Chevrolet Corsica, Space Aliens and Dinah Shore!

[MarkV]

Combine a Chevrolet Corsica, Space Aliens and Dinah Shore and you have an ad to remember! 
 

I was thinking today about cars that used to be very common on the road in the last 30 years and now are not. One is the Corsica built starting 1986 as a rental car then released to the masses in December 86/Jan87. It is one of the few GM cars that was no shared amongst the brands (except Pontiac in Canada). 
 

you could order them fully loaded or bare bones! In 1991 they changed the dash and the interior design and engine options but they basically remained unchanged for 10 years.

 

Here is a weird commercial for the Corsica which included space aliens!

 

[MarkV]

 

 

[8E45E]

A commentary when Chevrolet alone held 28.5% of the market, and Dinah Shore was advertising them on TV.  Where is Dinah Shore When We Need Her? - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum

 

Craig

[Jim Skelly]

My brother bought a new '91 Corsica.  I ordered a '91 Beretta with the optional V6 and sport suspension, full gauge package, etc.  We both got many years out of the cars and visibility was good all the way around - unlike the cars today with massive blind spots, the need for side blind zone alerts and all that other nonsense.

[Bryan G]

I took driver's ed in a first year Beretta. It was the most modern car I'd ever sat in! (Not saying much.) I suppose our local small town Chevy dealer had hopes that, by providing it (probably at reduced cost) many would be sold. I really don't recall seeing a lot of them in my high school parking lot, but I bet at least 50% of the vehicles were Chevrolets. Oh: halfway through the school year someone plowed into that car and totaled it while some of my classmates were out on their drive.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Bryan G
spelling (see edit history)

[Reynard]

I bought a 90's something Corsica for one of my daughters. It was a sensible and economical ride until she was t-boned on the way to school and it was totaled. Seems like a common fate😢.

[TAKerry]

I am pretty sure that the Corsica and Beretta were made at Boxwood road in Wilmington. I had many a friends that worked there putting them together.

[John_S_in_Penna]

The Beretta and Corsica are cases where once-ordinary

cars are almost never seen today--neither stashed away in garages

nor in beautiful condition at collector events.  

 

Picture a 1989 Beretta at a show, next to a 1932 Packard.

Some people here might disdain the Chevrolet while admiring

the Packard;  but to the general public looking at the cars,

the Beretta might bring back memories and be at least as interesting.

 

As historians, it's important we keep some of the once-common

cars around--just as people did with 1929 Hupmobiles or 1940 Chevrolets.

Many are disappearing, and a part of history is almost being lost.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[8E45E]

4 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

As historians, it's important we keep some of the once-common cars around!

The memorable thing for me about them was when the armaments maker, Beretta sued GM and won:  GM Resolves Dispute Over Beretta Name - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

 

Craig

[Ed Luddy]

I had one of these GTZ's with Quad 4 power. This is a stock image as I sold it years before I had a pocket phone/camera.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Ed Luddy
spelling (see edit history)

[Twisted Shifter]

 

 

Rust in Peace...

 

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Twisted Shifter (see edit history)

[avgwarhawk]

Worked on many at Goodyear.  Just appeared to be dependable transportation for the time. And it was.  

[Jim Skelly]

13 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I am pretty sure that the Corsica and Beretta were made at Boxwood road in Wilmington. I had many a friends that worked there putting them together.

My Beretta was built there.  Weren't all of these built at that one plant?

[Bryan G]

15 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I am pretty sure that the Corsica and Beretta were made at Boxwood road in Wilmington. I had many a friends that worked there putting them together.

Pretty neat: my first car was an Impala built at Wilmington. I never realized that Beretta I drove in driver's ed was also cranked out there. I had to look at a customer's car in that neighborhood a few years ago. Very sad to see its fate.

[John348]

15 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I am pretty sure that the Corsica and Beretta were made at Boxwood road in Wilmington. I had many a friends that worked there putting them together.

 

I know they built Corsica's in Linden NJ as well, I went through a tour of that plant and that was in the late 80's. That plant has been gone awhile now.

[TAKerry]

I live 11 miles from Del. Newark had a Chrysler plant and Nearby Wilmington(actually Newport) had a GM plant. I think that DuPonts interests in GM at one time had something to do with that. It seemed that about 8 out of 10 people in my small town were employed at either one. I had many friends in HS whose parent/parents worked there that started themselves upon graduation. My best friend went to work at Chrysler until they closed down. I have a very good friend now that sub contracted hauling cars from Chrysler. Everyone refers to those as the good ole days.

Chrysler plant has been leveled and became part of the U of Del, and a large Teck/corporate campus.

GM Boxwood has been leveled, Its been awhile since I have been in that area, last time I was there it was a big empty space.

[Jim Skelly]

11 hours ago, John348 said:

 

I know they built Corsica's in Linden NJ as well, I went through a tour of that plant and that was in the late 80's. That plant has been gone awhile now.

I forgot about Linden; thanks

[Paul Dobbin]

To bad they picked the Corsica for that neat commercial.   That was when all cars were made to look like the Ford Taurus, another blad ugly car.

They were both about exciting as platform shoes and Disco music.

[Bryan G]

I drove past the Chrysler plant several times in the 90s when it was still running; what I especially liked was spotting several 60s/70s heavy duty Dodge trucks that they still used as yard jockey's. 

[Frank DuVal]

Rust in peace? Those are western cars, not a rusty car in any photo. Surface rust on the hood does  not count, just sand that , prime, and paint! Rust means holes you can bounce a basketball through!

[Frank DuVal]

On 3/14/2023 at 8:59 AM, 8E45E said:

The memorable thing for me about them was when the armaments maker, Beretta sued GM and won:  GM Resolves Dispute Over Beretta Name - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Sounds like GM won the battle. 500K plus some lawyers fees for the gun maker.  Probably cheaper than changing the name of the car.

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Sounds like GM won the battle. 500K plus some lawyers fees for the gun maker.  Probably cheaper than changing the name of the car.

The only thing GM 'won' was being allowed to continue using the 'Berreta' trademark for the car.  All it cost the gun manufacturer was time in court, since GM had to pay their legal fees, court costs, plus a $500K donation to one of their charities.   Not to mention it free advertising for the gun, as Chevrolet had to start acknowledging it in their sales brochures and owner's manuals as per the LA Times article.

 

Craig

[Jim Skelly]

There must have been some people who thought the car and the firearms were manufactured by the same company. 😃🙄

Edited March 17, 2023 by Jim Skelly (see edit history)

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

There must have been some people who thought the car and the firearms were manufactured by the same company. 😃🙄

GM did make tanks at one time.  

 

Craig

[SC38dls]

I

7 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

GM did make tanks at one time.  

 

Craig

I’ll put money on it that it was probably started around WW2 !

Just a wild guess. 
dave s 

[8E45E]

Just now, SC38dls said:

I’ll put money on it that it was probably started around WW2 ! 

It sure was, and with it, the Hydramatic was developed into one of best automatic transmissions in the world.

 

Craig

[EmTee]

5 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

There must have been some people who thought the car and the firearms were manufactured by the same company. 😃🙄

[Jim Skelly]

but that's BAretta 😃