The 1950s Car Quiz: How Much Do You Know?

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4 min
The 1950s Car Quiz: How Much Do You Know?
Image: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons

About This Quiz

Can you tell your Cadillacs from your Studebakers? Know the official name of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, or which car makers were the first to introduce air conditioning, power steering or seat belts as standard features? Take our quiz to see how much you know about these classic cars from the fabulous '50s!


The post-WWII era represented a boom period for America as other countries struggled to rebuild. The '50s were a peak period in American industry, particularly among car manufacturers. In fact, roughly one out of every six working Americans were employed in the automotive field by the start of 1960. 

This golden period saw the Big Three continuing to expand, while independent companies like Hudson, Packard and Muntz rose and fell. The '50s also represented a time of staggering innovation in automotive technology, from seat belts and air conditioning to power brakes and steering to the fine tuning of the powerful V8 engine. A booming economy meant plenty of potential car buyers with enough disposable income to ignore fuel efficiency in favor of some of the largest cars ever built. 

Think you know all there is to know about the greatest cars of the '50s? Take our quiz to find out!

1953 Chrysler Imperial
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
The '53 Chrysler Imperial became the first mass-produced car in over a decade to offer this option.
Air conditioning
Seat belts
FM radio
V8 engine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chrysler stood out from the pack in the '50s when they became the first auto maker in over a decade to offer air conditioning with the '53 Imperial. By 1960, car buyers had caught on to the brilliance of auto air conditioning, and the feature could be found in around 1 in 5 new cars.

Ford Edsel
GPS 56 from New Zealand via Wiki Commons
What was the infamous Ford Edsel named for?
City where Henry Ford was born
Henry Ford's son
New type of auto engine
One of Saturn's moons
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The much-touted Ford Edsel line came out in 1958, and was such a flop that it was discontinued within two short years. Named for one of Henry Ford's sons, the line lost the company around $350 million -- more than $2 billion in today's dollars.

1955 Ford Continental Mark II
Abxbay via Wiki Commons
What was the price tag on the Ford Continental Mark II in the mid-'50s?
$1,000
$2,500
$5,500
$10,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced between 1956 and 1956, the Mark II was a high end Lincoln Continental priced at almost $10,000 -- that's like buying a $100,000 car today! Needless to say, few buyers had the cash to afford such a car, and the company only made around 3,000 Mark II units in total.

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1958 Saab GT750
Liftarn via Wiki Commons
This car that first came out in '58 was the first to have seat belts as a standard feature.
Saab GT750
BMW 550
Mercedes Benz 500SL
Ford Edsel Ranger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Introduced at the 1958 New York Motor Show, the Saab GT750 was the first mass-produced car to come with seatbelts as a standard option. It also featured twin carburetors capable of generating 50 hp -- plus a cool wooden steering wheel.

Chevy Corvette
Chevrolet pre-1978 via Wiki Commons
What did Chevy name the Corvette after?
Former President
Chevy CEO
Warship
Popular Dance
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The iconic Chevy Corvette came out in 1953. Early versions of this two-door convertible -- which took its name from a small warship -- were available in blue, red, black or white.

1958 Ford Thunderbird
GPS 56 from New Zealand via Wiki Commons
What did Ford add to the Thunderbird with the second generation release in 1958?
Three-point seatbelts
Rear seat
Gull-wing doors
Solid gold steering wheel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Thunderbird personal luxury vehicle was a sporty two-seater when it came out in 1957. The company took a gamble in 1958 by adding a back seat, and the change paid off with more than 200,000 units sold over the next three years.

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1955 Porsche Spyder
Thesupermat via Wiki Commons
What did James Dean name the '55 Porsche Spyder he was driving when he lost his life?
Little Bastard
Italian Stallion
Mighty Mouse
Spidey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fifties film star James Dean was driving his Porsche Spyder -- nicknamed Little Bastard -- when he crashed the vehicle on the way to an auto race in 1955 and lost his life. He was just 24 years old and a promising movie star at the time of the crash.

1954 Buick Roadmaster
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
What feature on the 1954 Buick Roadmaster was nicknamed Dagmar?
Steering wheel
Bumpers
Taillights
Convertible top
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1954 Roadmaster came with standard power steering and power brakes, as well as some fancy bumpers known for their conical embellishments. They were referred to as Dagmar bumpers, after a busty female TV star of the time.

