Chevrolet Bel Air
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The Chevrolet Bel Air was a series name of automobile produced by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, in the United States from the 1950 through 1975 model years. The Bel Air was Chevy's most expensive car when it was introduced, and it featured the division's first "hard top" model. The '55, '56, and especially '57 Bel Airs are among the most recognized American cars of all time and good examples of them (especiall coupes and convertibles) are highly sought after by enthusiasts. Roomy, fuel efficient, and with tastefully restrained use of tail fins and chrome, they are seen by many as vastly superior to the oversized and overdecorated full-size models that would roll out of Detroit for the next 20 years.
In 1955, the Bel-Air gave birth to the ever popular Nomad station wagon, which lasted throughout the fifties. Prior to being a Bel Air model, the Nomad had been a Corvette-based concept vehicle in 1953. That prototype was updated over 50 years later. Before that concept was brought back, however, another prototype was created in 1999.
After 1958, the Bel Air was replaced by the Impala (1958-1985, 1992-1996, 2000 to present) as Chevy's prestige full-size model. At that time, Bel Airs (and the less expensive Biscayne) could easily be identified from the rear because they only had two taillamps per side; Impalas (and later, the top-line Caprice) had three taillamps per side. Also, because it featured a somewhat higher-grade interior trim and upholstery, and exterior brightwork than the Biscayne, families and other customers saw the Bel Air as an attractive, value-oriented alternative to the top-line Impala. Most of the same luxury items that were available on the Impala – e.g., automatic transmission, air conditioning, power brakes and power steering – were also available on the Bel Air.
By the late 1960s (with the introduction of the Caprice), Bel Airs, along with its Biscayne stablemate, were primarily marketed to automotive fleet customers. However, the Bel Air was always available to private customers who sought basic, no-frills transportation with the convenience of a full-sized automobile and the availability of a V-8 engine. The last Bel Air was manufactured in the spring of 1975.
Chevrolet's Canadian affiliate sold a Bel Air model of its full-sized car a few years after the name was dropped in the U.S.. A Bel Air concept car that featured many styling and design cues from the legendary 1955, 1956 and 1957 models was shown, but G.M. has declined to produce that car.
In 2002, a prototype Bel-Air convertible was shown at the North American International Auto Show. It had tail lights very similar to the Ford Thunderbird.