.
The car that is popular today in the same circles that the VW Beetle was popular in its day is the Toyota Prius. I remember the VW Beetle was the car many professors owned when I was a college student and the Prius was the car owned by many of my colleagues in my last years as a college professor before I retired. I think the Prius is traveling the same route as the VW Beetle.
These are all fun and informative comments to read … interesting to hear folks perspective on this subject.
@ok4450 … regarding the Renault , I believe I heard on the radio – maybe it was on Jay Leno’s monologue – just this past week that Renault is going to design-in to their new cars a remote operated switch which disables the battery. Why? So the dealer or financing company can disable the car if the full monthly payment isn’t made. Provides incentive to make the payment on time.
@Bing … I’ve heard about the Beetle points problem you mention, that the points and condenser needed uncommonly frequent replacement. For those venturing into 50’s - 70’s restored air cooled Beetles now there are electronic ignition replacement components for sale at reasonable prices that solve this. If you want an air cooled Beetle, don’t let the points problem be the reason you say “NO”. If you say “NO”, let it be because of rusted-through heater channels and falling-apart bumper supports … lol …
@satisficer: “It was the think-different Apple Computer of its time…”
Like Apple computers, did the Beetle also cost more than its competitors? I think the comparison falls apart when you realize Apple’s products cost much more than comparable products from other companies.
I don’t want to dis VW too much since we did have fun in it and the girls seemed to like it and the sun roof, it just was not the perfect car like everyone thought it was. It was a weird car and I guess thats what some of us liked about it. Not as weird as the Morris Minor but still weird. Glad to hear that someone else had short point life. Sometimes I put the points in myself and was pretty careful to lube them and clean the oil off the points first. I was still learning but it wasn’t my first rodeo anyway.
Those Henry Js are worth some money now and I’ve always like them a lot. Many years ago a guy who used to live a few blocks from me had a Henry J but it was a stripped out drag racer. It was kind of drab in appearance as it was all in gray primer but had slicks on the back and a dual-quad Chevy 409 under the hood.
The LeCar still has my vote as the worst of the lot. I’ve serviced a few of those things a long time ago and never saw one redeeming feature on them.
There is.
The Suzuki Swift.
I have a lot of respect for the designers of the Nano. They set out to design a dead simple car with enough room for a family that was reliable and easy to repair, as well as very cheap to buy and run, and apparently succeeded beautifully. Unfortunately, middle class Indians, the folks who can afford a car, even a very cheap one, do not want to be seen driving a Nano. It’s not aspirational enough. So they save a little more until they can buy a Suzuki or similar that was not designed to be quite so cheap and simple. A car that people in other countries might drive. Nano sales have been very poor and their plans to take over the world may have to be put on hold.
@Docnick, was the Echo called Vitz in Japan? The Yaris hatchback is now.
Also, the VW Beetle was the people’s car because it was designated as such in Germany. I don’t think it really achieved that status in North America. The Tata probably qualifies in India, but I don’t know enough about the market to say for sure. Where is Houstonrice when you need him?
If we are looking for a people’s car in North America, I guess that the Corolla probably qualifies based on its longevity as a model and low new purchase price.
My choice would be a smart car, although I have never owned one. I did have a Sunbeam Imp and I suspect that would qualify modern day version.
There is no modern “beetle”. Volumes of regulations for safety and emissions make such a vehicle impossible both in the U.S. and in Europe.
May my old '61 beetle rest in peace. Its reputation is safe forever.
Regarding the Henry J, here are some factoids, from old issues of Hemmings Special Interest Autos (now called Hemmings Classic Car):
The six-cylinder model DID come with a deck lid and front vent windows, but none of the Henry J trim variations had a glove box–just like the original Maverick.
The rear side windows did not not open, there was no passenger-side sun visor, and carpeting was not available.
When Motor Trend tested a '51 Henry J six-cylinder model, it accelerated to 60 mph 1/2 second faster than an 8-cylinder '51 Pontiac.
