The 50 Best Chevrolet Models of All Time (No. 40 – 31)

The first U.S. carmaker to mass produce a sports car, the 1953 Corvette, Chevrolet also pioneered the proto-SUV market with the 1935 Suburban. But these are only two out of tens of iconic vehicles built by the Detroit-based division. To celebrate the company that gave us so many cool automobiles, we're looking at the 50 best Chevrolets of all time. Having already explored No. 50 to 41, here's part two, which includes numbers 40 to 31.

40. 1971 G-Van

Also known as the G-series or the Chevy Van, the G-Van was introduced in the mid-1960s as a replacement for the Greenbrier. The first-gen version retained the forward control layout and compact size of its predecessor, but the van grew into a full-size hauler for the 1971 model year. Sharing underpinnings with the C/K pickup truck and sporting a rugged and simple construction, the G-Van became a hit.

Chevrolet offered both panel and passenger versions but the van also spawned a wide variety of conversions, including campers, ambulances, and school buses. The full-size G-Van was so popular that Chevrolet kept it in production for a whopping 25 years, until 1996. Its longevity has since been surpassed by its successor, the Chevy Express, but the G-series remains one of the company's best-selling and longest-running nameplates.

In 1975, singer/songwriter Sammy Johns released "Chevy Van," a hit single that reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold about three million copies. The song is credited for an increase in van sales the following year. Needless to say, it says a lot about the G-Van's popularity in the 1970s.

39. 1982 S-10 Pickup

While nowhere near as iconic as the C/K truck, the S-10 pickup was a game changer for both Chevrolet and the truck industry. Introduced in 1981 for the 1982 model year, the S-10 was the first U.S.-built compact truck of the Big Three automakers. Primarily aimed at Japanese imports from Mazda and Toyota, it was offered with both inline-four and V6 engines.

The S-10's development prompted Ford to introduce the first-generation Ranger in 1983, while Jeep followed with the Comanche in 1985. The truck proved there was a big demand for compact pickups in North America, and Chevrolet kept it in production all the way until 2004. The S-10 paved the way for the Colorado we can find in showrooms today.

The compact truck also spawned the S-10 Blazer SUV in 1982 and the iconic GMC Syclone high-performance pickup in 1991.

38. 1990 454 SS

While the second-generation C/K truck came with a big-block V8 rated at an impressive 325 horsepower, Chevrolet never really offered a pickup focused on high performance until 1990. That's when it created the 454 SS, a beefed-up version of the C-1500. Often referred to as the vehicle that kickstarted the high-performance truck segment, the 454 SS wasn't particularly potent at 230 horsepower, but it delivered better handling thanks to a stiffer suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, a front stabilizer bar, and fast-ratio steering gear assembly.

In 1991, the 454-cubic-inch V8 got a power bump to 255 horsepower, while the rear axle was upgraded to a higher ratio. Initially offered in black paint only, the 454 SS also became available in red and white for the 1992 model. Chevrolet sold almost 17,000 trucks through 1993, a solid figure for a single-cab pickup that was a departure from the usual workhorse concept.

Built alongside its smaller, V6-powered GMC cousin, the Syclone, the 454 SS prompted Ford to introduce the now-iconic SVT Lightning in 1992.

37. 2017 Colorado ZR2

Initially showcased as a concept vehicle in 2014, the Colorado ZR2 morphed into a production model due to positive feedback. Essentially similar to the Z71, the ZR2 boasts additional off-road-spec gear, including a wider track, a two-inch lift, and even an Off-Road mode that alters drivetrain response.

While nowhere near as powerful as the bigger Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX, the Colorado's smaller footprint and available diesel torque turned it into a popular off-roader.

It's also Chevrolet's first fully-fledged effort in this niche, which also includes the Ford Ranger Raptor and the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.

36. 1968 Chevrolet Nova SS396

Launched in 1962 as an affordable compact, the Chevy II/Nova morphed into a muscle car following its third-generation redesign for the 1968 model year. The Super Sport (SS) package takes much of the credit for its transformation. The Nova SS came with a feisty 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) V8 rated at 295 horsepower as standard, but Chevrolet took things up a significant notch with the optional 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) mill.

Good for 350 horses in the base configuration, the 396 generated a whopping 375 horsepower and 415 pound-feet (563 Nm) of torque in its range-topping version. The cheapest Chevrolet with the 396 big-block at the time, the 375-horsepower Nova was the perfect package for enthusiasts looking for big power in a lighter car. The fact that it needed only 14 seconds to cover the quarter-mile made the Nova SS396 a popular choice among racers.

