Classic Cars of the ’50s Trivia

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Classic Cars of the ’50s Trivia
Image: Brzozowska/E+/GettyImages

About This Quiz

Is it even possible to not love at least a few of the cars that came out in the 1950s? More than any other decade, the '50s were about style and truly cutting loose. The car design that followed in the '60s and the '70s couldn't have happened without the advances both technically and stylistically in the '50s. This was the first post-war decade when resources were free and abundant to allow automakers to do what they wanted. When drivers were able to make their choices felt in the market place. Cars didn't have to be just functional and utilitarian. They could be like the Corvette, all sleek and sexy. They could be powerful like the Studebaker Golden Hawk or the Chrysler Imperial. They could be small and efficient like the Fiat 500 or the Mini. Just look at that variety!

If you have a passion for the cars of the '50s, whether it's some notable failures like Ford's lamentable Edsel, the forgotten gems like the Henry J and the Jowett Jupiter, or the icons that have transcended time like the Cadillac Eldorado and the Chevrolet Bel Air, then it's time to put your knowledge to the test and take the quiz!

Q1
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Do you know which car debuted in 1953 with a waterfall front grille and whitewall tires?
Alfa Romeo Giuletta
Ford Thunderbird
Buick Skylark
Nash Rambler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Buick introduced the Skylark in 1953 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company, and even though it was an expensive car based on standards at the time, $5,000 then and over $48,000 in today's dollars, it still sold pretty well.

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Q2
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
What's the name of this car that came decked out with tailfins and a 275 hp Packard V8 engine?
Studebaker Golden Hawk
Buick LeSabre
Jowett Jupiter
Jensen Interceptor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Studebaker's Golden Hawk was part of a larger series known as the Hawk Series of vehicles of which there were several. Aside from the Golden, Studebaker produced the Silver Hawk, Flight Hawk, Power Hawk, Sky Hawk, Gran Turismo Hawk, Packard Hawk and just the Hawk.

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Q3
Wiki Commons by dave_7
In 1950, the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation started making which of these cars?
DeSoto Firedome
Henry J
Lancia Aurelia
Nash Rambler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Henry J is named for the chairman of the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation, Henry J. Kaiser. The Henry J was designed to truly be a car for everyone, cheaper than any other car on the market at only $1,300. To make it work at such a low cost it had fixed rear windows, there were no arm rests or a glove box, and the trunk didn't open.

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Q4 biggest failure in automotive history
Travel_Motion/E+/GettyImages
Most people consider this car the biggest failure in automotive history. What is it?
Ford Edsel
Chevy Corvair
Packard Caribbean
Chrysler New Yorker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford is believed to have lost about $350 million on the Edsel in the late 1950s. While the car actually performed fairly well, it was way over-hyped leading up to its debut and the fact it was considered to be remarkably ugly did it no favors at all.

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Q5 Extreme Tailfin
Unsplash by Sergei Wing
Many cars had tailfins in the '50s but this car arguably had the most extreme ones. What was it?
Fiat 500
Pontiac Bonneville
Chevy Del Rey
Cadillac Eldorado
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1954, Cadillac started using more pointed tailfins in contrast to the rounded ones previously used. By 1959, the Cadillac Eldorado was sporting fins so dramatic they looked like rear stabilizers on an airplane.

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Q6
Wiki Commons by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia
Which of these cars was not marketed as a sports car, a move which turned out to be very successful?
Chevy Corvette
Fiat 500
Ford Thunderbird
Aston Martin DB4
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford had been doing well in the sports car marketplace when it introduced the Thunderbird in 1955. And while it looks like it may have been able to compete with other sporty convertibles of the era, Ford positioned it as a family luxury vehicle and even included an extra row of seats to sell the idea.

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Q7 front fender wells
DougSchneiderPhoto/E+/GettyImages
Do you know which of these cars featured doors that slid into the front fender wells?
Jaguar XK150
Mercury Turnpike Cruiser
DeSoto Custom
Kaiser Darrin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Kaiser Darrin was only produced in 1954 and only 435 were made in that year. The Darrin earned its place in history for being the first American car produced with a fiberglass body and for those unusual sliding doors.

