1959 – Chevrolet Registers the Corvair Name
General Motors registered the Corvair name for use on automobiles on August 6, 1959, shortly before Chevrolet introduced one of the most unusual American cars of the postwar era. The name had appeared earlier on a 1954 Corvette-based fastback concept car, but it became famous with the production Chevrolet Corvair, launched for the 1960 model year. Unlike Chevrolet’s conventional front-engine, rear-drive lineup, the Corvair used an air-cooled, rear-mounted flat-six engine and compact unibody construction. It was Chevrolet’s bold answer to small imported cars, especially the Volkswagen Beetle. Although later controversy over handling and safety shaped its public image, the Corvair remains one of the most technically distinctive cars ever built by a major American automaker.
1991 – Peugeot Announces Its Exit From the U.S. Market
Peugeot announced on August 6, 1991, that it would leave the United States auto market after decades of selling French sedans and wagons to a small but loyal American audience. The decision followed years of declining sales, with Peugeot struggling against Japanese luxury brands, a shrinking dealer network and changing buyer expectations. The Los Angeles Times reported the following day that Peugeot would pull out of the U.S. later that year after sales fell sharply from the mid-1980s. Its departure effectively ended the era of French automakers selling new cars in the American market, leaving behind cars such as the 504, 505 and 405 as curiosities beloved by devoted Francophiles and diesel wagon enthusiasts.
2009 – Cash for Clunkers Ends Early After Overwhelming Demand
The federal Car Allowance Rebate System, better known as Cash for Clunkers, effectively reached its breaking point in early August 2009 after overwhelming consumer demand. The program offered government rebates to drivers who traded in older, less fuel-efficient vehicles for newer models with better mileage. Although intended as a short-term economic stimulus and fuel-efficiency measure, it quickly became controversial among enthusiasts because many usable older cars and trucks were permanently destroyed under the program’s rules. For the auto industry, Cash for Clunkers helped move new vehicles during a difficult recession. For the collector world, it remains a sore point, remembered as a moment when thousands of ordinary older vehicles disappeared from the used-car ecosystem almost overnight.
2012 – NASA’s Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars
NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, bringing one of the most advanced off-road vehicles ever built to the surface of another planet. While not an automobile in the conventional sense, Curiosity belongs in the broader story of transportation engineering. The six-wheeled rover was designed to survive a dramatic sky-crane landing, travel across harsh Martian terrain and carry scientific instruments far beyond the reach of a stationary lander. Its rocker-bogie suspension allowed it to climb over rocks and uneven ground, while its nuclear power source gave it long-term endurance. Like the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle before it, Curiosity showed that vehicle design is not limited to roads, cities or even Earth.
2024 – Mitsubishi Discontinues the Mirage in the U.S.
Mitsubishi confirmed on August 6, 2024, that the Mirage would be discontinued in the United States and would not return for the 2025 model year. The decision marked the end of one of America’s last truly inexpensive new cars. The Mirage hatchback and Mirage G4 sedan were never glamorous, powerful or especially refined, but they occupied an increasingly rare space in the market: basic transportation with a low starting price, strong fuel economy and a long warranty. Car and Driver noted that the Mirage’s departure left the new-car market with almost no sub-$20,000 options, underscoring how dramatically affordability had changed. Its disappearance made the humble Mirage more historically interesting than many people expected.