Ford Fairlane
Wiki Commons by JOHN LLOYD
What was the Ford Fairlane named for?
One of Ford's sons
An airplane
Ford's wife
Ford's estate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The '50s Ford Fairlane was a full-sized vehicle famous for its shiny chrome accents. Named for Ford's Fair Lane estate in Dearborn, Michigan, the car had a characteristic Fairline Stripe that gave it a stylish two-tone finish.

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1953 Ford F-series pickups
Cjp24 via Wiki Commons
Starting in 1953, Ford started using a series of numbers in its F-series pickups to refer to this stat.
Max speed
Price
Tonnage
Fuel Economy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was 1953, with the second generation of the F-series pickup, when Ford began using a series of numbers to reveal the tonnage of each truck. For example, the F-100 name was used on half-ton trucks, F-250 on 3/4 ton, and F-350 on one ton trucks. The year 1953 was also the first time the trucks came with an option for Ford-O-Matic auto transmission.

Aston Martin DB4
Sicnag via Wiki Commons
James Bond was a fan of this '50s grand tourer.
BMW 450
Aston Martin DB4
Lincoln Continental Mark III
Hudson Hornet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aston Martin produced the sporty and stylish DB4 grand tourer in the late '50s. The model name was inspired by Sir David Brown, who owned Aston Martin from 1947 through the early '70s. James Bond famously drove a version of this classic car in the 1964 flick "Goldfinger."

Chrylser New Yorker
dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada via Wiki Commons
What name did Chrysler give to the Hemi engine option available on some '50s New Yorker models?
FirePower
PowerBoost
Speed-O-Matic
EngineLift
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1951 Chrylser New Yorker was the first production car with a Hemi option -- known as the FirePower -- which allowed the car to travel from 0 to 60 in 10 seconds. By the middle of the decade, the car was available with even more power in the form of the FirePower V8.

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
Thesupermat via Wiki Commons
What was the '50s Mercedes-Benz 300 SL famous for?
Standard airbags
Three-point seatbelt
Gull-wing doors
Electric motor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was one of the most stylish cars of the '50s. Used on race tracks in the early '50s, the car with its gull-wing doors was available for everyday driving starting in 1954. An early fuel injection system also made it one of the faster production cars of the period.

Buick Roadmaster Skylarks Convertible
The original uploader was BuickGuy2 at English Wikipedia. via Wiki Commons
Buick Roadmaster Skylarks built for the company's 50th anniversary all shared this form.
Convertible
Station Wagon
Sedan
Pickup
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Buick built several specialty cars to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary in 1953. One of these was the Skylark -- a two-door convertible version of the Buick Roadmaster. Only around 2,000 units were made, and they sold for the huge price of $5,000 -- or nearly $50k today.

Hudson Hornet
Wiki Commons via Greg Gjerdingen
What is this '50s model that later inspired Doc in Pixar's "Cars" franchise?
Nash Rambler
Hudson Hornet
DeSoto Firedome
Sunbeam Alpine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sold under the Hudson brand from 1951 to 1954, then under the AMC badge between 1955 and 1957, the Hornet was a full-size '50s muscle car. Built low to the ground for speed and style, the model was immortalized in the "Cars" franchise by the character Doc Hudson.

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1951 Chrysler Imperial
Bull-Doser at English Wikipedia via Wiki Commons
What industry-first feature known as Hydraguide was offered on Chrysler Imperials starting in '51?
Three-point seatbelts
Air bags
Power steering
Windshield wipers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1951 Chrysler Imperial was one of the first production vehicles to offer the option of power steering. For just over $200, buyers could opt for the Hydraguide option to make steering a breeze.

1957 Corvette
David Balmer via Wiki Commons
Which of these technologies was offered to Corvette buyers for the first time starting in 1957?
Power brakes
Electronic window controls
Air bags
Fuel injection
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1957 Corvette was the first "Vette with a fuel injection engine option. This feature, which was first available in the mid-'50s on some Mercedes models, gave the Corvette the power to generate 250 hp or more.

Chevy Bel Air
The original uploader was DougW at English Wikipedia. via Wiki Commons
What nickname did Chevy give the Bel Air starting in mid-'50s advertising campaigns?
Little Deuce Coupe
Speed Racer
Red Rider
Hot One
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy marketed the second generation Bel Air with the nickname "Hot One" upon its 1955 release. The sporty full-size ride offered a Ferrari-inspired grille, a V8 option and optional automatic transmission.