The L78-powered compact wasn't particularly popular in 1968 with only 667 units built, but it remained in production through 1970.

35. 2008 Cobalt SS Turbo

Introduced in 2004 as a replacement for the Cavalier, the Cobalt is a rather mundane compact at first glance. However, the regular two-door coupe and four-door sedan versions were joined by an SS-badged sports compact in 2005. The naturally aspirated version wasn't particularly exciting at 171 horsepower, but it was immediately joined by a supercharged version good for 205 horses. The latter saw GM enter the tuner market with a series of dealer upgrades.

But the meanest Cobalt of them all did not arrive until late 2007 when Chevrolet swapped the Eaton supercharger for a turbo unit. In this layout, the 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder delivered 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet (353 Nm) of torque, enabling the SS to hit 60 mph (97 kph) from a standing start in a neck-snapping 5.5 seconds.

The SS Turbocharged also came with goodies such as embroidered sports seats, 18-inch wheels, and a no-lift-shift feature that allowed the driver to maintain turbo boost during shifts to a higher gear. A Stage 1 upgrade kit introduced in 2009 raised output to an even more appealing 290 horsepower and 340 pound-feet (461 Nm) of torque. The Cobalt SS received rave reviews and held the Virginia International Raceway lap record for FWD cars for a whopping 10 years.

34. 1965 Chevelle SS Z16

The Chevelle is mostly famous for the SS 454 LS6 variant it spawned in 1970. And that's not surprising given that it was the most powerful muscle car at the time thanks to a 450-horsepower output. But the Chevelle became a true performer in 1965 when Chevrolet created the Z16 by fitting the midsize with the largest V8 it had at the time.

I'm talking about the 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) big-block, a unit capable of delivering up to 375 horsepower when customers checked the right boxes on the options sheet. Sure, it wasn't as powerful as the 454 LS6 that arrived five years later, but in 1965, the Chevelle Z16 provided more oomph than the mighty Pontiac GTO, the car that reportedly kickstarted the muscle car era.

Produced in just 201 units, a figure that turns it into an expensive classic, the Z16 also came with a unique grille and bumper setup, bucket seats, a center console, and an instrument panel that included a rev counter and oil pressure gauge. The four-speed manual was the only gearbox option.

33. 1955 Cameo

Part of the Task Force series, which Chevrolet produced from 1955 to 1961, the Cameo dropped in mid-1955 and paved the way for the iconic Fleetside. The company's first pickup truck with car-like features, it was available with fiberglass rear fenders, two-tone paint, and a relatively luxurious interior.

The power-assisted features, the optional V8 engine, and the availability of an automatic transmission further set the Cameo apart from other Task Force trucks in the early years.

The Cameo's wider, flush-side cargo box not only prompted Ford and Dodge to offer similar pickups starting in 1957 but also set a new standard for the entire truck industry.

32. 1932 Deluxe Sports Roadster

While Ford produced the iconic Model A and Model B/18 from 1927 to 1934, Chevrolet countered with a series of similar cars that got different names and upgrades every year. The gorgeous roadster you're looking at here is part of the Series BA Confederate lineage, which Chevrolet sold in 1932 only.

Just like the Ford Model B/18 that arrived the same year, the Series BA was built in a long list of body styles, ranging from coupes and sedans to phaetons and cabriolets with rumble seats. But unlike Ford, which introduced the flathead V8 engine through Model 18, Chevrolet stuck to inline-six power. Rated at 60 horsepower, the latter was only five horses below the industry's first affordable V8.

While still overshadowed by its Ford counterpart today, including in the world of hot-rodding, the Deluxe Sports Roadster version of the Series BA remains the most beautiful pre-WWII Chevrolet.

31. 1959 El Camino

Introduced in 1959 in response to the Ford Ranchero, the El Camino was a couple of years late to the pickup utility market. However, it went on to become one of Chevrolet's most iconic nameplates and outlived the Ranchero by eight years.

Originally based on the full-size Brookwood station wagon, the El Camino was discontinued in 1960 and returned in 1964 as part of the Chevelle lineup. The El Camino spent its final years on the market as a downsized pickup based on the A- and G-body platforms.

While the nameplate spawned a series of desirable muscle trucks in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it's the first-year 1959 version that stands out thanks to its Impala-like trim and big rear fins.