This Is The Chevy Vega That Cosworth Transformed Into A Hot Hatch Hero
To fully understand and appreciate this week’s quirky classified find, a brief history lesson is required on the Chevrolet Vega. It was one of - if not the worst - American car of the 1970s. It wasn’t terrible to look at, but it was as reliable as your out-of-work uncle and tended to rust at the mere thought of moisture. The Vega only lasted from 1971 to 1977, and if the car miraculously lasted more than a couple years, its weak four-cylinder engine would bore drivers to death. Even for a 1000kg subcompact, it was positively underwhelming.
But then something very curious happened in 1975. A limited number of these miserable little hatchbacks got black paint with gold trim, tweaked suspension, and an all-aluminum 2.0-litre DOHC Cosworth four-cylinder driving the rear wheels through a four-speed manual. It was the first production Chevrolet to feature electronic fuel injection, and though mandated emissions regulations choked the rev-happy mill to just 110bhp, it was still enough to make the Vega something of a hot little racer.
Chevrolet built a total of just 3508 Cosworth Vegas in 1975 and 1976. They were cool cars for the era, but even a Cosworth mill couldn’t stave off the Vega’s reputation for being a pile of crap. When Chevrolet dumped the Vega completely in 1977, few people mourned its passing. That is, except for the Cosworth.
And that brings us to this particular 1975 Cozzy Vega, currently selling on eBay in Plymouth, Michigan for a very lofty $22,900. Whether or not it brings that much is anyone’s guess; its status as both a cool and rare 1970s performance car combined with its terrible lineage leaves this one completely up in the air. That’s especially true when the car is all original with just 24,000 miles, and this one is also listed as a first place Autorama winner. That’s a big deal, because Autorama is one of the most prestigious custom and classic auto shows in the United States. To win there, a car needs to be special, so if any Vega has the chops to bring some respectable coin, this could be it.
I’m still not sure it’s $22,900 special; I’ve seen a few of these cars for sale over the years and they were always in the $10,000 range. Then again, I’ve never seen a Cosworth Vega quite as nice as this one appears to be. And for once we have a seller who understands how to properly sell a car online. There are plenty of great photos, solid vehicle information without going crazy on details, and no extraneous information on classic car markets, how great their dealership is, encyclopedia-length instructions on how to use eBay, and most importantly, no mention of the mythical “Jerry” who once owned 1000 cars.
I’ve always had a soft spot for cars that most people hate. Yes, that means I’d even geek out over a standard Vega in good shape, but the Cosworth Vegas are in a different category altogether. They didn’t just have a stellar engine; the suspension tuning actually turned these subcompacts into amazingly well-balanced sports cars. They were definitely built for enthusiasts - air conditioning and power steering were not available, and by keeping things light, the Cosworth Vega made the most of its decidedly non-traditional engine. As such, these cars were never really hated like their standard Vega siblings, and though I’m not sure it’s loved enough to bring $22,900, the Cosworth Vega has certainly earned its place in performance automotive history.
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Super Chevy magazine included the 1975-’76 Cosworth Vega in their 2011 list of the “100 Most Significant Chevys Of All Time. “The ingredients were there–dual overhead cam EFI engine, a robust suspension and a decent power-to-weight ratio. It was the first Chevy with electronic fuel injection, a five-speed transmission, and aluminum wheels as standard.” “It had more modern technology in it than a Vette of the same vintage and proved there were still people at Chevy in the mid-’70s who cared about performance.”
I bought a 1976 Cosworth Vega with 1,500 miles for $12,000. A condition 1 car is worth 14,000, not over 20,000.
Let’s see what a few real car authorities have to say in retrospect
Motor Trend’s Frank Markus said after driving my 6k mile ‘73 Vega GT in 2010, “After a few gentle miles, I begin to understand how this car won its awards and comparison tests.” “Well-maintained examples are great looking, nice-driving, economical classics—like Baltic Ave. with a Hotel, the best ones can be had for $10K or less.”
Motor Trend’s Frank Markus said after driving my 2k mile ‘76 Cosworth Vega in 2013, “Stylish and historically significant but ridiculously overpriced in its day and ultimately a bit unfinished, the ultimate Vega now represents a serious collector bargain.”
Hemmings Classic Car editor Craig Fitzgerald said, “The idea that the 1971 to 1977 Chevrolet Vega was an unpopular lemon from day one is a myth.”
Hemmings Classic Car editor in chief Terry Shea said, “Chevrolet did save the best for last in the form of the sublime Cosworth Vega, a sports car with an exotic double-overhead-cam, 16-valve, four cylinder engine; a suspension to match and sophistication decades ahead of most other cars.”
Cars in Depth May 26, 2013 said, “GM is not ashamed of the Vega and they have one on display at the GM Heritage Center.”
Portraits of Automotive History “Falling Star: The Checkered History of the Chevrolet Vega” editor Aaron Severson said, “As with the Corvair, any statements about the Vega’s failure have to be carefully qualified. Chevrolet sold more than 2 million Vegas during its seven-year lifespan, which is excellent by any standards. During the difficult period of the OPEC embargo — which briefly made big cars almost unsaleable — Chevrolet sold all the Vegas they could build.”