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1954 Kaiser Darrin
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
The Kaiser Darrin was the first American car to use this.
Air bags
Fiberglass panels
White wall tires
Power windows
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced by Kaiser Motors in 1954, the Darrin was the first American car built using fiberglass panels. The doors on this two-door roadster were also unique in that they slid into the fender walls when opened, rather than swinging out like traditional car doors.

1958 Ford Nucleon
Rodney Spartan via youtube
What did Ford plan to use to power the Nucleon model?
Gas engine
Electric engine
Nuclear reactor
Electric panels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Believe it or not,. Ford created a concept car in 1958 named the Nucleon. It was designed to use an on-board nuclear reactor to power a steam engine. A model of this futuristic car can be seen at Michigan's Henry Ford Museum today.

Volkswagen Beetle
Wiki Commons
You may know it as the Beetle, but the official name for this Volkswagen is...
Type 1
Model A
Version 5
S-350
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Volkswagen started making its iconic Type 1 car, known as the Beetle, way back in 1938. Production continued throughout the '50s, with the rear window going from a split-screen to a single oval, and then a single rectangle by 1958. The decade also brought a new instrument panel and a pair of twin chrome exhaust pipes.

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Muntz Jet
Hugh Llewelyn via Wiki Commons
What obscure auto maker produced this '50s car model -- known as the Jet?
Hudson
Bayonet
Muntz
Morris
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Muntz built just around 200 Jets between 1949 and 1954. The two-door personal luxury car was priced at $5,500 -- that's $50,000 today -- but each one cost more than $6,000 to make, so the company didn't last very long.

1955 Dodge Royal
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
Which of these was NOT a Dodge model given a Lancer hardtop upgrade in the '50s?
Coronet
Minotaur
Royal
Custom Royal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1955, Dodge offered customers the chance to purchase hardtop versions of its various full-size models. The company's Coronet, Royal and Custom Royal were given the Lancer upgrade through 1959, when the Lancer became an independent Dodge model rather than an upgrade option.

Plymouth Fury
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
This is a '50s Plymouth Fury, but some folks may know the car as ...
Mary
Christine
Steve
Joan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Plymouth produced the full-size Fury between 1958 and 1989. A red and white '58 convertible Fury also starred as the title "character" in Stephen King's classic horror novel "Christine."

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Packard Clipper logo
MotoeXotica Classic Cars via youtube
What logo was used on the Packard Clipper in the '50s?
Baseball
Sun
Ship's wheel
Roaring tiger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In keeping with the car's nautical inspirations -- it was named for clipper sailing ships -- the Packard Clipper used a ship's wheel as its logo. In the '50s, this logo was often built into the car's prominent front grille.

Mercury Sun Valley
Lglswe via Wiki Commons
What was the most unique feature on the Mercury Sun Valley in the '50s?
Gull-wing doors
Only 3 wheels
Plexiglas roof
Built-in fish tank
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercury Sun Valley came with classic '50s futuristic design. It included a roof built from see-through plastic. Heat buildup through the roof made the car rather unpopular, so only around 10,000 were made before the model was discontinued.

Oldsmobile Futuramic 76
Sicnag via Wiki Commons
Which brand briefly used the name Futuramic 76 in the '50s?
Ford
Oldsmobile
Lincoln
Chevy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At the start of the '50s, Oldsmobile briefly rebranded its Oldsmobile 76 as the Futuramic 76. This "club coupe" offered a sporty take on the traditional sedan, and came with a low price point that made the car popular with buyers.

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1955 Studebaker Starliner
Sicnag via Wiki Commons
What major change came to the Studebaker Starliner in 1955?
Wraparound rear window
Bubble glass roof
Gull-wing doors
Air bags
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Studebaker produced the Starliner mid-size, sometimes called the Low Boy, from 1953 to 1956. A two-door coupe version of the car was sold as the Starlight, while the hardtop was the Starliner. In 1955, some Starliner models got an innovative wraparound rear window, which drew its inspiration from the world of aviation.

Chrysler's DeSoto Firedome
sv1ambo via Wiki Commons
The Firedome was produced by DeSoto, a division of this company in the '50s.
Ford
Toyota
Chrysler
Volkswagen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Firedome was the top-of-the-line full-size model produced by Chrysler's DeSoto wing from 1953 through 1954. With the introduction of the Firelite in 1955, the Firedome was reduced to a more mid-range model.

