1975 Chevrolet Vega Cosworth 3-Door Hatchback
2019.0037.0001, Savoy Collection
Engine: 122 cu. in. (2L) Aluminum block, DOHC, V-8
Output: 120 HP @ 5,200 RPM
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
Wheelbase: 91 in.
Overall Length: 176 in.
Weight: 2,480 lbs. (curb)
Top Speed: 113 MPH
No. Produced: 2,061
Original Price: $5,916
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Conceived by corporate executives, the Vega was dumped in the lap of “Mr. Muscle Car” John DeLorean and his team. Their job is to make the car a hit. When sales sagged, DeLorean dreamed of a Vega capable of racing in 2.0-liter championships at home and abroad. The race engine failed, so now, developing a street version of the Cosworth engine that made the Vega a challenger of the BMW 2002tii and the Alfa Romeo GTV was the plan.
Car and Driver’s initial review praised the Cosworth Vega as “A taut-muscled GT coupe.” With a limited production run, built to precise tolerances, “All of them will be collector’s items.” The Cosworth Vega was the only General Motors car to be emission-certified for all 50 states. However, despite the glowing reports, the Cosworth Vega still lived under the cloud of the Vega’s well-documented mechanical problems. Priced less than $900 below a Corvette, shelling out the additional bucks for a real sports car helped shorten the Cosworth Vega’s lifespan to just two years.