Chevrolet Corvair

Chevrolet Corvair: generations: what actually changed between 1 generation and 2 generation

1 generation ran 1959-01-01 to 1964-12-31 as Cabrio. 2 generation ran 1965-01-01 to 1969-12-31 as Cabrio. The later car is not a new engine family in the 2.7 rows: the same 2683 cm³, 87.3 × 74.7 bore/stroke, 6 Opposite, 2 valves per cylinder, Rear, Carburetor, boost No, fuel 92 layout continues. What 2 generation changes on those shared engines is mass and ground clearance.

1 generation ran 1959-01-01 to 1964-12-31 as Cabrio. 2 generation ran 1965-01-01 to 1969-12-31 as Cabrio. The later car is not a new engine family in the 2.7 rows: the same 2683 cm³, 87.3 × 74.7 bore/stroke, 6 Opposite, 2 valves per cylinder, Rear, Carburetor, boost No, fuel 92 layout continues. What 2 generation changes on those shared engines is mass and ground clearance.

On the 2.7 MT at 96 hp, 1 generation kerb weight is 1200 kg; 2 generation is 1130 kg — 70 kg less (−5.8%). On the 2.7 AT at 96 hp, 1208 kg becomes 1151 kg (−57 kg, −4.7%). On the 2.7 MT at 112 hp, 1200 kg becomes 1130 kg (−70 kg). Ground clearance where both generations publish it is 152 mm on 1 generation versus 137 mm on 2 generation (−15 mm). Tank stays 53 litres. Suspension stays Independent, spring front and rear. Brakes stay Drum front and rear. Drive stays RWD.

1 generation is the only place Turbo appears: two 2.3 MT rows at 152 hp / 112 kW. 2 generation never lists Turbo; its ceiling is 142 hp / 105 kW on naturally aspirated 2683 cm³ (boost No). 1 generation is also the only place 2296 cm³ and 2370 cm³ appear. 2 generation is 2683 cm³ only, nine rows, three power levels.

Do not treat “1 generation” and “2 generation” as three separate names: each appears once. The later Cabrio is the lighter 2.7 car; the earlier Cabrio is the only Turbo car and the only sub-2.7 displacements.

Engines and specs

All versions share Gasoline, 6 cylinders, Opposite layout, Rear engine, Carburetor, RWD, fuel 92. Boost is Turbo only on the two 152 hp 2.3 MT rows; every other row is No.

Identical names must be split by power and gears. There are three different 2.7 AT rows in 2 generation (96, 112 and 142 hp) and two 2.7 AT ideas across generations at 96 hp. There are many 2.7 MT rows: 96 / 112 / 142 hp, 3 or 4 gears. There are two 2.3 MT families: 103 hp boost No versus 152 hp Turbo. There are two 2.4 MT rows at 81 hp (3 vs 4 gears) plus one 2.4 AT at 85 hp.

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres):

• 2.3 MT 152 Turbo, 2296 cm³: 152 / 2.296 = 66.2 hp/l (catalogue peak)
• 2.3 103 hp: 103 / 2.296 = 44.9 hp/l
• 2.7 142 hp: 142 / 2.683 = 52.9 hp/l
• 2.7 112 hp: 112 / 2.683 = 41.7 hp/l
• 2.7 96 hp: 96 / 2.683 = 35.8 hp/l
• 2.4 AT 85 hp: 85 / 2.370 = 35.9 hp/l
• 2.4 MT 81 hp: 81 / 2.370 = 34.2 hp/l (catalogue floor)

The 2 generation 142 hp 2.7 is 16.7 hp/l below the 1 generation Turbo 2.3, but 11.2 hp/l above the 96 hp 2.7 that shares its 2683 cm³ block. Stepping from 96 to 112 hp on that block is +16 hp (+16.7%) and compression 8.25 → 9.25. Stepping from 112 to 142 hp is another +30 hp (+26.8%) at the same 9.25 CR; peak power rpm moves 4400 → 5200, peak torque rpm 2600 → 3600, while peak torque stays 217 Nm. The 96 hp tune is the only 2.7 with 209 Nm @ 2400.

Turbo versus No on 2296 cm³: 152 − 103 = +49 hp (+47.6%) and 285 − 182 = +103 Nm (+56.6%), with CR falling 9 → 8. That is the largest engine-level jump in the file. The 2.4 step from 81 hp Manual to 85 hp Automatic is only +4 hp and +2 Nm on 2370 cm³.