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Q8 Stephen King
zodebala/E+/GettyImages
Which of these cars became infamous thanks to Stephen King's "Christine?"
Plymouth Fury
Chevy Bel Air
Ford Fairlane
Chrysler Imperial
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The sinister car Christine was a 1958 Plymouth Fury in King's book. Weirdly, ads for the movie listed it as a '57 Fury. Director John Carpenter could only find so many Furys for the movie, so he also modified a few Belvederes and Savoys to fit the bill.

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Q9
Wiki Commons by Jonn Leffmann
For its first three years of production which car was only available as a convertible?
Ford Fairlane
Packard Caribbean
Chevy Del Rey
Mercury Sun Valley
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Packard Caribbean was only available as a convertible from 1953 through 1955. In its final year Packard gave the option of a hardtop. Unfortunately, production ended after that year because Packard ended production in Detroit that year.

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Q10
Wiki Commons by © Croquant / Wikimedia Commons
Known as "America's Sports Car," which vehicle began production in 1953?
Triumph TR2
Chevy Corvette
Packard Hawk
Ford Fairlane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy makes the Corvette to this day and it's one of the most popular cars it's ever made and one of the most recognizable and iconic. That's a lucky turn for Chevy since, when it debuted in 1953, it was a pretty unpopular vehicle that suffered poor sales and was almost cancelled.

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Q11
Wiki Commons
Do you know which of these cars was named after the Michigan estate of Henry Ford?
Crestline
Country Squire
Anglia
Fairlane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ford made the Fairlane starting in 1955 in six different models. The Crown Victoria Skyliner model came complete with a tinted plastic roof to let the sun in while the Sunliner version was just a regular convertible.

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Q12 The Biscayne
Stuart Gregory/Photodisc/GettyImages
The Biscayne was made by which manufacturer?
Ford
Packard
Chevy
Plymouth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy replaced its 210 model with the Biscayne for the 1958 model year. Though not as popular as the Malibu or the Bel Air, the Biscayne followed the same trend in naming and is named after a place called Biscayne Bay in Florida.

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Q13
Wiki Commons by Alf van Beem
Removable Plexiglass sidescreens were a feature of which of these cars?
Alfa Romeo Giuletta
Jaguar XK120
Triumph TR3
Nash Rambler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

First made in 1955 in a run that lasted until 1962, the Triumph TR3 was much more successful than the TR1 or TR2 that came before it with nearly 75,000 units sold. Though it's clearly a two-seat convertible, you could get a bolt on steel hardtop and even a back seat.

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Q14
Wiki Commons by Triple-green
DeSoto produced which of these cars?
Jupiter
Firedome
Aurelia
Lancer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The DeSoto Firedome was made from 1952 to 1959. The first model year came decked out with a 160 hp Hemi V8 engine and they upped the ante to 170 horsepower by the next year. Top speed was 100 miles per hor, which wasn't terrible for a 3,700 pound car.

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Q15
Wiki Commons by allen watkin
Only 88 of these cars were produced from 1950 to 1957. What is it?
Lancia Aurelia
Hudson Hornet
MG MGA
Jensen Interceptor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you thought the Jensen Interceptor was a car from the 1960s you're both right and wrong. Jensen's most famous Interceptor was made from 1966 to 1976, but the car was originally made from 1950 to 1957.

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Q16
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Before 1959, which of these cars was known as the "Special?"
Chrysler New Yorker
Buick LeSabre
Lincoln Continental
Dodge Cornet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buick LeSabre was officially crowned in 1959 though Buick had been using the name LeSabre since 1951 when it introduced a car by that name as a concept car. The Buick Special, which had been in production since 1936, became the LeSabre in 1959.