When Road & Track tested the same model Henry J, it actually beat a V-8 Olds 88 in a 1/4 mile drag race.
The clutch was described by Hemmings as, “chatter-free”, and “the equally smooth shift linkage allowed for effortless gear changes”.
In 1974, when Hemmings did a side-by-side comparison test of the Henry J & a new Maverick, they used a, “very mint, immaculate, 56,105 mile six-cylinder 1951 Henry J Deluxe”. They had hoped to compare it to a new Maverick with the standard 200 c.i. engine, but because only the 250 c.i. engine was available for sale in CA (where the comparo test was done) they had to compare the Henry J to a much more powerful competitor, thus making for a less-valid test.
According to Hemmings, an overdrive-equipped Henry J six-cylinder model was good for 23-32 mpg. By comparison, the best that they could eke-out from the new Mustang was an average of 17.5 mpg.
While the Henry J is about 12 inches shorter than a Maverick, it is roomier in terms of front & rear seat legroom, and because its back seat was–believe it or not–16 inches wider than the rear seat in a Maverick, it is a more comfortable car for carrying multiple passengers.
They also noted that the Henry J’s engine, “purrs like a kitten at any RPM”, while the Maverick’s engine tended to lurch & surge, both at idle & at highway speeds.
The Henry J had slightly faster steering, yet the steering effort was lower than in the new Maverick. And, even though there was no partition between the Henry J’s trunk area and the passenger compartment, it was far quieter at highway speeds than the Maverick.
All of the above is the relatively good news. The bad news is that–adjusted for inflation–the Henry J would have sold for ~ $500 more than the Maverick.
So, as I said previously, the biggest problem facing Kaiser Motors (as well as Hudson & Studebaker) was that they did not have the economy of scale that the Big 3 enjoyed. If Kaiser had been able to churn out many more cars, the price could have been brought down to a competitive level, but, as it was, the six-cylinder “Deluxe” version of the Henry J had a list price in 1951 that was actually $26 more than a better-equipped, roomier Chevrolet 2-door sedan. The price is what doomed the little Henry J, just like Hudson’s altogether-superior small car, the Jet.
The only problem with calling the Corolla a “people’s car” is that it never had anything resembling cult status.
Sure, a lot of them were sold, and the owners were mostly satisfied, but it was never any kind of statement.
What I meant with “statement” is this
When the Beetle was becoming popular in the 60s in the USA, you were making a statement by buying one. You were bucking the trend
Not so with the Corolla. At least not now. Maybe decades earlier, but based on what I’ve read, the Corolla was always “just a car”
@Whitey Suzuki excels at building basic cars, and I’ve run into them all over the developing world. Some of their basic models are really bare bones basic. Unfortunately, in North America and Europe we want all sorts of things in even our cheapest cars. Suzuki simply could not compete in that market and pulled up stakes.
Down the street there is a family where the daughter still drives her faithful 3 cylinder hatchback. This car is parked outside all winter without a block heater, and it always seems to start for her. Aside from some rust on the fenders, it looks good, but very much out of place with Lincolns, Accords, Explorers and other loaded stuff.
Yeah, they are nice little cars. It’s a shame they couldn’t make it work in the American market. I bet they couldn’t be successful in this market because they were competing with used cars in that price range. I imagine most struggling Americans would rather have a used car with all the bells and whistles than a new stripped down economy car. When you think about it, the new stripped down economy car is the smarter choice, but logic doesn’t always factor into car buying decisions.
I would much rather have a used car with decent power and lots of accessories, versus a brand spanking new Chevy Sonic
I know the new strippo car is more fuel efficient and will be cheaper to operate in the long run, but I want some comfort
Mine is a 3 cylinder hatchback too. These cars are known for rusting. While the apparent rust is not too bad, the front suspension may be about to come apart from the subframe. I put a used engine in my car from one that had collapsed while turning a corner. They had obviously cared for the engine well as it has been excellent for me but didn’t take care of the rust.
As for starting in the cold, these little things fire right up and warm up fast in the cold weather.