Performance and economy

0–100 km/h is not measured on every Chevrolet Corvair version in this catalogue. Top speed is not measured. City, highway and mixed consumption are not measured. CO2 is not measured. Eco class is not measured.

What can be ranked instead is mass per horsepower (kerb kg / hp), which is the only performance proxy the numbers support:

2 generation

• 2.7 MT 142 hp, 1130 kg: 7.96 kg/hp (best in 2 generation)
• 2.7 AT 142 hp, 1138 kg: 8.01 kg/hp (Automatic penalty: +8 kg vs the 142 hp Manual, +0.05 kg/hp)
• 2.7 MT 112 hp, 1130 kg: 10.09 kg/hp
• 2.7 AT 112 hp, 1138 kg: 10.16 kg/hp
• 2.7 MT 96 hp, 1130 kg: 11.77 kg/hp
• 2.7 AT 96 hp, 1151 kg: 11.99 kg/hp (heaviest 2 generation row)

1 generation

• 2.3 MT 152 Turbo, 3 gears, 1200 kg: 7.89 kg/hp (best in the whole catalogue)
• 2.3 MT 152 Turbo, 4 gears, 1275 kg: 8.39 kg/hp (the 4-gear Turbo is 75 kg heavier than the 3-gear Turbo: 1275 − 1200)
• 2.7 MT 112 hp, 1200 kg: 10.71 kg/hp (heavier than the same 112 hp 2.7 MT in 2 generation at 10.09)
• 2.3 103 hp, 1250 kg: 12.14 kg/hp
• 2.7 MT 96 hp, 1200 kg: 12.50 kg/hp
• 2.7 AT 96 hp, 1208 kg: 12.58 kg/hp
• 2.4 AT 85 hp, 1250 kg: 14.71 kg/hp
• 2.4 MT 81 hp, 1250 kg: 15.43 kg/hp (worst ratio in the file)

The extra 30 hp from 112 to 142 on 2 generation 2.7 MT (same 1130 kg) cuts 10.09 − 7.96 = 2.13 kg/hp. The extra 16 hp from 96 to 112 on the same 1130 kg Manual cuts 11.77 − 10.09 = 1.68 kg/hp. Automatic never adds gears beyond 2 and never reduces mass: versus the matching Manual it is +8 kg at 112 and 142 hp, and +21 kg at 96 hp in 2 generation (1151 − 1130).

Tank is 53 litres on every row. Without measured consumption, range is not measured.

Dimensions and weight

Gross weight is not measured on any row. Wheel size is not measured on any row. Ground clearance is 137 mm on all nine 2 generation rows; 152 mm on 1 generation rows that publish it; not measured on the three 1 generation 2.7 96 hp rows (two 2.7 MT and one 2.7 AT).

Kerb weight span is 1130–1275 kg (145 kg, 12.8% of the lightest car). The lightest cars are every 2 generation 2.7 MT (96, 112 and 142 hp, 3 or 4 gears) at 1130 kg. The heaviest is 1 generation 2.3 MT 152 hp Turbo 4 gears at 1275 kg. Automatic in 2 generation is 1138 kg at 112 and 142 hp, 1151 kg at 96 hp. 1 generation non-Turbo 2.3 and 2.4 sit at 1250 kg regardless of Manual or Automatic.

Clearance drop 152 → 137 mm is 15 mm (9.9%). If you need the higher published figure, stay in 1 generation rows that list 152 mm; 2 generation is uniformly 137 mm.

Brakes: Drum / Drum on every version. Suspension: Independent, spring / Independent, spring on every version. Those items do not decide a purchase between rows.

Which version to choose

If you want the strongest specific output and the lowest kg/hp in the file: 1 generation 2.3 MT at 152 hp Turbo, 3 gears, 1200 kg. It is the only Turbo with the 1200 kg kerb figure. The other 2.3 MT at 152 hp Turbo uses 4 gears and 1275 kg — same 152 hp / 285 Nm / 2296 cm³ / CR 8, but 75 kg more, 8.39 vs 7.89 kg/hp. There is no Automatic Turbo.

If you want that Turbo punch but later-car mass is the priority: you cannot have both. Turbo does not exist in 2 generation. The closest later substitute is 2 generation 2.7 MT at 142 hp (3 or 4 gears, both 1130 kg): 10 hp less than 152, 68 Nm less than 285, boost No instead of Turbo, but 70 kg lighter than the 1200 kg Turbo and 145 kg lighter than the 1275 kg Turbo. Power per litre falls from 66.2 to 52.9. 3 versus 4 gears on that 142 hp 2.7 MT does not change weight, torque, or clearance in the data — pick 4 gears if you want more ratios, 3 if you do not; the catalogue does not measure a speed difference.

