What is the Best "People's Car"?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

By people's car, I mean a car that was designed to be cheap enough that it allowed people previously unable to afford a car to get one. It would have been produced in large numbers for a long period of time too. These are all cheap cars from various countries, and I am sure I will miss one, but here is the list I know of to vote from.

Citroen 2CV: FWD car with a 2 cylinder engine made from late 40's till 1990's-3.8 million made (Sold new in US)

Austin Mini: FWD car with 4 cylinder engine made from 1959-1999, over 3 million made (Sold new in US)

VW Beetle: RWD rear engine car made in a variety of countries: 22 million made. (Sold New in US)

Zaprozhetz: RWD, rear engined, air cooled V4 car made to be a People's car in the Soviet union. early models inspired by the Fiat 600 and VW Beetle. Later models look like a NSU Prinz.

Trabant p601: FWD air cooled L2 2 stroke car in former East Germany. About all you could buy there b/c of Communism. over 3 million made

Model T: RWD car with 4 cylinder engine in front, last built in 1927, second-highest production total behind VW. (Sold new in US)

Fiat 500: Cheap post war Italian car with a rear mount 500 cc engine

Yugo: FWD car that is a 1970's Fiat design produced by Zastava. Was produced through early 2000's but has been updated since. (Sold new in US)

Hindustan Ambassador: RWD front engine car produced in India since the 50's and still sold new today. Old British Austin design produced under license.

 

[v8power]

fords model T was really the first car that regular people could buy. even through the depression people would never think about getting rid of there car.

 

[shotgun]

Since loosely translated,Volkswagon,means "people car" it's a no brainer!

 

[R/T kota]

Since loosely translated,Volkswagon,means "people car" it's a no brainer!

X2

 

[axisg]

what no Malibu ??

 

[Geesie]

No Corvette, the People's Sports Car?

 

[megaladon6]

fords model T was really the first car that regular people could buy. even through the depression people would never think about getting rid of there car.

and we have a winner!!!! ford even originally designed the engine to run off of home brewed ethanol. the first "eco-car"?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I voted for the Mini. It's just the most fun car on the list as far as driving dynamics go. The VW is an awful car in stock form, but it would be my second choice. My ultimate garage would DEFINITELY have a Mini and probably have a Trabant. The mini because it is cool, the Trabant because it is the quintessential anti-cool car. The Trabant also has historical value as it is the car we all saw East Germans driving when the Berlin Wall fell.

 

[Furtrader]

No contest.
Fords Model T.
It dropped in price throughout its production run due to the invention and innovations to the assembly line.
It was the first car in the world cheaper to own and operate than a horse was to feed and shoe for a year.
It was the first car the common man could afford.
At one point 50% of the worlds automobiles were Ford Model T's.
Easily repairable by common folk.

 

[RITTER]

I had to vote for the VW Beetle simply because it is still a car that is used as a daily driver til today. They are still stylish (talking about the old ones, not the new junk box) and they are fun cruising cars. I can make them fast and look more like a little hotrod or you can leave them all stock and drive them anywhere.