Sunbeam Alpine
sv1ambo via Wiki Commons
The '50s Sunbeam Alpine was produced in this country.
France
Canada
Japan
England
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Made by the Rootes Group of England, the Sunbeam Alpine appeared in the movie "To Catch a Thief." This '50s sports car was truly built for speed, with no side windows or external door handles.

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Fiat 500
via Wiki Commons
Where was the '50s Fiat 500 made?
France
Italy
Canada
Japan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Buyers flocked to the Italian-made Fiat 500 when it was introduced in 1957. Affordable and compact,. the 500 cc vehicle was a big seller in the U.S. Those who wanted a bit more power -- and a cool two-tone paint job -- could splurge on the Nuova Sport version, which was offered from 1958 to 1960.

Dodge Coronet Lancer
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
Which best describes the '50s Dodge Coronet Lancer?
Full-size
Mid-size
Compact
Ultra compact
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1955, Dodge upgraded the full-size Coronet with the introduction of the hardtop Coronet Lancer. The Lancer also came with a padded dashboard, power windows and brakes, and plenty of shiny chrome.

1959 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud
Rico Heil via Wiki Commons
This option was made standard with the introduction of the second-generation Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud in 1959.
V6 engine
Remote start
Power steering
Removable hardtop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The luxurious Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud got even fancier with the second-generation redesign in 1959. The new version came with standard power steering, electric windows and the option for buyers to choose a V8 engine.

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AMC Metropolitan
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
This AMC model had a shorter wheelbase than the VW Beetle in the '50s.
Crestline
Cantina
Metropolitan
Bonneville
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's hard to imagine a car smaller than a Beetle, but the AMC Metropolitan managed to be slightly shorter than this classic VW. this zippy car was so popular that AMC sold more than 20,000 units in 1959 alone.

Nash Rambler
Sicnag via Wiki Commons
Which company joined forces with Nash -- maker of this Rambler model -- to form AMC in the '50s?
Hudson
Ford
Studebaker
Pontiac
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Nash Rambler was a popular family car in the early '50s. It lost the Nash label when the company merged with Hudson in 1954 to form AMC.

Chrysler Town and Country Station wagon
Original uploader was Josephew at en.wikipedia/(Original text : Josephew) via Wiki Commons
It's a van now, but in the '50s the Chrysler Town and Country was a ...
Muscle car
Station wagon
Pickup
Sedan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Since the '80s, the Chrysler Town and Country has taken the form of a minivan. In the '50s, however, it was a family station wagon. Models built before 1951 are known as Woodies because of the wooden framing and inlays used on the body.

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Chrysler New Yorker
Greg Goebel from Loveland CO, USA, cropped and levels adjusted by uploader Mr.choppers via Wiki Commons
Starting in 1958, Chrysler added an option called Auto-Pilot to the New Yorker. This feature is an early form of...
Cruise control
Power windows
Self-driving car
Airbag
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chrysler produced the New Yorker for over half a century, and the car went through some major changes over the years. In 1958, the company added an option called Auto-Pilot -- a form of cruise control.

VW Type 2
Photogoddle via Wiki Commons
Which feature makes it easy to identify a VW bus as being from the '50s?
Lack of bumpers
Wooden gas petal
Split windshield
Moon roof
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

VW started producing its iconic bus -- or Type 2 -- in 1950. All models built through 1967 had a split windshield, while later models came with a one-piece windshield without a center mullion.

Ford Crestline Skyliner
Sicnag via Wiki Commons
What did Ford call '50s Crestline models with glass roofs?
Stargazer
Windwalker
Sunlover
Skyliner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Like the Mercury Sun Valley, the Ford Crestline Skyliner came with a plastic see-through roof. The company sold 13,000 units in 1954 alone to buyers who wanted to let the sun shine in.

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Pontiac Bonneville
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons
This '50s Pontiac was named for Utah Salt Flats popular with racers.
Sunfire
Bonneville
Brooklyn
Morrison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Produced between 1957 and 2005, the Pontiac Bonneville was a luxury version of the Pontiac Star Chief. Named for the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, the vehicle served as the Indy Pace Car for 1958.

You Got:
/40
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA via Wiki Commons