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Q17
Wiki Commons by Bull-Doser
Which British sports car was made from 1955 until 1962?
MG MGA
Austin-Healey 3000
Bentley R-Type
Astin Martin DB4
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The MG MGA 1500 was outfitted with a 1489 cc engine that produced 68 horsepower, later upgraded to 72. That may not seem like much compared to today's cars that get up to several hundred horsepower, but it was still able to hit 97.8 miles per hour.

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Q18
Wiki Commons by © Frank Schulenburg
In advertising, which of these cars was called "the Hot One?"
Hudson Hornet
Cadillac Coupe de Ville
Chrysler Imperial
Chevy Bel Air
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy's Bel Air is one of the most iconic cars of the era and still favored by collectors today. In particular, the second generation is highly prized for its Ferrari-inspired grille and 265 cu. in V8 engine.

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Q19
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
This car paced the Indianapolis 500 in 1958, the first year it was available. What is it?
Pontiac Bonneville
Plymouth Barracuda
Chrysler New Yorker
Continental Mark II
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pontiac Bonneville was named in honor of the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where most land speed records have been set for years now. The Salt Flats themselves were named in honor of Benjamin Bonneville, an Army officer from the 1800s.

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Q20
Wiki Commons
Which of these cars had the first series production V6 engine?
Lancia Aurelia
DeSoto Custom
Jaguar XK150
Mercury Sun Valley
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Italian automaker Lancia started producing the Aurelia in 1950. The car is named for a Roman road called the Via Aurelia, or the Aurelian Way, that leads from Pisa to Rome and was constructed back in the year 241 BC.

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Q21
Wiki Commons by DeFacto
The most iconic British car of the '60s actually started production in 1959. What is it?
Hudson Hornet
Triumph Herald
Mini
Jowett Jupiter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mini sneaked in at the tail end of 1959, debuting in August of that year before it went on to become one of the most iconic and visually distinct cars ever made. Despite the tiny size, its design which included a transverse engine and front-wheel drive meant 80% of its floor space was usable.

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Q22 Bonneville Salt Flats
Wiki Commons by Charles01
Which car set over 100 land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1953?
Dodge Coronet
Chrysler New Yorker
Oldsmobile 76
Chevy del Rey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The dodge Coronet debuted in1 949 but in 1953 the car got a serious overhaul which included the supremely powerful 241 cu. in Hemi engine called the "Red Ram." This was the first of the Hem engines that helped it produce 140 horsepower and 4,400 rpms.

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Q23
Wiki Commons by Greg Goebel
Do you know which car came with a 324 Rocket V8 engine?
Mercury Cruiser
Chrysler Imperial
Nash Rambler
Oldsmobile 88
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Oldsmobile 88 was released in 1949 but the second generation in 1954 got a serious overhaul with that Rocket V8 engine. By 1956 the Super 88 model had 240 horsepower under the hood. In 1957 it was jacked up to 371 cu. in engine with 277 hp.

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Q24
BlueLineClassics via YouTube
As a low-cost alternative to similar models, which of these cars was often used as a fleet vehicle?
Continental Mark II
Bentley R-Type
Mercury Turnpike Cruiser
Chevy Delray
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chevy's Delray was introduced as a lower-price, no-frills option for buyers who weren't ready to commit to a higher-priced Biscayne or Impala. Thanks to its lower price, it had fewer interior and exterior options which made it a prime choice for fleets like police around the country.

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Q25
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Do you know which of these cars was famous for its step-down design?
Aston Martin DB4
Pontiac Chieftain
Hudson Hornet
DeSoto Custom
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Hudson Hornet was in production from 1951 to 1954 and was notable for having a step-down design. The floor pan was recessed so that when you opened the door you could actually take a step down into the car, unlike most automobiles.

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Q26
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
What is generally recognized as the first American compact car?
Nash Rambler
Pontiac Chieftain
Dodge Dart
Ford Fairmont
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nash began producing the Rambler in Wisconsin in 1950. Nash's goal was to compete with the Big 3 automakers by making a car that could still seat 5 passengers but would be smaller, lighter and cheaper to produce, thus passing savings onto the buyers.

