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There wasn’t always a very distinct consideration for the gas efficiency and eco-friendly compatibility of the vehicles we drove.
A ‘green’ Chevy or Ford was either imagined after the crayon or in desperate need of a trip to a mechanic. But the modern automotive industry is very mindful, and ‘Going Green’ has become downright trendy.
It all indicates a progressive new approach to the way we think about our cars – a line of thinking that has more than a few precedents to learn from and build upon. In retrospect, some vehicles were truly ahead of their time. We’ve assembled a list of some of the standouts:
‘68 BMW 2002 – Think of the 2002 as the guy in high school voted most likely to succeed – not handsome enough to garner the hunk label, not cool enough to win a popularity run-off. But this compact forerunner to modern eco-models got the last laugh and has held up as a gas-friendly antique.
’78 MG Midget – The British Motor Corporation’s MG Midget may have looked paltry when compared with the GTOs and Corvettes rolling off the line in 1978, but then again it wasn’t built for a heavyweight prize fight. The Midget was pulling 30-35 MPGs before anyone cared about MPGs.
’75 Volkswagen Rabbit – Volkswagen made a strong showing in the economy vehicle market with the Mk1 Rabbit, now known as the Golf. This little engine that could was highly fuel efficient and designed for performance – Internet lore even has it that the diesel model could on occasion fetch close to 50 MPGs.
’66 Porsche 912 – Outfitted with an air-cooled four cylinder engine, the 912 was still able to pack all the traditional Porsche punch and was a viable alternative to the more renowned 911.
’61 Dodge Dart – When you label a vehicle the ‘Dart’, you have a lot to live up to. Dodge introduced this model and it quickly became a top-seller – reasonably affordable and capable of pulling 18-20 MPG. A real bullseye.
Have a Green Classic? Share a picture of your ecool-friendly ride with us on Facebook.
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