If you want Automatic in the later Cabrio: three 2.7 AT rows exist in 2 generation. The 142 hp 2.7 AT (1138 kg, 8.01 kg/hp) is the one that buys the extra 30 hp over the 112 hp 2.7 AT at identical 1138 kg, identical 217 Nm peak (but 3600 vs 2600 rpm), identical CR 9.25. The 96 hp 2.7 AT is the outlier Automatic: 1151 kg, CR 8.25, 209 Nm, 12.0 kg/hp. You pay 21 kg versus the 96 hp Manual and 13 kg versus the 112/142 Automatic for the weakest 2.7 tune. There is no 2-speed Automatic above 142 hp and no Automatic Turbo.

If you want Automatic in 1 generation: 2.3 AT at 103 hp (1250 kg, 12.14 kg/hp) or 2.4 AT at 85 hp (1250 kg, 14.71 kg/hp) or 2.7 AT at 96 hp (1208 kg, 12.58 kg/hp). The 2.7 AT at 96 hp is the lightest 1 generation Automatic (−42 kg vs 1250). The 2.3 AT at 103 hp is the strongest 1 generation Automatic (+18 hp vs 85, +7 hp vs 96) but sits on 1250 kg. The 2.4 AT at 85 hp is the weakest Automatic in the catalogue.

If you want the cheap-feeling 2.7 without chasing peak hp: 2 generation 2.7 MT at 96 hp (1130 kg) is 70 kg lighter than 1 generation 2.7 MT at 96 hp (1200 kg) at the same 96 hp / 209 Nm / CR 8.25. The 3-gear and 4-gear 96 hp 2.7 MT rows match on every published number except gear count. Stepping to 112 hp on 2 generation 2.7 MT costs 0 kg and gains 16 hp and 8 Nm (217 vs 209) plus CR 9.25. That is the cleanest “what the extra output buys” step in the later car: same 1130 kg, same 137 mm, same 53-litre tank.

If you are looking at 2.4: both 2.4 MT rows are 81 hp / 174 Nm / 1250 kg / CR 8, 3 or 4 gears. They are the lowest hp/l (34.2) and the worst kg/hp among Manuals (15.43). The 2.4 AT at 85 hp is only +4 hp / +2 Nm at CR 9, still 1250 kg. Nothing in 2 generation is this slow on paper. Choose 2.4 only if you specifically need 2370 cm³ (87.3 × 66) rather than 2296 (85.7 × 66) or 2683 (87.3 × 74.7).

If you want 1 generation 2.3 without Turbo: 2.3 MT at 103 hp, 3 or 4 gears, and 2.3 AT at 103 hp, all 1250 kg, 182 Nm, CR 9, boost No. Versus the Turbo 2.3 MT at 152 hp / 1200 kg you give up 49 hp and 103 Nm and add 50 kg. Versus 2 generation 2.7 MT at 142 hp / 1130 kg you give up 39 hp, gain nothing in mass, and sit 15 mm higher (152 vs 137) where clearance is published.

Reliability, mpg, and problems: this catalogue does not measure failure rates, fuel use, or defect lists. Those headings cannot be filled with numbers we do not have. What is measured and does differ is weight, power, torque, boost, gears, compression, and clearance as above.

Short buy map (names as in the database):

1. Peak Turbo, lightest of that pair — 1 generation 2.3 MT 152 hp, 3 gears, 1200 kg. 2. Peak Turbo, 4 gears — 1 generation 2.3 MT 152 hp, 4 gears, 1275 kg. 3. Later Cabrio, best kg/hp — 2 generation 2.7 MT 142 hp, 3 or 4 gears, 1130 kg. 4. Later Cabrio, best Automatic — 2 generation 2.7 AT 142 hp, 1138 kg. 5. Later Cabrio, mid tune, no extra mass — 2 generation 2.7 MT 112 hp, 1130 kg (or 2.7 AT 112 hp, 1138 kg). 6. Shared 2.7 96 hp, buy later — 2 generation 2.7 MT 96 hp, 1130 kg, not 1 generation 2.7 MT 96 hp at 1200 kg. 7. Avoid if the metric is kg/hp — 1 generation 2.4 MT 81 hp and 2.4 AT 85 hp at 1250 kg.

Prices are not in the data, so “extra money” here means extra horsepower, torque, gears, or kilograms the table already shows — not a market bid.