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Q27
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
In which car did James Dean famously crash n 1955?
Aston Martin DB4 Zagato
Porsche 550 Spyder
Austin-Healey 3000
Fiat 500
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

James Dean had one of the first 90 550 Spyders ever made. He had it custom painted with the name "Little Bastard" written on the rear cowling. Dean was on his way to a racing event when he crashed on California State Route 46.

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Q28
Wiki Commons
Do you know this British car that had a top speed of 139 miles per hour?
Jaguar XK120
Bentley R-Type
Aston Martin DB4
Jowett Jupiter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aston Martin's DB4 started production in 1958 . In 1959 they also released the DB4 GT Zagato, a performance version of the car that had 302 horsepower and could hit 151 miles per hour, going from 0 to 60 in just over 6 seconds. At the time it was the fastest production car in the world.

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Q29
Wiki Commons by Radek Weigel
In the car of the century poll, which car ranked third?
Jaguar XK120
Mercedes Benz 300SL
Volkswagen Type 1
Citroen DS
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The French-made Citroen DS was an immensely popular vehicle that sold nearly 1.5 million units in its time. It was the first mass-produced car with disc brakes and was renowned for its futuristic design by 1955 standards.

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Q30
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Which of these cars came with a 331 cu.in 5.4L Hemi V8 engine in 1951?
Pontiac Bonneville
Plymouth Barracuda
Chrysler Imperial
Dodge Challenger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chrysler had been making the Imperial since 1926 but it very definitely evolved over the years. The 1953 model was the first car since 1941 to have air conditioning. The system, called Airtemp, recirculated air and could remove smoke and dust with little noise and no stale air smell, either.

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Q31 Cotswold blue, Sherwood green, and Carmen red
David Henderson/OJO Images/GettyImages
Cotswold blue, Sherwood green and Carmen red were among the colors his 1957 sports car came in. What is it?
Austin-Healey 3000
Jaguar XK150
BMW 503
Mercedes Benz 300 SL
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most stylish and coveted sports cars of the era, the Jaguar XK150 was mostly available as a two-seater but you could get a three-seater as well, with that tiny third seat crammed in the back for an unlucky passenger.

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Q32 most expensive American-made car
Ling Jin/Moment/GettyImages
In 1956, which of these was the most expensive American-made car sold in America?
Mercury Sun Valley
Chevy Malibu
Cadilac Coupe de Ville
Lincoln Continental Mark II
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lincoln Continentals have been produced across several generations, the first of which dates all the way back to 1939. Mark II was the model made in 1956 and 1957. As a nearly completely hand-built car, they were so expensive to build that Ford took a loss on each one sold.

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Q33 Gullwing doors
Anthony Collins/Stockbyte/GettyImages
Which car stood out from the crowd thanks to its swooping gullwing doors?
Mercedes-Benz 300SL
Austin-Healey 3000
Alfa Romeo Giuletta
Lancia Stratos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most beautiful cars of the 1950s by far, was the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. First made in 1954, the 300SL was the fastest production car of the time with a top speed of 163 miles per hour, something even a good number of modern cars can't match.

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Q34 13 horsepower
Wiki Commons by Charles01
In 1957, which of these cars had an engine that produced just 13 horsepower?
VW Type 1
Fiat 500
Mini
Citroen DS
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tiny Fiat 500 got its name from its 500 cc engine (which actually was a 479 cc engine, but close enough). The roof was made of a foldable fabric. A year later the updated engine produced 21.2 horsepower and a top speed of 65 mph.

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Q35 fastest four-seat production car
Wiki Commons by Br51zey
Which of these was the fastest four-seat production car available in 1952?
Austin-Healey 3000
Jowett Jupiter
BMW M3
Bentley R-Type Continental
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Continental was the performance version of the Bentley R-Type and it was capable of speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, which must have been pretty intense for four passengers in the '50s. These days if you can find one it'll cost you over $1 million, probably.

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