Miguel Sánchez
Thinking in automotive terms, the brand with the most responsibility when it comes to popularizing the massive use of the turbocharger is Renault. In fact, after winning at Le Mans 1978 with the A442 it was the first manufacturer to successfully introduce this technology into F1. From here, its use extended to competition on land and, of course, to its wide range of supercharged passenger cars deployed during the eighties. Besides, the necessary improvement in efficiency after the Oil Crisis -as well as the increasingly restrictive environmental regulations- created a propitious climate so that, along with electronic injection, this technology was applied by other companies.
However, as we well know, the origins of the turbocharger are not in the four-wheel sector. Far from it, these are to be sought in the skies. Not surprisingly, it was during the tens of the last XNUMXth century when the first patents began to be registered in this regard. More evolved than the Roots compressors -developed in the iron and steel industry to improve the calorific value in smelting furnaces- they were successfully applied in airplanes. Especially in the military beset by the lack of oxygen in the mixture as they gained height in order not to be easy prey.
From then on, the efficiency of the turbochargers increased year by year. Moreover, in the mid-twenties it was finally possible to increase the power of a diesel engine by up to 40%. Obviously, at a high number of revolutions per minute. With all this, this technology increased its presence in aviation until the introduction of jet engines after World War II. A time in which, little by little, the supercharging under the formula of the turbocompression was descending to the ground thanks to manufacturers like General Motors.
And it is that, in 1962, it was a pioneer in its application to motor racing thanks to the launch of two models. On the one hand, the Oldsmobile F-85 Jetfire Cutlass Coupe and, on the other, the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Sypder Turbo. Regarding the first, it was a model with a wide bill with a 8-liter V3,5 engine and 215CV to deliver a torque of 410 Nm. Definitely, a vehicle only suitable for deep pockets. Just that segment where a brand, however generalist it may be, can afford certain experimental displays, even if it is to improve its corporate image. However, on a commercial level, the case of the Monza Sypder Turbo was more interesting.
And it is that, still not being a general compact, it was included in a range that came to add more than 1.800.000 units during its ten years in production. A really amazing fact since, after all, the Corvair was a most unusual vehicle in the US market. To begin with, even having the sober Ford Falcon here as the main competitor General Motors decided to flaunt uniqueness when putting the engine on the rear axle. In fact, this was done on all versions including the sedan. That is to say, the Corvair was a special of Typ 542. The saloon prototype executed by Porsche under order of Studebaker.
In fact, this design was really original because, not surprisingly, it is really strange to find family models like this beyond specific cases such as the Tatra T87 from the thirties. What's more, thanks to this unique V8 vehicle we can link with the second peculiarity of the Corvair. And it is that, due to not having the engine in the so common forward position, his driving could become something unexpected for not a few drivers. A fact aggravated by the behavior of the suspensions, seriously transformed before the end of the commercial life of the model.
However, beyond the black legend about the model created by the famous book by Ralph Nader, it seems that the Corvair was not much more insecure than any other car of the time. In fact, some allude to the few criticisms received by the VW Type 1 -also with a rear engine- as a sign of a clear and unfair cruelty towards Chevrolet. However, honoring the truth, the truth is that the Corvair added an essential component to the cocktail of danger. We talk about its power. Well, with its flat six-cylinder engines of over two liters, it could easily reach up to 80CV in many versions. A sufficient number as to, in comparison with its rivals, qualify the Corvair as the sportiest option in its segment.
CHEVROLET CORVAIR MONZA SPYDER TURBO, INCREASING POWER
As soon as it went on the market, the Corvair began to sell very well. Available in both two- and four-door body styles, its attractive aesthetic hid a dynamic behavior with a European tone in stark contrast to the heavy and sober American models of the day. In fact, for a reasonable price the potential buyer could take home an air-cooled flat-six engine vehicle and placed in rear position. And no, we are not talking about the Porsche 911. A sports car that, at the time, even existed at the time this Chevrolet was launched.
In addition, in 1962 General Motors expanded the offer by launching a convertible version with four real seats. In addition, the range of the popular model received a historic technical update by introducing the turbocharged mechanical package. Capable of raising up to 150CV the power of the model, this meant almost doubling the power of the engine thanks to the action of the supercharger. All this with a significant extra cost but not strictly prohibitive. Even less when, in terms of benefits, the advantage was so outstanding.
Of course, of those the turbocharger was an almost unknown mechanical component in automobile mechanics. Something that, without a doubt, made the Corvair Monza Spyder Turbo a complex vehicle to maintain. Nevertheless, its sporty character was most tempting, even more so when we consider how, in its first series, it was offered only with a four-speed manual transmission. In addition, returning to the commercial aspect, the comparisons with Porsche -which was already exporting more than half of its production to the US market- were natural.
Not surprisingly, the Corvair Monza Spyder Turbo cost almost half that of a 356B Super 90. With a four-cylinder engine to add 60CV less than the supercharged Chevrolet. And boy, although climbing in the range of the German manufacturer was the 356B Carrera 2 also from 1962, this not only skyrocketed in price but also in its demanding sporty driving not suitable for any driver. In short, looking at financial data the comparison between benefits and prices was completely in favor of the Corvair Monza Sypder Turbo. And besides, you still had that particular character that comes from having a flat, air-cooled engine hanging in the rear.
However, in 1964 came the reason why this original model began to decline in the US market. We are talking about the Ford Mustang. Much less interesting for anyone interested in creativity applied to engineering but, after all, well sold to a whole generation of young people with desires for boasting. In addition, both its V8 and six-cylinder in-line engines gave much more power than the equivalent mechanics in the Corvair. In short, for better or for worse, an iconic car capable of taking dealerships by storm was born.
At this point, just in 1964 General Motors reacted by updating the Corvair Monza Spyder. In addition, in 1965 he presented the variant race. With 140CV in its atmospheric version with four carburettors and high compression and up to 180CV in the one equipped with a turbocharger. Nevertheless, there was nothing to do anymore so in 1966 the production of both variants was finally closed. Of course, for four years the US market had among its options a sports car with six cylinders in the rear equipped with one of the first turbochargers applied to motorsports. Isn't that enough to rank the Corvair Monza Spyder Turbo among the most significant designs of the XNUMXth century?
Photos: General Motors
